1. Plants Suitable for Soil Cultivation
“Soil fertility” refers to the ability of soil to support plant growth. In theory, plants only need to absorb various inorganic salts and water from the soil, as proven by soilless cultivation. Therefore, soil organic matter is not crucial for plants. However, not all soils contain the same comprehensive inorganic salt content as the Hoagland medium used in soilless cultivation.
This is where microorganisms come in.
On the one hand, microorganisms can break down soil organic matter, releasing the inorganic substances it contains, which can then be absorbed by plants and meet their growth needs.
Many microorganisms can also fix elements (such as nitrogen), thereby changing the composition of inorganic salts in the soil—an activity that most plants cannot accomplish independently.
The most typical example is the rhizobium of legumes.
On the other hand, the decomposition of organic matter in the soil releases various gases (such as carbon dioxide). These releases create voids in the soil, allowing atmospheric oxygen to enter and provide breathing space for plant roots.
Decomposition of organic matter also releases heat, improving soil thermal conditions.
While plants cannot directly obtain nutrients from organic matter, they can indirectly obtain nutrients through soil microorganisms. Therefore, soils with a high organic matter content are better for growing plants. There are papers demonstrating (I can’t find the original article, so please forgive me for reading it in my spare time) that some plants regurgitate organic matter from their roots to “feed” root-hosting microorganisms, thereby improving their ability to obtain nutrients.
2. What plants are suitable for soil cultivation?
Sandy soil is suitable for drought-tolerant melons, high-yield root vegetables, and early-maturing fruiting vegetables.
Loam soil is easy to cultivate and rich in organic matter and natural nutrients, making it a suitable soil for most vegetables.
Clay soil is suitable for growing late-maturing Chinese cabbage, cabbage, and other large leafy vegetables, as well as aquatic vegetables.
Sandy soil is loose, well-drained, easy to cultivate, not prone to compaction and cracking, and experiences rapid spring warming. However, it has poor water and fertility retention, low effective mineral nutrient content, and is prone to premature aging and senescence in cultivated crops.
Loam soil is moderately loose and fine, experiences slower spring warming, retains water and fertility well, and has a good soil structure.
Clay loam soil is fine and dense, experiences a slow spring temperature rise, and matures cultivated vegetables later; it retains water and fertility well, but has poor drainage, is prone to drying out and cracking, and is difficult to cultivate.
3. What type of soil is suitable for potted plants?
The banyan tree is a large evergreen tree belonging to the Moraceae family. Planted in the ground, it can grow quite large and be treated as a full-grown tree. It can also be grown as a bonsai in a pot. Its root system is very well-developed, producing numerous aerial roots, and its roots are also quite sturdy, making care very simple. However, when planting it in a pot as a bonsai, we often experience poor growth, with leaves falling and no growth. The first step in caring for a banyan tree is to repot it and cultivate it with good soil for successful home cultivation. How should we prepare the soil for a healthy growth? What soil is best for it? Xiao Qi will share a simple and free method.
You can find some soil yourself and cultivate a banyan tree, ensuring it grows well without root rot or leaf loss. We go to the bottom of the trees in the green belt and collect some black soil under the leaves. This is called leaf mold. Then go outside and find a few pine trees. There are also rotten pine leaves under the pine trees. Then go to the construction site to find some river sand. Sieve out the powder from the river sand. Mix the three in a 1:1 ratio. After mixing, put them into a container and add boiling water to scald it to prevent insect eggs in the soil. The insect eggs will be scalded to death. Pour boiling water on it for 15 to 20 minutes, take out the soil, and put it outside to dry for later use. The black auxiliary leaf mold is a mixture of rotten leaves and soil. This soil is very nutritious. Pine needle soil is also leaf mold, but it is made of pine leaves, which is acidic. Banyan trees like acidic soil. Ensuring the acidity of the soil will allow the plant to grow well and quickly. After sifting out the powder from the river sand, which contains no salt, adding it to the soil can increase the soil’s permeability and air permeability. The resulting soil is loose and breathable, contains nutrients, and is not lacking in acidity. This allows the banyan tree to grow well, be well-nourished, and not have root rot. Choosing good soil for growing banyan trees is a no-brainer.
Plant directly in the soil and ensure frequent watering. Banyan trees prefer a humid environment and moist soil. Water thoroughly when the soil surface dries out. Ensure good ventilation and sufficient light. Provide appropriate shade in summer. During the growing season, regularly supplement fertilizer 2-3 times a month. You can use a multi-element water-soluble fertilizer or a fertilizer high in nitrogen. Also, feed it 2-3 times a month. This will ensure rapid root growth and branch growth, and the plant will gradually become thicker and larger, turning into a bonsai. Prune branches as they grow too long to maintain a healthy shape. This makes care very simple. As long as the soil is good and the roots aren’t rotting, there won’t be any problems. Simply water, fertilize, and provide ample sunlight. Also, periodically water the tree with ferrous sulfate every one to two months during the growing season to adjust the soil’s acidity and prevent the tree’s leaves from turning yellow due to iron deficiency. If you have trouble finding these three media, you can simply use nutrient soil and river sand. River sand is very breathable and water-permeable. Xiao Qi hauls in several truckloads of river sand every year for flower planting and always mixes it with his flowers. It helps everything thrive and prevents root rot. Coconut coir purchased online is not suitable for growing banyan trees because it lacks nutrients and retains too much water, making it unsuitable for indoor cultivation. You can simply purchase ready-made nutrient soil and mix it with river sand. As long as the soil is good and the tree doesn’t rot, it will thrive, growing lush, strong, and flawless. 4. What plants are suitable for soil cultivation? Ceramic pots are best because they are water-permeable and prevent root rot. 5. What plants are suitable for growing in mud? Lotus roots are good for growing in muddy fields. Muddy fields, also known as swampy fields, refer to paddy fields that have been flooded for a long time, with soft, deep soil. Most of these fields are cold-water fields. For example, rice seedlings will grow well in muddy fields, but the grain filling will be poor, resulting in more barren grains and a poor yield. Other crops, such as beans, potatoes, or those that prefer partially wet or dry soil, will not thrive. However, lotus roots are very suitable, as they are easy to plant and harvest. Another vegetable, water spinach, is also suitable. 6. Plants suitable for growing in mud: Plants that can grow in mud include lotus roots, also known as lotus roots. Lotus root, also known as lotus root, is a rhizome of the Nelumbo family and can be eaten or used medicinally. It is cultivated in most provinces of my country. Animals that can live in mud include loaches. Loaches are bottom-dwelling fish that inhabit the bottom of shallow, muddy waters such as rivers, lakes, ditches, paddy fields, and ponds. They are nocturnal and highly adaptable, able to live in humus-rich environments. When oxygen is scarce in the water, they can leap to the surface and swallow air for intestinal respiration. When a pool dries up, they burrow into the mud. As long as the soil remains moist with a small amount of water, they will survive.
7. Plants suitable for soil cultivation include
Clay is sticky soil with very little sand. It is impermeable to water and air, making it unsuitable for the growth of trees or other plants. Clay is primarily used in industry, such as preparing pottery clay. Hard clay is used to make blast furnace refractories, lining bricks and plugs for iron smelting furnaces, hot blast furnaces, and steel ladle ladles. Bentonite is used as a casting material, and is also used in the production of handicrafts. Clay’s excellent water-retention properties make it advantageous for growing crops like rice in the non-cultivated layer, but this presupposes a surface layer with suitable soil for plant growth. Improving clay soil for growing plants by mixing sand or sandy loam with clay and incorporating humus is also feasible, but only on a small scale. 8. Plants Suitable for Sandy Soil There are actually many, but here are a few. Clivia is a perennial herb with a flowering period of 30-50 days, primarily in winter and spring, but also blooming from New Year’s Day to the Spring Festival. It avoids strong light and is a semi-shade plant, preferring cool conditions and avoiding high temperatures. Its optimal growing temperature is 15-25°C; growth ceases below 5°C. It prefers rich, well-drained, moist soil and avoids dry conditions. Clivia miniata has a high ornamental value and is often grown in greenhouses in China.
Pothos miniata is a shade-bearing plant that prefers a humid, hot environment and avoids direct sunlight. It prefers shade. It prefers humus-rich, loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil. The overwintering temperature should not drop below 15°C.
Cactus
Cacti prefer strong sunlight and are tolerant of heat, drought, and infertility. They are tenacious and require minimal care, making them well-suited for cultivation on home balconies.
Chlorophytum
Chlorophytum
Preferred warm, humid, and partially shaded environments. It is highly adaptable and relatively drought-tolerant, but not very cold-tolerant. It is not picky about soil and grows best in well-drained, loose, fertile sandy soil.
It is not very demanding on light and generally thrives in moderate light conditions, but is also tolerant of low light. The optimal growing temperature is 15-25°C, and the overwintering temperature is 5°C. Growth is fastest at temperatures between 20-24°C, and the plant is more likely to produce runners. Growth ceases at temperatures above 30°C, and the leaves often turn yellow and dry up at the tips. Winter temperatures maintained above 12°C allow the plant to grow normally, produce leaves, and bloom. If temperatures are too low, growth will be stunted or the plant may go dormant. Temperatures below 5°C can easily cause cold damage. Pomegranates prefer warm, sunny environments and are drought-tolerant, cold-resistant, and tolerant of infertility. However, they are intolerant to waterlogging and shade. While not very demanding on soil, well-drained sandy soil is preferred.