Houseplant Harmony: Soil Troubleshooting
Is your plant looking sad but you can’t figure out why? Have you adjusted your light levels and watering schedule, but your plant is still losing leaves and luster? Look to the soil!
Soil health is such a huge part of why some plants do well and others do poorly as well as a really helpful indicator of overall plant health. Even if every other aspect of your plant’s care is ideal, the plant will suffer if its soil isn’t being looked after as well. Read on to learn about some common soil problems and solutions.
Compaction
A common problem for many plants, especially succulents, cacti, and others that need to dry out quite a bit between each watering, is compaction. Signs of soil compaction are: soil appears to pull away from the inside of the pot, and/or water seems to pass through the soil too quickly when watered
Compaction happens when soil is saturated and then left to dry, leaving behind a solid mass that’s tricky to water thereafter. Luckily, this problem is an easy one to solve. You just need to mimic what insects do for plants out in nature and break up the soil a bit. Use something long and thin (like a chopstick) to gently poke around in the pot, being careful not to sever any large roots beneath the surface. This should do the trick! If not, you may want to use new soil and repot your plant completely.
Poor drainage
The issue of drainage is linked closely to that of compaction: one often leads to the other. Poor drainage can also cause root rot, which happens when soil never gets a chance to drain or dry out at all. The easiest way to improve your drainage is to use porous pots with drainage holes (i.e. most terra cotta pots). This is especially helpful if you’re a new member of the houseplant club (welcome!) and aren’t super confident in your watering skills in terms of how much your plant needs at a time.
Suspicious dryness
If it seems like you’re having to water more often than usual or your soil just isn’t holding onto any moisture, your plant may be getting too large for its current home and you may need to repot. Fresh soil and more space for your plants should do the trick here.
Pests
The most common soil dwelling pest is fungus gnats. They are the tiny flies that live and breed in moist soil; they’re often a sign that a plant is being overwatered. The bad news: they can be tough to eradicate and are more or less inevitable in plants that require moist soil (i.e. ferns and calatheas). The good news: a few gnats won’t harm your plant, and there are ways to deal with them!
Fungus gnats operate in the top 2” of a plant’s soil. The main key in keeping gnats under control is to allow the top 2” of the soil to dry between watering. If you’re facing a large infestation, it may be easiest to just completely repot the plant in new soil, making sure to wash the pot well and gently rinse the plant’s roots.
Another common issue is a fuzzy white mold on the top of their soil. This is harmless in itself, but it may be an indicator of deeper soil problems. To remove the mold, simply scrape off the top inch or so of soil. To prevent the same problem in the future, make sure you’re letting at least the top of the soil dry between watering and try not to leave any old leaves on the soil. Always keep the light exposure in mind when watering your plants. Air circulation and levels of humidity are also important considerations when dealing with fungus and molds.