What kind of soil and capacity is needed for violets? What should be the soil for violets? The required composition of the soil for room violets

Violets are demanding on the composition of the soil. On inappropriate soil, they will quickly die or grow weak. Not only the appearance, but also the health of the plant depends on its quality. With proper care and maintenance, flowering is plentiful and long-lasting, and the greenery acquires a rich shade. In ordinary soil, violets do not take root well and stop blooming.

Growing violets

Growing violets requires knowledge and time. Well-groomed plants look bright and spectacular, and their flowers and leaves almost completely cover the pot or flowerpot in which they grow. In order to achieve this result, you need to know a few subtleties:

• violets do not need a large pot: seedlings and young flowers have enough capacity of 5-6 cm in diameter, adults - up to 10-12 cm;
• for abundant flowering maintain a constant temperature of 20-25 degrees throughout the year;
• the plant is watered as the topsoil dries up, but waterlogging should not be allowed.

The soil for violets should be light and loose, pass air and moisture. To do this, holes must be made in the pot for the outflow of excess liquid, and drainage is laid out on the bottom of the pot. These plants prefer slightly acidic soil, its pH should be in the range of 5.5-6.5.

Soil composition

Under natural conditions, violets grow in forest areas, along roads and near water bodies, as well as in the mountains. Its roots are not very long and developed, so at home it can be planted in small and shallow pots (the ratio between the leaf rosette and the pot is 3:1). The soil for this plant can be prepared independently, but it will differ from mixtures that are suitable for other decorative flowers.

It will consist of several parts:

1. Nutrient part of the soil - elements that contain the maximum amount of substances for growth. These include leaf or sod land, as well as organic additives (humus, humus, compost).
2. Fillers are the basis of purchased soils. In most purchased mixtures, they are represented by peat, and at home you can use coniferous soil - a layer of soil under coniferous trees with rotted needles.
3. Baking powders - perlite (silica in granules), vermiculite (hydromica), sphagnum (a kind of moss) or dolomite (limestone). At home, you can use charcoal or purchased expanded clay as drainage - they absorb liquid well.

Important! Outdoor soil is not suitable for growing violets. It is better to use purchased mixtures - they are cleaned of pests, mold and fungus that cause various diseases.

Ready mixes

On the packaging of the mixtures it is indicated that they are intended specifically for violets. Such a soil is light, loose, well passes air and absorbs excess moisture. The bottom of the pot can be additionally lined with a layer of drainage (2-3 cm).

Advice! Store mixes are prepared without adding earth. At home, it is difficult to find the ingredients in the required proportions, so it is easier to buy ready-made soil.

Flower Happiness (Fasco)

Primer "Flower Happiness" from Fasco is suitable for growing all varieties of violets, for seedlings and adult plants. It contains peat as a baking powder, but in small quantities. During watering, it passes moisture well, and it completely saturates the soil. Before planting the plant, the bottom of the pot is lined with a layer of drainage (it is better to use expanded clay), then the plant is placed and the gaps are filled with earth.

Biosoil Ecoflora (Hera)

Soil for violets from the Ukrainian manufacturer "Ecoflora" is suitable for growing adult plants, as well as for germinating seeds. It is made on the basis of peat of different stages of decomposition, as well as a complex of all necessary substances. The soil is light and nutritious, promotes the organic development of the root system and the green mass of plants. On sale you can find packages of this soil of any volume: 2.5 l, 3 l, 3.5 l, 5 l and others.

Soil Biud

The mixture does not contain artificial mineral fertilizers, but is rich in organic nutrients. The composition of this soil includes minerals and peat, as well as an organic additive based on horse manure. The BIUD soil is completely cleared of pathogens of various diseases and does not require preliminary preparation. However, beneficial soil microorganisms that improve the nutrition of violets are fully preserved.

Soil Veltorf

Suitable for planting different varieties of violets, their seedlings and seeds, as well as some other flowers. It is based on high-moor peat, baking powder, dolomite compounds and a complex of minerals. Here are nitrogen, potassium and magnesium in sufficient quantities. The soil does not need additional preparation - just moisten it a little and plant the plants.

Primer Morris Green

It is popular due to its good value for money. It consists of high-moor peat at a low stage of decomposition, there is also a root dressing and an additive that improves soil properties.

Minerals are presented in a prolonged form, so they continue to act for a long time. This reduces the need for additional fertilization and increases the allowable time for flowers to be in one pot.

Ground Peter Peat

Complex peat soil from a Russian manufacturer, on which violets can grow without additional fertilization. It is inexpensive, but high-quality, practically does not contain impurities. For home use, you can buy it in small containers, but there are options for 10 liters.

The substrate is the basis on which plants are grown. For example, vermiculite or perlite are substrates for rooting cuttings. The composition of the substrate may include various components: high-moor peat, lowland peat, sand, vermiculite, perlite, sphagnum moss, coconut substrate, humus, black soil, charcoal, etc.

Earth, soil mixture or soil - all pure components or their mixtures, which include natural organic lands. Their main property is a rich supply of nutrients, which ensures the growth of plants planted in them without additional feeding.

landless mix - is made on the basis of peat or coconut soil with the addition of inert rippers (perlite, vermiculite). A distinctive feature is that it practically does not contain the nutrients necessary for growth, but it allows you to control nutrition with the help of top dressing. A big plus of the landless mixture is the absence of phytopathogens.

Substrate requirements: - lightness; - moisture capacity; - breathability; - sufficient content of phosphorus and potassium, as well as essential trace elements; - nitrogen content in sufficient quantity, but not in excess; - acidity close to normal pH 5.5-6.5; - the presence of a lively and favorable microflora that helps fight diseased bacteria; - absence of pests and their larvae;

One of the important indicators of soil favorableness is air capacity. Air capacity is the ability of soil to contain a certain amount of air. It depends on the porosity and moisture content of the soil. The higher the porosity and the lower the humidity, the greater the air capacity. The more structural the soil, the more large pores in it that are free from water, and, therefore, its moisture capacity is higher. There is little air in sprayed structureless soils.

It is necessary to buy soil containing reddish-brown, coarse-fibered high-moor peat. It is not advised to take “Polish” substrate violet, Saintpaulia “Biotech”, Saintpaulia “Garden of Miracles”, For violets “Garden-garden” - the soil is based on low-lying peat, too black, caking. ASB GREENWORLD, Germany - this soil can be called the most optimal for violets

But on the basis of some of them, a suitable substrate can be prepared. For the cultivation of violets, land mixtures are usually used that contain minerals necessary for the growth and flowering of violets. In any case, you will need to add baking powders such as vermiculite, charcoal, styrofoam, perlite and sphagnum moss to suitable commercial soil. They absorb moisture well, and then gradually give it away. Better yet, make your own mix.

In general, two approaches to the preparation of land mixtures should be distinguished. The first is the use of an extremely simple peat substrate with rippers. In this case, constant feeding is necessary. The second is the preparation of a complex balanced mixture containing the nutrients necessary for growth over a certain period of time. Which option you choose will depend on the care of the plant.

Soil for violets should be airy and retain moisture well. Perlite is an indispensable component for growing violets, since it provides air access to the roots, while vermiculite makes the soil mixture loose and absorbs moisture. The peculiarity of sphagnum moss is that, while absorbing moisture, it gradually gives it to the roots of the plant. It is useful to add a small amount of finely ground charcoal. The number of rippers in the composition of the soil for violets should be 30-50% of the total volume.

Violet prefers loose, neutral soils with a pH of 5.5-6.5. The optimal substrate for its cultivation is high-moor peat, but not in its pure form, but with adjusted acidity. Since in its pure form peat is an acidic environment, which is not suitable for the development of violets. If you transplant violets twice a year, changing the soil, then the plant will receive enough nutrients from the new soil and additional feeding is not required.

It is not the finished substrate that should be subjected to heat treatment, but those of its components that may contain eggs and larvae of pests - leaf, sod, manure humus, all purchased substrates, as well as land whose origin is unknown to you. It is not necessary to process those components that can be destroyed during processing (clean peat and peat soils, washed sand, perlite, vermiculite, moss, fertilizers)..

The most common ways of cultivating the earth are pickling with chemicals, calcining in an oven at high temperature, spilling boiling water and steaming over boiling water, in a microwave. Put the soil in a small amount in a regular plastic bag. And in the microwave. 3 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on the other. And that's it. No bugs, no spiders, no worms or fungi.

All living things, as you know, are at least 70% water, which also heats up inside insects. At this temperature inside the body, no one survives. The temperature is deadly for animals, but not for the decomposition of nitrogen and trace elements. The earth is perfectly sterilized within 7 minutes at a power of 800 watts. But it is better to do two sessions of 2-3 minutes each. And the soil does not deteriorate, and does not smell, and what no, but sterilization.

Steamed in an old pan and a colander that enters it without gaps, a lid that closes it tightly. Put a double layer of gauze in a colander and fill it with slightly moistened earth, without tamping. Cover the colander with a lid and place it on the pan so that the water in it does not reach the bottom of the colander by 3-4 cm. At least an hour should pass from the moment the water boils to the end of steaming. After the earth has completely cooled down, you can add all the “clean” components to it - peat, various rippers and fertilizers. In order to restore the microflora, you can use ready-made biological preparations containing microflora useful for the soil, for example, Trichodermin, Gliocladin, Alirin-B, etc.

Sterile soil needs to be approached differently. It is empty in terms of population. And in nature, emptiness, if it happens, is for a very short time. So, you steamed, calcined or spilled the soil with potassium permanganate or fungicides, thus destroying everyone - both good and bad. In a few days, the first spores of fungi attacking from the air, bacterial cysts, will begin to germinate in the soil. And here someone alone will take over, filling the entire soil space in a very short time. The ability to multiply rapidly in sterile conditions, the absence of competitors and a good food base will make its population a leader.

Post-steaming toxicosis is eliminated by spilling the soil with Trichodermin and others. These preparations contain billions of spores of soil "defenders" in one gram. It is possible to recommend Phytolavin-300 containing the strain-producer of phytobacteriomycin. The microorganisms with which these preparations are saturated suppress the initial explosion in the number of leader populations after steaming, preventing further activation of the pathogenic flora.

A good prevention of rot is to spill the substrate with solutions of fungicidal and bactericidal preparations. The most commonly used - 3% solution hydrogen peroxide, solution furatsilina light yellow and pink-raspberry solution potassium permanganate. Fungus development or growing point rot is less likely if you spill the substrate while cooking phytosporin or trichodermin. When preparing the soil mixture, Fitosporin-M can be used in the form of a powder, this version of it is also commercially available. 10 grams are added to approximately 6-7 liters of soil with thorough mixing.

White plaque on the surface of the earth in a pot can be caused by the development of fungal microflora from excessive watering, and in order to get rid of it, you need to water the plant only after the top layer of earth in the pot has dried. Gather the top soil and sprinkle with crushed activated charcoal in the pot, this prevents rotting and mold growth. Mold, even with ordinary watering, in especially sad cases, grows and permeates the entire earth in a pot. Then you need to replant, completely change the whole earth, use fungicides.

Sciarids (mushroom mosquito) often annoy violet growers. These are small flies flying around the outlet. Their larvae are dangerous - white worms 3-8 mm long with a dark head, damaging young roots and breaking the soil structure. This is where Grom-2 helps. Just powder the soil when kneading. If you do this regularly, then there will be no mosquitoes.

An example of the composition of soil for violets:

Greenword soil and Peat - 50%.

Perlite and Vermiculite - 20%.

Moss-Sphagnum or Coconut fiber - 20%.

Nutrient soil - 10% with the addition of crushed charcoal.

If necessary, a deoxidizer is added (dolomite flour or finely ground egg shells, in extreme cases, fluff lime). Number of components approx. Saintpaulias of different ages, different varieties need different proportions. So the soil for rooting leaves and children should contain more baking powder.

Since the materials are bulk, you can measure them with any capacity - you can take a liter jar, and if you need a little substrate, you can take a glass or a mug. In other words, for 1 cup of nutrient soil, add 3 cups of Greenword soil, 2 cups of peat moss, 1 cup of perlite, 1 cup of vermiculite, 1 cup of sphagnum moss, 1 cup of coconut fiber, plus crushed charcoal. Remove all large fractions from purchased substrates with your hands: lumps, not rotted plant residues, sticks.

The above recipe is just one of many possible, it is not at all necessary to copy it with all care. So feel free to use this recipe as a starting point for your own compound soil. All these components can be mixed and their proportions and proportions in the mixture can be changed. The finished mixture should be light, airy and fluffy, well permeable to water and air, and so that as long as possible not caking.

Option for storing ready-made earth: they take a box from under the shoe (you can take any closed box), “dress” it in bags from the inside, and pour the earth into it. Close the box with a lid. Store so that the earth does not dry out and at the same time, so that there is air access.

For wick irrigation a soilless mixture based on peat is required, with the addition of a large amount of rippers. This is necessary so that the roots do not get stuck.

Continuation :

Violet is especially loved by flower growers and housewives. She will conquer anyone who has ever looked at this wonderful plant, which has managed to combine austerity, tenderness and noble decoration. Saintpaulia, and it is precisely this name that the violet familiar to everyone has, is a demanding plant and will not tolerate negligent attitude towards itself. Therefore, anyone who wants to settle such a beauty in their home will need to learn something about caring for her. Many articles have been written about how to process and water Saintpaulia. But today we will talk about how to choose the right soil composition for violets. This is extremely important if you decide to grow a strong, healthy, disease resistant and beautiful plant.

Saintpaulia

Violet is very demanding on good soil, so the “dig near the house” option is not suitable for it. In such house land there will be a lot of fungi, viruses and bacteria, and saintpaulia is a tender plant and can easily die from the slightest disease. Moreover, for room violets, a certain amount of nutrients should be included, and the acidity level should approach slightly acidic. The soil should be loose and have good breathability, it is unlikely that the earth from the lawn will correspond to all these nuances. Novice violet growers are often disappointed. Watering was rationed, the lighting was good, but the plant suddenly died, and why, it is not clear. The reason, in addition to possible infections, may be overly nutritious and dense, heavy earth - it is completely unsuitable for the root system of violets.

Purchased land

If you decide to acquire Saintpaulia for the first time, and you have not had to mix the soil before or you are not sure of a successful result, then you can buy a suitable soil in a specialized store. Ask the seller for help, he will orient you in the presented options for land and fertilizers, their choice is quite wide.

But experienced growers have an opinion that the purchased soil is not optimal and often does not have the necessary soil composition for violets. Contrary to what is indicated on the packaging, it can be completely different, the earth is not breathable enough, and its acidity is not true. Experienced flower growers personally prepare the land for domestic beauties.

In specialized stores, you can purchase only the necessary components for the soil, prepare and then plant your favorite plants. You can also collect the material yourself, especially if there are several violets in your house. It will take time, but as a result you will get healthy, strong plants with a well-developed rosette for many years.

Habitat

The soil in which Saintpaulias grow in nature is not particularly rich. But it contains all the necessary substances, albeit in small quantities. It is also optimal for home violets. Sometimes beginner violet breeders face a number of problems. Having bought bushes or "babies" of violets in the store, you are happy to return home with the purchase, and then suddenly it turns out that the plants often die when they get into the apartment. They are weak, poorly rooted, rarely sprout, bloom little and often get sick. There is only one reason for this - they are grown on artificial soil. Once in your house, they are deprived of additional food in the form of all sorts of additives and therefore die.

What kind of soil does violet like? In the natural environment, Saintpaulia's soil is a mixture of sand, peat, moss, humus, charcoal, decaying organic matter and a small amount. The conditions in their habitat are quite harsh, and this is what provides the plants with high "survivability".

preparing the ground

The soil taken in mixed forests, under acacia, hazel, linden, alder and pine is perfect. Oak plantations should be avoided. inhibit the uptake of nutrients from the soil. An abandoned anthill is perfect. It is necessary to properly prepare the composition of the soil for room violets before planting.

Preparing the earth mixture is simple, the necessary material must be collected and steamed. To do this, pour a little water into a metal container, and pour the collected mixture on top, heat it on a fire or stove for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. There should not be much water, it should only slightly moisten the substrate. After the mixture has cooled, various additives can be added to it and thereby obtain the necessary soil composition for violets.

Additives

• Perlite. Small white balls with a shiny surface. In earth mixtures are added as a bactericidal component and a natural baking powder. Often applied to the soil together with vermiculite. Sold in stores, as well as other supplements.

• Vermiculite. It is applied both in soil and in soilless mixtures. Excellent baking powder, able to retain water and at the same time remains breathable. It saturates the necessary composition of the soil for violets with minerals, which are not washed out of the soil and are well absorbed by the root system.

• Grows in swamps, wet forests or near water bodies. It is from this that peat is formed. It retains moisture well and allows air to pass through, absorbs excess salts from the soil. With the help of sphagnum, you can acidify the soil, which does not include earth, and it also has bactericidal properties. The soil for room violet can include both dried and green, fresh sphagnum. Its nature is such that fresh stems can be prepared for future use and stored in the freezer without harm to sphagnum. This is very convenient if you decide to grow violets professionally.

• Peat. Fertile and porous soil with an excellent set of useful mineral and organic substances. Lowland peat is most suitable for soil mixtures used as soil for violets. Its acidity is low. Due to the friability of peat, moisture will evaporate quickly, and the soil will dry out. To prevent this from happening, you should add a little sand, vermiculite and perlite.

Ratio

It may be different. Each grower determines his own set of additives, taking into account personal experience and where and in what place the main natural material was collected. On average, perlite and vermiculite are mixed in a ratio of 1.5: 1, and one glass of this mixture is added to a bucket of prepared soil. Thus, the soil for room violet will be saturated with all useful elements and naturally protected from fungi and bacteria. And most importantly - all these additives are of natural origin, they do not contain chemistry, they are absolutely safe for both plants and humans.

Fertilizer

What kind of soil is needed for violets, you already know. It remains to fertilize - and it will be ready for. If you plan to plant a plant in purchased soil, then additional feeding can be applied only 4 months after planting and rooting the outlet. Often store mixes are already saturated with fertilizers, their overabundance will be harmful.

If you prepare the soil yourself, then you can use charcoal or ash to saturate it with mineral components. One glass of crushed coal is enough for a bucket of soil.

A good fertilizer for violets will be "mullein", or cow cakes. The composition of this fertilizer contains a huge amount of useful trace elements, and this has a very positive effect on the development of the root system. It is enough to finely crumble and add to the soil.

Ground egg shells will also act as an excellent organic fertilizer. It will enrich the soil with potassium, calcium and reduce acidity.

Preparing for landing

Here we have the soil ready for violets. Flower growers recommend planting home beauties in such a land after it has settled for several weeks. But if this is not possible, you can plant the plant in a fresh mixture. The main thing is to pay attention to temperature and humidity. The soil should be loose and well mixed, all large pieces and lumps must be removed. Loose soil is poor in moisture, therefore, after planting violets, it must be watered immediately.

In accordance with the opinions of persons specializing in this matter, the soil for violets should have the following properties:

1. Looseness
2. moisture capacity
3. Breathability

Also, the soil must contain substances necessary for the qualitative development of violets. Acidity, in turn, ranges from 5.5 to 6.5 pH.

The soil mixture in almost all cases should consist of nutrient soil. They can be like biohumus, compost, turf, coniferous land. For the plant described above, it is recommended to take leaf soil, which is obtained by removing the top layer from under deciduous trees.

This layer is preferably obtained from a clean place. It is also desirable to add various nutritional components to it for better growth of violets.

Soil composition

The composition of the land for violets includes several components, namely:

1. Nutritious soil

1. In this case, it is the top layer from under deciduous plants. In turn, it has several useful qualities: friability, moisture capacity and breathability. Acidity is: from 5.5 to 6.5 pH.
2. Sod land is also included, i.e., the top layer of soil with plant roots remaining in it. Usually harvested from meadows
3. Biohumus and compost should be attributed to the above soils.

2. Fillers

Fillers for violets can serve 2 types of land:

1. Coniferous. Usually taken from the lower layer of the earth, on which coniferous plant species grow (coniferous should be preferred). Acidity at the level of 4-5 pH. It also has such a wonderful property as friability.
2. Peat. The purpose is to provide a balanced mineral nutrition of plants. Also has friability

3. Leavening Agents and Moisture Holders

There are a huge number of gyroscopic materials today, but we will consider the main ones:

1. Perlite. It is a granular silicon, usually found in the soil mixture. The color ranges from white to grayish, has a lightness and is very similar to sand. For the plant described above, experts advise giving preference to granular species.
2. Vermiculite. It has high absorbency, which is very useful for young plants. As a rule, they are used for growing cuttings.
3. Moss-sphagnum. The main property of this material lies in the disinfecting effect. Before use, it is recommended to spill with boiling water, then dry, then finely grind. As a rule, after performing these actions, it prevents the plant from drying out too much.
4. Charcoal. Has an absorbent property. In practice, there are 2 use cases:
5. Before planting, the plants are laid in a small amount at the bottom of the pot.
6. In the second case, it is recommended to mix with the ground to ensure a regulating effect on humidity.
7. Dolomite flour. Gardeners rarely use this material because it is only an additional component that does not have obvious properties. As a rule, it is necessary to adjust the acidity.

There are several components to baking powder:

1. Expanded clay - visually is a reddish ball, consisting of clay. This effect is achieved by processing at high temperatures. It is recommended to spread on the bottom of the pot.
2. Coconut fiber and sand. Gardeners rarely use these materials. It is better to add the above material.

Ready soil for violets

There are a huge number of ready-made soils for growing plants, it is necessary to consider the most basic of them:

1. ASP GREENWORLD. It is the best source of beneficial nutrients for violets. Recommended for use when growing houseplants. This soil consists of sand, peat, coconut fiber and other important nutrients.
2. Saintpaulia. When using this material, gardeners recommend additionally adding various baking powder, which are described above.
3. "Terravit". This mixture consists entirely of peat, therefore it is not recommended for use for violets due to the content of high acidity.
4. Growth Academy. It has a number of nutrients, as well as slightly acidity. It consists of peat with the addition of limestone.
5. "Beregina". The composition is quite standard: sand, dolomite flour, peat, compost and various fertilizers. It is used quite often, because the plant feels comfortable in it.

After buying ready-made fertilizers, experts recommend steaming with boiling water, and then putting this mixture in an oven at a temperature of one hundred degrees. After the implementation of these actions, it is necessary to wait about a month for recovery and enrich with appropriate fertilizers for better plant growth.

How to make soil for violets yourself

There are several options for soil mixtures that you can make yourself by mixing all the components. Of course, the most successful soil is selected empirically, but it will be useful for beginner flower growers to find out in what proportions to mix different components.

Below you can find some options for soil mixtures that have been tested by time and are popular among many Saintpaulia owners:

1. Option 1:
   • 1 part of nutrient soil (universal or special for violets).
   • 2 parts peat.
   • 1 part perlite, vermiculite, moss.
   • ½ part charcoal.
2. Option 2:
   • 6 parts nutrient soil.
   • 1 part vermiculite and perlite.
   • 1 part sphagnum moss.
   • 1 part charcoal.
3. Option 3:
   • 3 parts of peat soil.
   • 1 part nutrient soil.
   • 1 part vermiculite
   • ½ part charcoal.
4. Option 4:
   • 5 parts peat soil.
   • 1 part nutrient soil.
   • ½ part of Seramis granulate.
   • ¼ part of charcoal.
   • Superphosphate (a few peas).
5. Option 5:
   • 4 parts of peat soil.
   • 1 part crushed sphagnum moss
   • ½ part perlite and vermiculite.
   • ½ part coconut fibre.
   • A small amount of charcoal.

fertilizers

After a long time the plant is in a pot, the earth slowly begins to lose its beneficial properties, as well as nutrients. These factors negatively affect

violets. To prevent these consequences, it is necessary to add various fertilizers to the soil, as mentioned above.

Fertilizers by their nature are classified into:

1. Simple mineral
2. Complex
3. organic

In the case of using any type of fertilizer, you must follow the instructions. An overabundance will only cause negative consequences, which, in turn, will affect the plant.

One of the most important factors for success in growing saintpaulias is a properly composed earth mixture. What should it be so that adult plants bloom luxuriantly and do not get sick, cuttings take root safely, and young rosettes grow quickly? As you know, each collector has his own, proven by many years of experience, the composition of the earth mixture.

As laboratory studies show, the soils that are sold in stores have a number of disadvantages: firstly, too high acidity; secondly, an excess or lack of macro- and microelements; thirdly, the soil is too heavy, which is quickly compacted. What to do if it is not possible to collect various components in the forest yourself? Long-term experience of violet growers proves that the use of "ready-made soils" is possible. Plants are presented at exhibitions in the House of Violets, most of which are grown on purchased soils.

In order for plants to develop and bloom well, the soil must be loose, moisture-intensive, breathable, contain the necessary amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and have a slightly acidic environment - pH 5.5-6.5.

There are various components that are recommended to be added to the purchased soil so that it meets the above requirements.

	Perlite is a rock of volcanic origin. It is added to the soil up to 30% of the volume, making the mixture lighter, breathable, loose, which prevents caking, clumping, compaction. Thanks to these properties, the roots develop well in the plant, air exchange is not disturbed.
	Vermiculite is a natural material from the group of hydromicas. It is added to the soil in the same way as perlite, up to 30% of the volume. The main difference between perlite and vermiculite is that vermiculite retains water longer, while perlite releases it faster, providing air exchange and oxygen delivery to the roots.
	Sphagnum moss is hydroscopic, makes the substrate breathable. And thanks to the antiseptic substance sphagnum has antibacterial, disinfectant and antifungal properties. It is also added to the soil (approximately 20-30%).
	Charcoal is a good antiseptic, it prevents rotting and acidification of the soil, and also absorbs salts and improves soil structure.

We offer an approximate soil recipe based on purchased:

• 6 parts of purchased soil;
• 1 part perlite;
• 1 part vermiculite;
• 1 part sphagnum moss;
• 1 part coal.

It is important not to forget about drainage. Fine expanded clay or perlite can be used as drainage.

When compiling the soil, each grower uses his own recipe. You can add more or less of each baking powder, use additional components (sand, pine bark, needles, etc.). The main thing is that the result is a loose, not very heavy, homogeneous substrate that can provide air and water access to the roots.

Such soil can also be used for violet relatives from the Gesneriaceae family - gloxinia, synningia, streptocarpus, khirit, etc.

We wish you success in growing plants!