The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 19 Summer 2016/17 | Page 50

advertorial the classic potting mix Use long-lasting vermiculite in your potting mix to improve drainage, aeration and retain moisture. Keep your pot plants healthy by using a good potting mix. Do you find that your pots dry up quickly and that the soil becomes hard and compacted? If so, you need to improve your potting soil mix. It is important to have a potting mix that is light and airy, as this helps the plants to root better and it will also prevent the potting mix from becoming compacted too quickly. If you don’t want to be watering and fertilising frequently, use a good potting mix that will hold moisture and add nutrients. Avoid using soil straight from the garden in your pots; different soils behave differently in pots. For example, clay might be good at retaining nutrients but it doesn’t have good drainage, and conversely, sandy soils have good drainage but don’t hold moisture well. A good potting mix recipe Your mix should contain the following in equal quantities: 1. Compost Well-sieved compost, which is sold as potting soil, can be bought at most 50 nurseries or you can make it at home by sieving your own compost. Potting soil alone in pots can sometimes be too fine. 2. Sand Soil from the garden can be used but it is better to use sandier soils than heavy clay. River sand is a good option. It must be sterilised first as you might get all the weeds and diseases from the garden. To sterilise it, place it in a black plastic rubbish bin in the sun to bake for a few days. The heat should sterilise it. Vermiculite Extras To add more nutrients to the mix, you should add either a handful of Vermiculture compost or fertiliser. These should be topped up every month, as nutrients will be leached out once you start watering them. 3. Vermiculite Vermiculite is a sterile and naturally- occurring mineral composed of shiny flakes. These flakes are great for potting mixes. This useful medium has many attributes that can enhance your garden. Vermiculite improves aeration as it loosens the soil, which encourages roots to grow and move through the soil with ease. It also improves the drainage, soaks up the water and, unlike compost, vermiculite doesn’t break down and stays in the mix forever. SAMREC marketing 0773 653 354 04 498383 56 Arcturus Road Highlands, Harare [email protected]