How to make universal pine needle soil for growing flowers (how to quickly make pine needle soil with pine needles)

How to prepare soil for growing flowers with pine needles

A flower lover asked: Pine needle soil is called "universal soil for growing flowers", how can we make our own pine needle soil?

Pine needle soil is loose and has the characteristics of good air permeability, good drainage, light weight, and rich in humus .

Generally, fermented and decomposed pine needle soil is mixed with other soils in a certain proportion and can be used as material for preparing acidic or slightly acidic culture soil.

It can improve the soil structure, make the loam more fluffy and breathable, and drain smoothly without water accumulation, which is conducive to the breathing and vigorous extension of plant roots. So. How can we make pine needle soil by ourselves? What issues need to be paid attention to?

Collection and fermentation of pine needle soil materials

(1) Collection of pine needles

  In the mountains and forests in rural areas or under the larch and cedar trees in urban parks and green belts along the roadsides, you can find a thick layer of pine needles accumulated over the years.

Lift off the top layer of newly fallen pine needles, select the pine needles below that have begun to decay and turn black, then put 20% to 30% of the topsoil into a woven bag, bring it back and screen out stones and other impurities for later use.

(2) Collecting garden soil for soil preparation

The so-called "garden soil" refers to the sandy loam on the surface of the vegetable garden, orchard, flower garden or nursery where leguminous plants have been planted. Garden soil has a certain fertility and is also one of the main raw materials for preparing pine needle soil.

However, garden soil is easy to compact and has poor water permeability. It needs to be mixed with pine needle soil to make it loose and breathable. The pH value of garden soil varies from region to region. Generally, the pH value of garden soil in the north is 7.0~7.5; the pH value of garden soil in the south is about 5.5~6.5.

(3) Specific fermentation method

After the collected materials are mixed together, the pine needles are decomposed using the "pile fermentation method".

Flower lovers who have the conditions can dig a rectangular pit about 50 cm deep in the courtyard, mix the harvested pine needle soil and garden soil with a shovel, and put them into the pit.

Or after stirring, put it into a plastic bucket or a larger container, then pour rice washing water on it or add organic fertilizer fermentation agent; finally, cover the top with a thin layer of garden soil, open it once in late spring and midsummer of the following year, turn over the piled soil and then pile it up.

In areas with warm climates, most of the pine needle soil will be fully decomposed by late autumn, and can be dug out and sieved for use.

(4) Issues that require attention

The following two points should be noted when piling up fermented pine needle soil: first, do not press the soil pile too tightly to facilitate air penetration, thereby accelerating the decomposition and ripening of the pine needles; second, do not make the pine needle soil too wet.

If the piled up pine needle soil is too wet, due to its poor aeration, it is easy to breed harmful bacteria such as mold, affecting the quality of the pine needle soil.