Is it okay to use leaf humus to grow flowers (Precautions for growing orchids in leaf humus)

Is it possible to plant flowers using only leaf mold?

We know that not all flowers and plants like acidic soil. Some flowers and plants prefer neutral or alkaline loam to grow and develop well. If the pH in the soil is unbalanced, the flowers will grow poorly or even stop growing.

It is reasonable to use leaf mold to grow flowers, but using leaf mold to grow flowers all the time does not produce good results . What is the reason? In fact, this is because different flowers are suitable for different soils, and leaf mold cannot be used for all flowers.

For example, the cultivation of Clivia is good in the slightly acidic leaf humus in the northeast forest area; but it is not suitable for planting flowers and plants that prefer alkaline soil. For example, cacti and succulent plants are suitable for planting in neutral or alkaline sandy loam.

Another reason is that there is a problem with the quality of the soil.

If it has not undergone sufficient composting and fermentation, the soil contains too much salt and alkalinity, and some sawdust, wood chips, weeds, leaves, etc. are mixed in, but when it is piled up with the soil for fermentation, the fermentation days are too short and it has not been fully fermented and decomposed.

As a result, the plant body has not been decomposed and humus has not yet been formed. When used to grow flowers, it will continue to undergo secondary fermentation in the flowerpot, emitting a large amount of heat, which will cause root burn and hinder the growth and development of flowers .

Can orchids be grown directly in leaf mold?

It is not recommended to use pure humus soil to plant orchids directly , because although orchids grow in pure humus soil in the wild, there are still a lot of sandy soil and a lot of sand and stones in the lower soil of the forest slope. It’s just that if we don’t dig the soil, it can’t be seen with the naked eye.

Orchids are fleshy and require very high soil permeability. Moreover, for home potted orchids, due to the limited space in the pot, it is even more important to provide it with ideal growth and development so that it can grow well.

Generally, it is better to use loose, breathable, slightly fertile, granular soil to grow orchids. This is especially important for novice orchid growers.

Therefore, in fact, if there are planting stones or broken bricks, of course it is the best, and the ratio should not be low. It is generally recommended to use four parts of planting stones or broken bricks to one part of humus soil.

In short, when growing potted flowers at home, you cannot use only leaf mold. You should choose the culture soil suitable for their growth and development according to the growth habits of the flowers and trees .

Especially for flowers and plants in the south that prefer acidic soil, slightly acidic loam should be used for planting; and for those flower pots that prefer neutral and alkaline soil, appropriate adjustments should be made. Don't generalize and use leaf mold to grow flowers, otherwise it will not grow well .