Gardening tips from Plant Guy - get package price at Plantasjen

In collaboration with Plantasjen, Svines shares his best recipes for indoor plant soil mix. The products he uses come from Plantasjen, and now you can get a package deal if you want to try the same.

Good soil for our potted plants is essential because plants absorb water and nutrients through their roots. It is important that the soil is not too compact so that the roots can receive oxygen and excess water can drain through.In nature, erosion, animals and insects digging in the soil, rain, rocks, and sticks help to aerate the soil. At home, however, we need to help a little and add components that create a more airy soil mix. This is important to create air pockets in the soil so that the oxygen that is introduced when we water is stored in the soil and then taken up by the plant roots.

One of the most common causes of plant death in Norway is overwatering. We love to water, and without soil where the water can drain through, the plant will often get root rot and die. The easiest way to change this is to create soil mixtures that contain something to allow the water to drain through, also called drainage. This prevents the soil from holding on to water for too long. Some plants like very airy and dry soil, while others prefer to be in slightly denser and moister soil. Succulents and cacti thrive in airy soil and absolutely do not like to be in moist soil. For these types of plants, you should therefore create a more airy soil mixture. Peace lilies and other marsh plants prefer to be in slightly denser soil and have a moister environment.

- I always mix my own soil blend. Then I know that the plants have a good substrate to stand in. It is also easier to create good watering routines when it is your own soil blend and you know how porous and airy it is. Then you can more easily figure out how quickly it will dry after the last watering. I prefer peat-free soil because it is better for the climate. Perlite and bark make the soil more airy, Svines says. Pot size, temperature, how airy the soil blend is, and how much light the plant receives all affect how often and how much the plant drinks. Remember that the more airy the blend is, the faster the soil dries, so you should find watering routines that suit you and your plants. You can also mix and blend yourself and find a soil blend that you and your plants are satisfied with.

The Plantegutt soil mix consists of three ingredients:- peat-free soil for indoor plants- perlite- barkThe ratios vary depending on the plant that will be in the soil. Here is how Plantegutt does it:For cacti and succulents:- 20-30% soil- 50/50 mix of perlite and barkHere I try not to use as much soil. Use a maximum of 20-30% soil and let the rest be a 50/50 mix of perlite and bark. Cacti and succulents do not like to stay moist for long periods, they need an airy soil mix where the water drains straight through. When the water drains through and there is little water stored in the soil, you can water the plants more often.For most green indoor plants:- 50-70% soil- 50/50 mix of perlite and barkHere you can be more generous with how airy you want the mix to be. These plants need well-drained soil and lots of air in the soil. Use 50-70% soil and let the rest be a 50/50 mix of perlite and bark. The most important thing is to have a good amount of perlite and bark in this mix. At the same time, these plants tolerate more moisture than succulents and cacti.For special plants like Anthurium, Alocasia, and other aroids:- 40-60% soil- 10-20% perlite- 30-40% barkThese plants usually like to be in a chunkier soil mix. We therefore want a bit more bark in this mix. Feel free to use 40-60% soil, 10-20% perlite and 30-40% bark for these types of plants.For Peace lilies and other bog plants:- 60-80% soil- 50/50 mix of perlite and barkThese plants are used to being more moist, so we will create a denser mix for them. We still want an airy mix, but with more soil. 60-80% soil and the rest a 50/50 mix of perlite and bark is good.