Hi, sorry I’m a bit confused, so if you don’t mind you could maybe elaborate: why is it a problem that the soil won’t dry out too quickly of you don’t want it to dry out?
Comment on Caring for new houseplants
Doombot1@lemmy.one 9 months ago
That sounds like it should last the week to me. Could be wise to have your boyfriend repot them when you give them to him - my only concern about using multi-use compost is that it likely won’t dry out quick enough and could lead to root rot. Usually it’s good to mix some perlite or other substance into the soil to allow it to dry out faster. In terms of watering, you really just don’t want to let the soil dry out. Don’t keep it soaked, because that will make the roots rot, but also don’t let it dry fully, because then the leaves may start to brown & die off. Hopefully that isn’t too confusing… Good luck!
mugthol@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 months ago
PhatInferno@midwest.social 9 months ago
It can cause the roots to rot/bacteria/mold to grow if it stays wet too long and its unable to dry out. The philo in nature would grow in chunky well draining soil, so that when it rains the water drains quickly so that its not just sitting in wet soil but stays wet for bit before drying before the next rain (The orchid is less likely to rot but id be more worried about the compost burning the plant)
The idea is that you do want it to dry out some between waterings, generally when the first 2 inches are dry… if the soil is very thick and doesnt drain well it can also compact the soil taking longer to dry,
mugthol@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 months ago
That makes sense, thank you for the detailed answer!
Doombot1@lemmy.one 9 months ago
Bingo! Thanks for the response!
OmegaMouse@feddit.uk 9 months ago
Thanks for this! So should I stick my finger in the soil to test the moisture level? Do you know how much light I should give these plants?
Doombot1@lemmy.one 9 months ago
Sorry it took me so long to respond - yes, yes you should! Usually I keep it dry up to 1-1.5 knuckles if that makes sense. About 1-2 inches or so.
I’d just set them in any window for now - especially if they’ll be moving soon to wherever your boyfriend puts them, it shouldn’t matter too much as long as they get some.