Every potting mix should rich in nutrition to grow the plant, well drain, make the plant stable. No matter if it is for containers, pots, or even garden beds. Everything needs the same requirement. When you preparing a plant’s soil mix for your garden plants, activated charcoal is one of the important things. This is an organic material and we can make them in our home. The main importance of activated charcoal is to improve the dryness of the soil. There is a big difference between charcoal and activated charcoal.
Too much wet reduce potting mix aeration and increase fungal activities. Especially it increases bacteria’s population, which can negatively affect the health of the plant.
Too much-wet soil destroys the plant. High moisture in the soil will rot the plant’s root system. When you are planting tropical climate or arid environment plants like succulent family these plants need well-drained soil.
What is activated Charcoal?
Activated charcoal made from burning carbon-rich materials such as coconut shells, bone char, coal, peat, etc. When burning these materials uses high temperature. It is essential for making them.
Difference between Charcoal vs Activated charcoal?
Activate charcoal made from burning the carbon-rich materials at a high temperature than the charcoal. Charcoal made from burning woods and similar organic material at high temperatures with lower oxygen. Activated charcoal has the ability to absorb a high level of moisture than charcoal.
While burning these organic materials, if it receives enough oxygen, it will make everything into wood ash.
Important of Activated Charcoal For Plant Potting Mix?
Activated charcoal has the ability to absorb excess moisture on the soil. Another main important thing is it can gradually release the moist when the soil drying. This is a perfect material to manage the soil water level.
Another very important thing is charcoal has antifungals properties, which can easily protect the plants’ root system against harmful fungal activities, such as root rot issues.
How to make charcoal at home?
Collect several chopped blocks of wood (around 4-6 inch pieces). If you can find a hardwood, it is perfect.
- Collect a metal barrel.
- Fill the chopped wood blocks in the barrel.
- Make a big bonfire. burning time will depend on the available chopped woodblocks.
- Let the barrel cool down for several hours. Once it is cool down, break the burned woods into small chips.
How to use Activated charcoal or charcoal for plant potting mix.
When you use orchid family plants, charcoal is one of the main materials. For other plants, add around 5% of activated charcoal or charcoal. This will enhance the potting mix drainage, aeration. The most important thing is to manage the potting mix moisture level.
If you cannot easily find it, then you can use charcoal, which made from hardwoods. When using charcoal, the main drawback is it has low-level moisture absorbability. When making the potting mix this is not a big issue.
Once you added the charcoal, mix them properly with the soil. Adding them at the top of the soil not useful. Charcoals and the root bowl should be at the same.
