Some Basics for Soil Mixture in "Urban Gardening" (for Delhi NCR)

Using the right soil mixture for your plant is very crucial and in the above video Ms. Dhanda has discussed some basics of Soil mixture in Urban Gardening focusing on Delhi NCR. Soil is important because it will decide the growth and life of the plant. Soil supplies nutrients to your plants/ trees, but it also needs to drain properly, be provided with enough aeration and retain water. Many nurseries and online shops sell ready-mixed soils but doing this yourself will save you some money and enable you to adjust mixtures as per plants/trees requirements. The quality of soil used directly affects the health and vigour of your tree. It is our experience that unhealthy trees/ plants are very often planted in a poor soil or worse; planted in normal garden soil. Such soil easily hardens when it gets dry, which gives no advantage to the growth, in fact, it is very harmful to the tree/ plant. There are a number of qualities that are required in a good soil mix – 1. Good water retention- The soil needs to be able to hold and retain sufficient quantities of water to supply moisture. 2. Good drainage- Excess water must be able to drain immediately from the pot. Soils lacking good drainage are too water retentive, lack aeration and are liable to a build-up of salts. Too much water retention will also cause the roots to rot, killing the tree. 3. Good aeration- It should give of sufficient size tiny gaps or air pockets between each particle. Beside the need of oxygen for the roots, it is also important to let the good bacteria and mycorrhizae intact, so the processing of food will take place before being absorbed by the root-hairs and send to the leaves for photosynthesis. A particle-based, well-structured inorganic soil allows fast drainage of water and allows fresh air to continually enter the soil. A compacted organic soil that lacks any structure also lacks aeration and drainage and this can lead to ill health in the roots and tree and root rot. Are you one of those concerned about rising levels of pollution in cities, excessive use of chemicals in the daily vegetables & fruits you eat, not to forget sky rocketing vegetable prices? If so, here’s your chance to contribute towards the nature & grow your own garden & food. Concerned about the lack of space to practice gardening, in depth knowledge on how to grow, where to grow & when to grow? Just download our app & join the green brigade of IFFCO Kisan urban gardeners. IFFCO Kisan Urban Greens is a customized informational app for all gardening enthusiasts. It has been designed keeping in mind, the lifestyle of today’s metropolitan residents. The app has been created to guide people who are interested in gardening, by offering them recommendations for growing flowers & vegetables based on the soil condition, temperature, location, water requirement, sowing & blooming calendar etc., with an option to speak to subject matter experts, in case any additional information is required IFFCO Kisan has been actively servicing the rural farmers through its “value added advisory services”, empowering them to be more proactive & aware about latest practices & technologies in Agriculture. With the practice of growing horticulture crops in gardens & terraces in urban areas, IFFCO Kisan intends to serve the urban population through its rich expertise in agricultural advisory repository & experience to benefit the practitioners. Discover more inside the App. Don’t forget To Share This App with Friends! Join us on Facebook to share your gardening experiences and suggestions! You can download our app by clicking on the following link:- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.IFFCOHorti&hl=en You can also follow us on :- Twitter:- https://twitter.com/IFFCO_Kisan_UG Facebook:- https://www.facebook.com/IFFCOKisanUrbanGreens/