Do you think there’s ever a time you need to turn a
houseplant in a pot upside down? For some unexplained reason, I think there is
and have come up with a solution to the problem you never knew you had.
Just imagine you need to send a potted plant through the
post or if one day when you are dusting (whatever that is) you knock the plant
over. Hey presto – no soil on the newly polished woodwork.
It’s quite simple really; all you need is a few small decorative
pebbles and a heap of PVA wood glue.
I’ve been experimenting with a few different types of materials and
these seem the easiest, cheapest and least harmful ingredients for the plants.
Resin doesn’t allow for water to pass through so that’s OK for imitation plants
and circular pieces or fabric and card either get too sloppy or curl up at the
edges when they dry.
I tested the mixture out on two small pots which have
succulents in them. The larger plant is the cute Senecio Peregrinus which has
the leaves shaped like diving dolphins and has a central stem so I kept the
small decorative stones away from that in the same way I would keep mulch off a
tree trunk. This will give the plant room to grown and keep moisture from
sitting on it. I mixed the stones in wood glue prior to laying it out. After a few hours it’s dry and the pot can be
watered in the regular manner. The glue does go a bit tacky for a few minutes
but soon dries again.
There is a reason for this test though as I am thinking of
shipping small plants through the post and thought this would keep everything
tidy. If the customer doesn’t like the idea the stones can easily be lifted out
after watering. I’m going to try upping the sizes of the pots until I reach the
maximum size the glue will hold. I’m guessing about a 1 litre will be the
largest which is good as I can’t see myself sending out anything larger through
the post. In the mean time I’ll have fun having upside down plants on the
worktops.
What goes into the plant pots to hold the roots is a very
topical issue. There’s a new book on the market called ‘The Soils of Ireland’
which you might be interested in if soil is your thing. I personally haven’t read a book since ‘Stig
of the Dump’ at Primary school but this one does have 178 illustrations which
will keep my interest.
Soils of Ireland
The Environmental Protection Agency and Teagasc support a
range of national activities that serve to increase knowledge on our natural
environment and our natural resources, and together have launched the Soils of
Ireland book which incorporates the latest national science and provides a
powerful resource to inform science and policy in relation to the resilience of
this critical raw material, our soil.
This publication, which has been supported by the EPA and
Teagasc, and prepared by thirty-nine national experts in their respective
fields, provides a richly illustrated and comprehensive overview of Irish
soils, and includes important discussions and applications of the study of
soils and soil management in Ireland.
Editor of The Soils of Ireland, Lilian O’Sullivan, described
the utility of the book saying: “This book has been developed as a robust
source of current knowledge of Irish soils and represents an important resource
for students, educators, advisors, researchers and more, integrating existing knowledge
together in one volume.”
The twenty one chapters address the diversity of functional
roles of Irish soils in agriculture, nutrient management, water quality,
ecosystems, and engineering, as well as addressing the cultural and
geographical aspects of soils in our landscape and archaeology.
Our soil is a critical national resource that underpins
national agricultural, environmental, ecological and cultural dimensions of our
economy and society. Soil is a highly variable and yet fragile skin to our landscape,
and in the context of emerging pressures from climate change, urban expansion,
and intensification of use, it is essential that we have access to knowledge on
soil formation, its properties and its functions in order to provide for its
sustainable management into the future.
The book can be bought online and retails at around €100. There’s
probably no mention of gluing soil into plant pots though.
