Each species has different needs – one needs exposure to sunlight, the other “prefers” to grow in a more shaded place, with a moderate amount of light. It’s similar with watering. While one species requires frequent and abundant watering, the other will not need as much water. Similarly, we should carefully select the type of soil to suit the needs of the plant that will grow in it, as well as any additives such as perlite, expanded clay and fertilizers.
Sometimes all this is not enough and we sadly watch as the leaves of our green “roommate” begin to turn yellow or turn pale. Of course, you can find a lot of advice on how to save falling plants on the Internet. The method described in this article is worth using when all other methods have failed. Why? It should be used with moderation and caution.
Stick a match into the pot and see what happens. Our grandmothers loved this method
Our grandmothers liked it, so probably many people would not be surprised to see a flower pot with matches sticking out of it. As we read on the websites Urządzamy.pl and ZielonyOgródek.pl, this trick has been widely used for years. The round tip that ignites the match is the key to success here – it is sulfur combined with other minerals. It has disinfecting properties and can help fight fungal plant diseases. In addition, sulfur supports the process of photosynthesis and the absorption of nitrogen, which is a key element for lush plant growth.
How to do it? Take five matches from the kitchen drawer and stick them head down into the soil of the potted plant. Then water it thoroughly. After 48 hours, we should remove the match from the ground and check whether the sulfur has washed out. If this does not happen, we can leave the matches in the soil for the next two days – describes the website Interia.pl.
There are a few “buts”. We should be careful with the “matchstick” trick, because too much sulfur may harm our plants. First of all, it is worth considering that several dozen years ago there was not such access to fertilizers on the market. The matches our grandmothers used also had a different composition. Today it is more complex: it often contains lead oxide, dyes and paraffin. Moreover, sulfur-soaked match heads can acidify the soil. Therefore, experts recommend using this method for plants that like this type of soil, e.g. monstera, ferns, dracaena and ficuses. Before you try the match trick, it is worth checking the soil reaction first. If it is high, it is better to abandon this method and look for an alternative.
Sulfur can save plants. But you have to remember these rules!
“Sulfur occurs in nature in various forms, but not all of its forms are equally well absorbed by plants,” we read on the website
It is difficult to determine what form of sulfur we are dealing with and whether it is absorbed well enough by plants. In addition, it should be remembered that the heads of modern matches do not consist exclusively of pure sulfur. They also contain other substances and chemical compounds that are not always safe for plants (e.g. lead oxide, which may disturb the photosynthesis process and adversely affect the physiological processes of plants, such as water uptake or nitrogen absorption).
– write the authors of the article in “Murator”. They add that it is also difficult to dose the sulfur supply in this way because it is not known exactly how much sulfur is contained in one match head. They emphasize that this is very important because both a deficit and an excess of the element can be dangerous for plants. So if the situation is not “dire” and it is not the case that we have already used every lifeline – let’s first try to use other methods. E.g. compost or biohumus.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
