Ideas to Cover Indoor Plant Soil

Top dressing your indoor plants with a layer of soil cover helps to retain moisture and prevent pests, among other benefits. But there are many different types of soil covers available, so it’s important to choose the right one for your plant.

Some popular choices include bark chips, pebbles, moss and rocks. However, there are some common mistakes to avoid when using mulches.

Bark Chips

A layer of soil cover around the base of your indoor plant reduces evaporation and prevents moisture from moving away from the roots. It also helps to regulate soil temperature and suppress weed growth.

Bark chips (also known as bark dust, beauty bark, or bark mulch) are shredded tree bark that can be used for garden mulch. They are ideal for reducing weed growth and keeping more moisture in the soil underneath, helping to keep plants healthy and reduce watering needs by up to half.

They decompose into the soil much faster than wood chips, but they don’t hold in place as well as shredded bark mulch, so they are not ideal for slopes or other areas where heavy rain may wash them away.

They can be a great addition to potting soil and are a natural repellent for slugs, ants, and other pests. However, be sure to only use wood chips that have been sourced from untreated tree trunks and branches. Otherwise, they could choke your trees and other plants.

Pebbles

Pebbles can be a great way to cover the soil around indoor plants. They’re not only beautiful but can also help to improve the health of your plants.

For starters, they can reduce erosion from water and wind. They also can help to retain nutrients in the soil.

However, it’s important to choose the right type of pebble for your plant. For example, if you have acid-loving plants, it may be best to avoid using limestone pebbles.

The pebbles should also be porous, as this will allow them to drain freely.

Finally, it’s essential to use a weed mat under the rocks to prevent weeds from growing. The mat will also help to control fungus gnats, which are a common pest in potted plants.

A final benefit of placing pebbles around your plants is that they can help to protect the roots from heat and cold stress. This can be especially beneficial if your plants have exposed roots.

Moss

Moss is a great cover for indoor plant soil because it absorbs water, allowing the roots to grow more quickly. It also helps to keep the soil dry during hot weather as it keeps the water near the roots.

This type of cover can be made of fresh or dried moss. It can be purchased or naturally found in forests.

When used for an indoor garden, moss needs to be kept away from heat sources such as radiators and fireplaces as it can dry out very quickly. The right amount of sunlight is also important for moss to thrive and grow well.

Moss is a member of the bryophyte family, which means that it reproduces via spores. It is a photosynthesis plant, which means that it uses sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into food for itself.

Rocks

Rocks can be a good option to cover indoor plant soil. They’re available in a range of sizes, shapes and colors and can look attractive in both modern and more natural settings.

However, it’s important to be careful about the type of rocks you use. Some have toxic chemicals that could harm your plants.

In addition, they can be damaging to your plant’s roots because they can leach limestone which can raise the pH of the soil and nullify nutrients that plants need to thrive.

Another problem with covering topsoil with rocks is that they can hinder air circulation and impede water drainage. This can lead to root rot and other problems.

Some gardeners believe that putting rocks in the bottom of a pot is beneficial to some plants, especially those that need full sunlight during the day. But, that isn’t necessarily true!