Which substrate is best suited?

Mix rock garden soil yourself - that's how it works

It is ideal, of course, to find the right soil from existing, weed-free soil Topsoil and fine stone chippings or Mixing crushed stone yourself. For "normal" rock garden plants, a rock proportion of approx. 30 percent is enough. In the case of more complicated plants to care for, on the other hand, the proportion can increase to 50 to 80 percent, depending on the species. Always use the same type of rock for the soil mix as you selected for the "boulders". Is the ground very heavy or loamy, you should too in the deeper layers of the earth Gravel and Grit(€ 44.95 at Amazon *) Mix in for adequate drainage.

Suitable soil for lime-loving and lime-fleeing plants

When choosing the rock - regardless of whether it is boulders or gravel - you have to pay attention to whether it is limestone or silicate. After all, not every rock garden plant grows on every stone. Lime-loving plants need limestone, while they would inevitably die on silicate rocks such as granite or slate. Species that flee lime, on the other hand, must not come into contact with lime and are therefore better off in silicate mixtures.

Soil for lime-loving plants

If you mix a soil for lime-loving plants, do without peat (which acidifies the soil) or bark mulch (itself Effect) and instead use between 10 and 15 percent high-quality bark humus or several years old Garden compost. High-quality clay-containing potting soil from specialist shops is also very suitable.

Soil for plants that refuse lime

Limescale plants, on the other hand, need peaty soils with a low pH value. It's best to mix 30 percent here Mother Earth respectively. Lawn soil with 20 percent bark humus, 50 percent sod peat, gravel and chippings (on a silicate basis!, for example granite is suitable) and around one kilogram Horn shavings(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) per cubic meter. Instead of this mixture, you can simply mix ready-made bog soil with fine rock.

Mulch the soil surface with stone chippings

It has proven to be very effective if after planting an approx. a centimeter thick layer of mulch from the stone chippings mixed into the earth is applied to the substrate. The surface then dries faster and the plants feel more comfortable. Incidentally, the soil mixes described above have also turned into Planting troughs, Bowls, pots, Window boxes(€ 109.00 at Amazon *) Etc. proven.