From the page: Cork stoppers hold entire worlds
Idea 2
Self-regulating planter box
Orchid and succulent growers have used cork as a substrate for centuries because it retains moisture without waterlogging — the same air-filled cell that makes a stopper float creates oxygen pockets between the roots. Roots need water AND air; an all-soil compacted substrate suffocates them, and cork solves that naturally. It's applied biology in its simplest form.
What you need
- 10 to 15 stoppers
- coarse grater or knife for chopping
- small pot, soil and the seedling you want to plant
How to make it
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1
Chop or grate the stoppers into small pieces; smaller pieces distribute better between the roots.
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2
Mix one part chopped cork into three parts soil; this ratio guarantees aeration without stripping nutrients.
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3
Build the bottom layer of the pot with a generous handful of the mix, because that's where water usually accumulates.
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4
Plant normally and water — you'll notice the soil takes longer to dry out.
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5
Repeat the mix on the surface as a top dressing, which also keeps water from washing the soil away when watering.
Finishing touches
works very well with succulents, herbs and orchids; cork decomposes very slowly, so it lasts for years.
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