20260115 0900 Thursday cool morning
The "white patch" on top of the soil
What you’re seeing is salt/mineral residue, not table salt, but salts in the soil chemistry sense.
Let me explain it cleanly (no scary words).
What “salt” means here 🌱
In gardening, salt = dissolved minerals that dried out.
They come from:
compost
banana peels
eggshells (calcium salts)
coffee grounds
tap water (calcium, magnesium, sodium)
When water moves upward and evaporates: 👉 minerals stay behind
👉 they crystallise as a white ring
So yes:
❌ not NaCl cooking salt
✅ mineral salts (calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc.)
Why it’s dry and doesn’t stick to your finger
Because:
it already precipitated
it’s crystalline
no active fungus
no moisture film
That’s why:
no powder
no slime
no threads
Classic mineral residue behavior.
Is it bad?
Small amount:
✅ harmless
✅ very common in pots
Thick buildup touching stem:
⚠️ can:
burn fine roots
slow water uptake
stress flowers (wilting you saw earlier)
So we manage concentration, not panic.
Best long-term prevention (you’re already doing it)
✔️ Feed away from stem
✔️ Water outer ring of pot
✔️ Occasional deep watering to flush salts
✔️ Organic matter buried deeper, not surface-packed
Optional:
once every 2–3 weeks, water until some drains out
→ this washes salts downward
Bottom line 🌿
Yes, it is “salt” in soil terms
Normal, expected, controllable
Treating old soils with chatGPT
Please do NOT pour the whole 500 ml neem oil in. That will kill everything — plants included.
Let’s slow down and use what you already have safely and effectively 🌱
❌ First: absolutely NO to this
❌ Pouring neem oil directly into soil
❌ Using neem oil undiluted
❌ Using neem oil + boiling water together
Neem oil must be diluted and used after soil cools.
✅ Step-by-step plan (using ONLY what you have)
🔥 Step 1: Hot water treatment (you’re right here)
This is fine since:
No old roots
Soil already broken up
How:
Put soil in foam boxes or buckets
Pour boiling water evenly until fully soaked
Let drain
Wait until soil is completely cool (important!)
This kills:
Fungus gnat larvae
Soil insects
Some pathogens
⚠️ After this, soil is “sterilised” → needs gentle recovery
🌬 Step 2: Let soil rest 24 hours
Do not add neem oil yet
Let excess heat + moisture escape
🌿 Step 3: Rebuild soil structure (VERY important)
You actually have enough materials, even without compost.
Use this mix per foam box:
Base
Old soil (your treated soil)
Add
Eco coco disk / coco peat → loosen soil
(about 20–30% volume)
A small handful of LECA mixed into bottom soil
(not a layer, just mixed)
❌ Do NOT use sphagnum moss or unbranded moss:
Too acidic
Holds too much water
Bad for ginger & veggies
(Keep moss only for orchids later)
🌿 Step 4: Neem oil — how to use it CORRECTLY
You have 500 ml, which is a lot. You’ll only need a tiny amount.
Correct neem oil soil drench
Dilution
3–5 ml neem oil
1 litre water
a few drops dish soap (emulsifier)
How
Water soil lightly (not flooding)
Once only
Do this after soil cools
👉 This repels insects without poisoning roots.
📌 Your 500 ml bottle can last months.
🌱 Step 5: Verni cast — use carefully
You have 2.5 L organic vermicast 👍
Use it like this:
Mix 1–2 cups (240ml - 480 ml) per foam box into top 10 cm
OR sprinkle thin layer after planting
⚠️ Don’t overdo — vermicast is rich.
🫚 Ginger planting timing
After:
Hot water → cooled
Coco peat mixed
Neem drench done
👉 Wait 2–3 days, then plant ginger.
Why?
Ginger hates “raw” soil
Waiting prevents rot
📦 STOCK TAKE — what to keep / what to avoid
Item
Use now?
Notes
Neem oil
✅ diluted only
Never pour
Vermicast
✅ small amount
Gentle feed
Coco peat (all forms)
✅ yes
Soil structure
LECA
✅ small mix
Drainage
Sphagnum moss
❌ no
Orchids only
Unbranded moss
❌ no
Risky
🌟 Very important reassurance