CATDOLL : CATDOLL: Can flowers be planted in snail soil and how to grow them (Can flowers be planted in snail soil and how to maintain them)

1. What role do snails play in the soil?

1. As an indicator organism for monitoring environmental pollution.

Snails are in direct contact with soil and plants during their lives and feeding, and can directly absorb metal pollutants from the atmosphere, soil and plants.

However, since snails contain a special protein that can reduce the toxicity of metals, they will not be seriously harmed even if they are inhaled into the snail's body.

Based on this characteristic of snails, measuring the heavy metal content in snail bodies can reflect both the concentration of soil pollutants and the enrichment intensity in the snail bodies.

Therefore, snails can be used as indicator organisms to monitor environmental pollution.

2. Determine the heavy metal content in snails.

There have been relatively systematic studies and analyses abroad on the accumulation of heavy metals and other toxic and harmful substances in snails, but there are few research reports in China.

Analyzing and determining the changes in metal content in snail weight has important practical significance for evaluating the effectiveness of snails in treating environmental pollutants and for the rational use of snails.

There are two methods to determine the metal content of snails:

(1) Determination of the content of metal pollutants in the digestive glands of snails.

Researchers have found that the content of metal pollutants in snail digestive glands is an important indicator of the degree of soil pollution.

By testing this indicator, soil and environmental pollution can be reported and prevented in a timely manner.

Chemical testing of soil contaminated with heavy metals such as cadmium, zinc, copper and lead found that the metal pollutants in the soil in this area were the same as those in the snail's digestive glands.

(2) Determine the content of metal pollutants in snail bodies.

① Equipment for measuring samples:

The materials are mixed samples of cultured adult and juvenile white jade snails.

Take fresh live snails, wash them, treat them at 5°C for 6-8 hours, remove impurities and immediately place them in a 105°C oven to dry until constant weight, grind and sieve them to obtain snail analysis samples.

②Determination method:

It can be measured according to relevant standards.

③Measurement results:

The heavy metal content in the bodies of white jade snails raised in a certain area was measured, and the mercury content was ≤0.1 mg/kg, the lead content was ≤0.5 mg/kg, the arsenic content was ≤0.5 mg/kg, and the copper content was ≥35.2 mg/kg. The results showed that the copper content was seriously exceeded.

2. How to raise snails?

To raise snails, you need to provide a dark and humid place. You can first prepare a container, fill it with sand, cover it with paper towels, spray water on it to maintain good humidity, then put the snails in, and move the container to a cool place away from light.

Feed the snails regularly. You can put some washed vegetable leaves, fruits, feed, etc. You also need to supplement them with calcium supplements such as bone meal and feed them regularly.

3. Is it okay to grow flowers with snail shells in the soil?

A: Yes: Snail shells can be dried and ground into powder to make flower fertilizer and calcium supplement.

If there is nothing wrong with the soil, then you need to consider the location and environment of the flower pot. If the environment is humid and hot, the air flow is poor, and it is often placed after rain, it is easy to attract snails. So the location of the flower pot should also be carefully selected.

If snails appear in the flower pot, you can catch them. But for your own health, it is best not to catch them with your bare hands. You can use tweezers to pick up the snail and put it in a plastic bag or bottle to take away. Remember to wash your hands afterwards.

4. How to keep snails in the soil?

Flowers grown at home are generally potted. If the soil in the flowerpot is not handled carefully, it may contain insect eggs. Therefore, the soil should be dried and screened before being placed in the flowerpot. If conditions permit, it can be steamed at high temperature.

2. If there is no problem with the flower soil, then you need to consider the location and environment of the flower pot. If the environment is humid and hot, the air flow is poor, and it is often placed after rain, it is easy to attract snails. So the location of the flower pot should also be carefully selected.

3. If snails appear in the flower pot, you can catch them. But for your own health, it is best not to catch them with bare hands. You can use tweezers to pick up the snails and put them in a plastic bag or bottle to take away. Remember to wash your hands afterwards.

5. How to plant snail flower?

Methods/Steps

1. Seedling cultivation

Snail flower seeds are usually sown around May, and the temperature should be between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius, which is conducive to germination. The seeds should be evenly spread in the soil. They will germinate in about 10 days, and when they grow to a certain height, they can be transplanted and planted.

2. Planting

When planting snail flowers in pots, plant them in a medium pot after the seedlings grow three true leaves. Water them after planting and place the pots in sunlight for even exposure to promote root development.

3. Watering

Snail flower likes water, so make sure the soil is moist, especially in the hot and dry summer, water it more often and avoid waterlogging, which will cause root rot.

4. Lighting

Snail flower likes sunlight. If the house is indoors, it needs to be placed on a sunny balcony for maintenance, or moved to an outdoor courtyard for maintenance in the sun.

5. Fertilization

If it is a potted plant, you can choose sandy loam rich in humus, which is usually made of leaf mold, garden soil, and river sand, and apply a small amount of bone meal at the bottom of the pot as base fertilizer. Apply thin liquid fertilizer one week after transplanting. After that, apply thin cake fertilizer water or compound fertilizer every 3 weeks. Spray a 0.2% potassium dichloride phosphate aqueous solution during the bud formation period to promote bright flowers.

6. Picking

After the snail flower grows four leaves, you can do the first pinching. When the branches and vines grow three or four leaves, pinch again and combine with shaping. After pinching, apply fertilizer, and be careful not to stain the leaves with fertilizer water and mud.

6. How to grow dwarf snail flower?

Soil: Choose loose and well-drained sandy loam for petunias. Watering: Water in moderation, and take drainage measures when it rains a lot. Temperature and light: 13-18℃ in normal times, 4-10℃ in winter, plenty of sunlight, preferably more than 12 hours a day. Timely pruning: Prepare the support, and pinch off the top when it grows to 7 leaves.

7. Can the soil and food used to feed snails be used to grow flowers?

It is best not to use flowers as soil or food to feed snails

Unfermented snail soil and food (snail feces) cannot be used. Not only will they burn the roots of plants, but they will also harm and pollute plants, soil, and surface water, increasing the salinity of the soil, which is very detrimental to the growth of plants and crops.

After fermentation, first remove the impurities inside, dry it in the sun, put it into a plastic bag and tie the bag tightly. It will take about 1 month to ferment (it is very good for making flower fertilizer)

Snail feces can be used as fertilizer because snails have a wide range of diets, mainly fruits and vegetables. The elements of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium are high in their feces, making them a good fertilizer for growing flowers.

8. How to grow the Haworthia succulenta?

Breeding methods

1. Soil: The roots of Haworthia are shallow, so it does not require very deep or thick soil. Just choose looser nutrient soil to plant it.

2. Light: The light exposure to the plants must be strictly controlled. When the light is strong in summer, appropriate shade should be provided to prevent the plants from being burned by direct sunlight. In winter, the plants should be placed in a well-lit location to allow them to receive the necessary light.

3. Temperature: It is not very demanding on temperature, but is relatively afraid of cold. It should be placed in a place with sufficient light in winter.

4. Watering: If the plant is not watered properly, it will cause root rot, leaf atrophy and other symptoms. Keep the soil moist during the growing season. Winter and midsummer are semi-dormant periods, and dry soil is best.

5. Fertilization: Haworthia does not like fertilizer and does not require much fertilizer. It only needs to be applied 1 to 2 times a year. Too much fertilizer can easily cause fertilizer damage and burn its roots.