It Smells Like Dirt in Here

Master gardener Jennifer Deeks shares an ode to petrichor, the scent of the earth, and the science behind what so many of us love about it.

Image by author.

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION

I am re-potting some indoor plants today. It is something that needs to be done occasionally because a houseplant pot is a small, closed ecosystem which eventually runs low on nutrients and organic matter. To remedy this, you dump out all the old soil, give the roots a good shake, and put it back in a larger pot wit…