Question
I have a few plant, and the dirt smells strong all the time and when I water them it get even stronger. I changed the potting soil this last fall but it did not help. We have well water, plants are in the North and South windows.

Answer
Wenona,

Are you using potting soil that you have purchased in a store? It sounds like you may be watering too often and keeping the plants too wet. In the winter with the shorter days they use a lot less water and should not be watered more than once a week. Some should only be watered every 2 weeks. The key is that the plant should dry out well between waterings.

The most important thing is that all you plants should be in pots with drainage holes in the bottom and a drain tray under it. An hour after you water the plant you should empty the water out of the drain tray unless you are certain the plant will use it up within 24 hours.  It should not be sitting in water all week. That will create that sour smell you are smelling. Let your plants dry out more and it will go away. You might want to remove the drain trays when they are dry and scrub them. That will help with the oder.

If you have any lime left over from gardening you might sprinkle a teaspoon for every 4 inches of pot diameter on top of the soil of each plant, but no more than that. That would sweeten the soil but most plants like acidic soil so you don't want to put too much. Your soil right now is probably overly acidic causing the oder so a little lime will help but too much will hurt. You can also try spraying the surface of the soil with Lysol Spray and that will help the oder.

Just be sure to cut back on the water or your plants will start dying from overwatering. Good luck.

Darlene