Are you a plant lover? Here are some tips for your green thumb
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Thank you!
I learned that plants reciprocate when they are cared for.
You don’t want the plant to die, so you start focusing on it. I’d start watering my plants more, inspecting the soil, wiping down the leaf, and it was by doing this that I noticed myself becoming less anxious, a little more relaxed, and calmer.
It’s about concentrating on what it takes to look after a living being. You will be fulfilled, and you will be nurtured, during the time you are nourishing others.
Tips to keep in mind when caring for your greenery
- The potting soil should be kept damp, but not drenched. Over-watered or dry soil can damage plant roots, preventing growth. For some plants, too much or too little water might cause them to die. Indoor plants do not respond to a single frequency that works for everyone. Instead, investigate and follow rules for a plant’s specific type to determine how often to water it.
- You have overwatered your plant if mold or standing water forms on the surface of the soil or if there is standing water at the bottom of the container.
- If the soil becomes lighter in color or broken, water your plant.
- Succulents are known to benefit from the occasional lack of water.
- Empty the pot or otherwise remove standing water from the pot so that your plant doesn’t have to sit in it. Water standing in puddles will harm plants.
- To determine how wet the soil is, stick your finger in the soil. You can feel whether your plant needs additional water if you put your entire finger into the soil to the knuckle.
- The soil does not need to be watered if it feels damp. Rotting of the root occurs if the root is over-watered.
- A dry, spongy feeling indicates that it needs to be watered.Â
- Plants vary, therefore it will depend on which plant you’re growing. For the majority of plants, these circumstances will be suitable.
- If you notice discolored leaves, reduced leaf growth, loss of leaves, or soft rotting spots, then you might be over-hydrated.
- Most signs of dehydration include delayed growth of leaves, yellowing and curling of leaves, and browning and drying of leaf edges.
Growing a Bonsai has the ultimate goal of creating a miniature yet realistic reflection of nature in the shape of a tree. Bonsai are not genetically dwarfed plants; in fact, they can be grown from any tree species.
- I learned using room temperature water is best, keep the water between 68° F and 20° C. If you’re measuring the temperature of the water, you can use a thermometer, or you can leave the water out to allow it to reach to room temperature after pouring it.
- Plants can be killed if the water in the container is too hot.
- If the water is excessively cold, the plant will be unable to thrive and any new plants will fail to grow.
- To ensure that your soil is always moist, use a handheld moisture meter.
- It is possible to check whether or not your plants are adequately hydrated by using moisture meters.
- To get an accurate reading of how hydrated your soil is, the machine goes through the soil.
- A moisture meter is available for purchase online, in a home and gardening store, and some department stores.
I LINKED A FEW OF MY FAVORITES.
- A pot with sufficient drainage is an excellent choice. Watering your plant too much or too little can damage or kill it. Also, make sure that your pot has drainage holes located at the bottom.
- Ceramic and clay will hold onto water, while plastic, metal, and glass will absorb less.
- In order for the water to drain, make sure there are holes in the bottom of the pot. Pots with no holes, like cachepots, hold water, and as a result, can drown your plant.
A cachepot is a French phrase for what is commonly referred to as a “planter” in modern English or a jardiniere in older versions. Usually without a drainage hole in the bottom, a few come with a matching saucer.
- It is important to locate a space in your home that receives enough sunshine. In order for plants to grow, they require sunlight. The growth of plants is affected by all three factors: the quality, length, and intensity of light.
- Keep it out of direct sunlight. Instead, place them in a well-lit room where they may bask in lots of indirect light. Some plants can be grown using fluorescent lights instead of sunlight.
- Provide plants with light for at least 12 to 16 hours every day.
- Foliage plants require at least 14 to 16 hours of light every day.
- When it comes to plant care, avoid moving them around a lot. I kept making this mistake with my plants.
- Plants typically take a long time to become accustomed to their environment, so it’s better to avoid moving them around so much. You must also store them in a location where the temperature would shift.
- Plants perform better when given proper amounts of sunlight and soil moisture. Therefore, changing their environment by moving them rapidly from a darker location to a location with more sunlight would adversely affect them.
- For an hour a day, transport the plant to the new location. Let the new area settle in before gradually increasing the amount of time it is allowed to remain.
- Widen the room’s humidity. Cacti, like many other desert plants, thrive in dry air because they need moisture. However, most plants require humidity, especially tropic species. If you buy a room humidifier with a cold mist and keep it nearby but not too close to the plant, you can ensure that the plant itself stays dry and the foliage and flowers stay dry as well.
- Instead of buying a humidifier, try filling a tray with pebbles and setting it in your desired location. Only add water until the top of the stones are just barely above the surface of the water. The water will gradually increase the humidity in the space as it evaporates.
- To provide extra moisture, you might want to fill a spray bottle with distilled water and sprinkle the plants.
- When your plant shows wilting, browned leaves, and flower buds that do not develop properly, it is an indication that your environment is too dry.
- Plant grouping raises humidity.
Many cacti flourish in arid environments, such as the Atacama Desert, which is one of the driest places on the planet. Cacti, like all living creatures, require water to survive. Cacti with spines are protected from plant-eating animals, and they also aid to decrease water loss by blocking air flow around the cactus.
Even though their leaves and stems contain water-storing properties that help them to survive in dry environments, they will not thrive in a dry environment. Watering is crucial to the success of your cactus or succulent. Overwatering stunts growth, while underwatering results in shriveling.
- Fertilize your pot using a balanced fertilizer that has 10% each of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Plants that want balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer included are common houseplants. Without the nutrients contained in potting soils and fertilizers, houseplants will not survive. The plant will perish if you don’t repot it, or add new nutrients to the soil.
- Nitrogen is number one, phosphorus is number two, and potassium is number three.
- Potassium is highly absorbed by blooming plants, which makes it possible to acquire a fertilizer that is high in potassium.
- You should get a fertilizer or potting soil that has a lot of Nitrogen if you have a leafy plant.
- Plants also require micronutrients which are provided by either increasing the amount of potting soil or fertilizer used, or by adding the nutrients directly to the soil.
- The particular potting mix intended to drain water effectively should be used for growing cacti or succulents. It is also important to have pots with a lot of small holes at the bottom. These cause the soil to hold too much moisture, which kills the plant.
- Prune your plant regularly. In order for plants to grow properly. Before deciding when you will prune your plant, it’s crucial to learn more about pruning schedules.
- Unpruned plants can grow unchecked, and the roots of unpruned plants might grow to an inappropriate height, spilling out of their containers.
- Keep your plant healthy by regularly pruning it, and you don’t have to replant if you do so.
- Branch or stem segments that can lead to insect attraction should be removed.
- To promote broader, more robust growth, prune a branch at a 45-degree angle above a leaf node.
Coffee and tea should never be used as a plant fertilizer. Potted plants that have been decorated with coffee or tea attract flies, which can eat away at the plant. Bees like these insects would also do well on a diet of sugar.
While some individuals assert that coffee grounds are beneficial to plants, this can actually damage plants with a poor acid tolerance.
I also learned this the hard way. Don’t believe everything on tiktok. (lol)
Learn the classification of your plant.
There are various online encyclopedias to choose from that provide step-by-step instructions on properly caring for multiple types of houseplants, including instructions on proper humidity levels, exposure to sunlight, and watering amounts. It is crucial to pick the appropriate houseplant for your specific needs.
If you bought your houseplant, you would receive a tag with both the standard and scientific names of the plant. Ask the florist you purchased it from if it’s not real. In science, terms of organisms are made up of two words: genus and species. Additionally, the scientific name for the peace lily is Spathiphyllum wallisii. While poinsettia and begonia are both quite common names, they also have scientific names as well. It is called a cultivar, hybrid, or subspecies if you see an x, the third name, or a name written in quotation marks (in easy terms, a special breed).
If you are uncertain about the type of houseplant you have, see if it has pictures in a book of flowers, an encyclopedia, a guidebook of house plants, or other publications, and locate the photograph that most closely resembles your plant.
Determine whether your plant is a green foliage plant or a flowering plant. Flowering houseplants and green foliage plants require different nutrients and varying amounts of water and sunlight.
Choose a plant that is simple to maintain. Certain tropical plants, such as geraniums, areca palms, sago palms, pothos, and cast-iron plants, require specialized settings to thrive. Most cacti and succulents have beautiful forms and foliage variations, and they’re also relatively easy to grow. Still, others, such as geraniums, areca palms, sago palms, pothos, and cast-iron plants, are low maintenance, durable, and easy to care for.
Snake plants, dracaenas, and spider plants are some other low-light plants to consider.
Another low-light plant that is regularly found in public displays is the Chinese evergreen or painted drop tongue (Aglaonema). It only dislikes cold, damp environments. Its lower leaves fall off with time, yet it can be easily rooted in water.
Here are 4 of MY favorite plant subscriptions
I enjoy the thrill of opening a box and discovering a fantastic new product or interesting brand, especially when it involves beauty, coffee, or fashion. Otherwise you will find me snacking, blogging, or shopping in my spare time.
WHICH PLANT OF THE MONTH CLUB SEEMS TO BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR YOU? Let me know which plant subscription will soon be greening up your windowsill, patio, or garden in the comments!
I would love to see your plants, link your photos in the comments. You can also look for me on my other Social media channels.
Happy planting
