I absolutely LOVE gardening but I am not really a house plant girl. Despite that, I do have house plants and enjoy seeing them thrive. I have also had house plants that have not done well. As a result of the successes and failures, I have learned a few things that are helpful. Even if you think you can’t grow things, I know you can. So keep reading. There are easy things to do to succeed in both gardening and growing house plants that if you really want plants you too can be someone with a green thumb.
- Know your plant! Find out if it needs full sun, shade, a lot of water, a small amount of water, etc. I learned the hard way, that the leaves of a kalanchoe plant burn if they are exposed to too much direct sunlight. If I had known the light requirements of kalanchoe that would not have been a problem.
- Don’t water too much! Aloe vera plants, for example, need the soil to dry out between waterings. Thanksgiving Cactuses, however should have moist soil.
- Get a new pot! You might need to repot a plant so that it can grow larger or to change the soil for a fresh start.
- Use the right soil. Always use potting soil for house plants and other pots. Soil from outside/the ground is too heavy to use in pots. There are special potting mixes for succulents and cacti. Those are best to use when repotting those types of plants.
- Fertilize. Plants need certain nutrients to be green and to produce flowers. Fertilize your plants according to their needs. This takes us back to point number one. Know your plant so that you know what kind of fertilizer to use and how often to apply it. You can fertilize too much.
Use the amazing resources out there to learn how to care for your plants. Here are a few websites to get you started:
https://extension.umn.edu/how/planting-and-growing-guides
https://greeneryunlimited.co/pages/plant-care
https://gardens.si.edu/learn/educational-resources/plant-care-sheets/houseplant-care/
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