The frustration of watching a beautiful plant turn yellow, wilted, and droop wearily is unmatched. Unless you have a track record of failing those green babies, seeing your plants deteriorate despite all the love, affection, and care you’ve given them can be downright mystifying. If we’re being honest, the dying phase of plants turns most of us desperate as we attempt to frantically revive them with loads of nutrients, hydro love, and immense fertilizing. Half of the time, these attempts barely ever hold; if anything, they further overwhelm your plant. So, what now? Should you sit back and watch your plant turn lifeless? Or perhaps give up altogether and dye your thumbs black? Quite frankly, there’s no top-secret code to crack when it comes to keeping your plants and garden lush and healthy, just a few tips and tricks to learn as you go along the way.
Six tips to keeping plants healthy
Whether you’re a plant lover, a garden owner, or simply a décor enthusiast in the throes of sprucing up your indoor spaces with a touch of greenery, healthy plants will always bring the A-game. Luscious leaves, succulent stems, thriving roots, and budding new growth are enough to have anyone green with envy, literally. Here’s the hitch, giving your plants what they need when they need it isn’t the most straightforward concept to grasp. Considering each plant species differs in demand, general determination of how much is too much and how little is too safe is nearly impossible. However, specific practices will have any plant flourishing; ahead, we break down six of them.
Know your plant
When we buy plants from the nursery, they come with tags pointing out the requirements and conditions to help your new addition thrive; take them with a grain of salt. These model recommendations often work with optimum states, which aren’t practical and synonymous with most homes and gardens. That said, ignore these nursery-drawn guidelines in lieu and take responsibility for learning your plant and understanding its needs. Dig through your favorite gardening journals and websites to finetune your provisions to your plants and environment.
Understand the fertilizer game
Of course, we all know the moisture, air, and sunlight drill, although sometimes, that is never enough; this brings us to the debate- why should you use fertilizers? Like the rest of us, plants struggle with deficiencies that are often ascribed to the soil’s health or nutrient supply. Much as they may be, autotroph plants still need an occasional boost in their dietary plan, and that’s where fertilizers step in. When the dual soil and nutrient factors are shorthanded, fertilizers offer a
supplementary crutch to ensure that your plants get the adequate nutrient supply necessary for healthy growth.
Pay attention
Plants speak without speaking. Ideally, 90% of plant complications are detectable by close observation; small details like streaks’ appearance, color change, and texture might be a cry for help. As such, you’d want to pay keen attention to the physical appearance of your plant and make a frequent examination of its anatomy. Ensure you check the soil for dehydration now and then and inspect the leaves for mildew, yellowing, or browning. Also, assess the stem’s suppleness and pry for holes to bust pests before they flare up into diseases.
Prune and clean up the fall
Wounded and damaged tree limbs are susceptible to infection, so you’d want to stay on top of your pruning game. Cut back any problemed parts of your plant as soon as you spot them to prevent further spread into the plant’s new growth. Essentially, clean and sharp cuts are the best way to go, especially when striving for healthy, living tissue. In addition to pruning, we recommend consistent clean-up of your garden or pot in the fall and beyond. Build up of dead leaves and debris tends to create a breeding ground for disease and pests, threatening new growth and foliage.
Wrapping up
Coinciding with the requisite growth triangle of plants is only half the job done; there’s still a lot of complimentary work to do to grow out a wholesome garden. The key takeaway from all the known gardening experts and sources is this- keeping and growing healthy plants is a full-time responsibility, therefore, not a decision to rush into blindly. Educate yourself, do your research and settle on a plant species that aligns with your time and effort. If you’re not one to be consumed by plant parenting, go for the low-management species; something less demanding would be a better suit than having to calm the crippling guilt of getting a new potted Monstera every month. All in all, don’t sweat it; ease your way into the “healthy plants” bandwagon one step at a time.
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