Why You No Longer Need A 'Green Thumb' Today

For those who might not know the meaning of a green thumb, it simply means being skilfully good at growing a perfect garden or plant.

09:41 01 April 2020

In the old days, you needed somebody with serious planting skills to meticulously dig, plant, and fully attend to a simple garden in order to have it grow lusciously. Fortunately, planting technology and new knowledge have changed for anyone looking to grow a plant even in conditions not suitable for growing such as ones with no sunlight, no water, and wrong soil. 

General Tips For Planting

Before You Buy

 
For one it is important to pay attention to the health of the plant before you buy it and take it home because this has a lot of bearing on how easy it will be to properly maintain. It is recommended that you look for things such as green foliage, the plant is free from insects with no damaged leaves, and has a shininess to it. 

Watering

The number one reason plants die within weeks of you purchasing them is not watering them properly. You must water your plants regularly by developing a regular watering schedule which you should follow strictly. A key to ensuring your plant has enough water is to always check its soil for moisture. If your plant is in a container you can simply check if it has enough water by lifting it and feeling for its weight. For plants located outside on a garden people with a sprinkler system often forget that the water coming from your sprinkler might not be enough for the plant. When temperatures exceed 27 degrees celsius, it will mean that your flower beds need to be watered in the morning and then again in the afternoon. A good tip to remember is that as your plants grow further during the season they will consume much more water. 

Drainage

 

Appropriate water drainage is important for all plants so that they do not drown in water. Sometimes plants can go bad from having too much water, thus it is important especially when planting on containers to ensure that they have adequate drainage holes in them. 

Potting Soil

Planting in potting soil instead of dirt is better for most plants because dirt is usually too dense and compact, thus preventing the roots from growing well. Potting soil is lighter and it provides a balance between water, air, and pH so that the roots can grow as deep as possible. Potting soil is usually made of peat, bark, and fertilizer which help better retain and disperse moisture throughout the root area. 

Fertilizer

Adding fertilizer ensures that the soil has enough nutrition for your plants to grow better. Fertilizer can come in the forms of water-soluble formulas that you can add to the water, granules that you can sprinkle around the plant, or fertilizer stakes pressed into the soil itself. 

Sunlight

Before buying a plant it is important that you buy the appropriate one for your available sunlight conditions in your area of the yard or region. Usually, plants are labeled as needing full sunlight, part shade, or full shade. A part shade plant will be okay if the sun is blocked by trees or their leaves. A full shade plant means that the plant will dry out and burn in direct sunlight. Most full sunlight plants require a lot of sunlight to thrive but this does not mean that it will die instantly if it is in the shade for a few hours. However, if you do not have the appropriate sunlight conditions for indoor plants that require a lot of sunlight, this article along with many other experts in the field would recommend that it is a good idea to get LED grow lights that will provide adequate lighting. These grow lights have become popular for indoor gardening, urban farming, algae making, and marijuana cultivation. Most horticultural grow lights use multiple colored LEDs to provide shades of red, blue, white, infrared, or even UV wavelengths. This mix of colors ensures that the sunlight needs at every life stave of the plant are met. Newer LEDs are also very energy efficient, saving you up to 75% of the energy costs compared to older growing lights. 

 

Following these general guidelines will ensure that your plant grows beautifully in all types of conditions. It is important to remember that just having a regular schedule and following it vigorously is a key step towards getting healthy plants that do not die.