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Top 10 Remedies For The Container Blues
If you've killed enough Indoor Or Outdoor Plants To Fill A Small Forest, you're not Alone.
To figure out what went wrong and avoid making the same mistakes next time, take a look at the top 10 most c
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1) Swamp thing
More plant's die from too much water than any other cause. While it may seem counter-intuitive to let plants dry out, it actually benefits plants by allowing oxygen to pass into the soil. So let your plants take in a breath of fresh air once in a while.
Use your fingers or an unpainted wooden stick to test whether the soil is dry 2 to 3 inches below the surface -- that's when you should water. Also, when in doubt, check your plant's roots by gently lifting it out with the tip of a spade Look for black or mushy tips, which indicate rot.
2) Life's tough in the Sahara
Try to avoid going to the opposite extreme and letting your plants dry out. Unless you're growing a cactus or succulent, it's not going to appreciate being thrown into the desert. To help find the right balance between too wet and bone-dry, consider buying a moisture meter. These inexpensive little gadgets take the guesswork out of watering by telling you the soil is nearly dry, which is the right time to water.
3) Who turned out the lights?
All plants need light to survive. You probably knew that already, but did you know that the most common cause of lack of blooms is insufficient light?
Check The Light Needs For Your Plant.
4) Life's beach
Believe it or not, plants can get sunburned, too.
And until someone invents a sunscreen lotion for plants, it's important to avoid putting medium-or low light plants in too much scalding afternoon sun. different seasons can also mean fluctuations in light intensity, so while a plant might have been happy with a few hours of light in early spring, it may be getting too much sun once the dog days of summer roll around. One advantage container plants have over garden plants is that you can move them around as the season change.
A good rule of thumb for low-light plants is to put them in dappled shade or a place where they'll get early morning or late afternoon sun.
5) I'm starving over here!
Plants in containers need to be feed more often than plants in the garden. Frequent watering causes nutrients to leach out of the soil over time, leaving impoverished soil.
The Solution is to feed foliage plants about once a month during periods of growth. Feed blooming plants more often, since they require more energy for the flower production--about once every two weeks while in flower. The Rest Of The Time, you can treat them like foliage plants.
6) Keep it clean
Prevent pest and disease problems for rearing their ugly little heads by practicing good hygiene. This means disinfecting your tools with rubbing alcohol or a bleach solution after each use, rising out old containers with soap and water, And throwing out potting soil if it was previously home to diseased plants. You can nip most insect problems in the bud if you catch them early enough. Start by spraying plants with a strong stream of water and wiping the insects of with a damp paper towel. Disease pathogens thrive in wet conditions, so keep leaves dry and soil slightly dry.
7) One size does not fit all
Choosing the right container for your plant is almost as important as putting it in good soil. Since most flowering plants don't have deep root systems, they'll do well in containers that are wider than they are deep. If however, you fall in love with a tall container and want to use it, fill the bottom half with a filler such as packaging peanuts or broken-up shards of pottery, then add potting mix on top. This provides better drainage and prevents root rot. Use a container that is no more than 2 or 3 inches larger than the roots of the plant, so the plant doesn't drown in excess soil and water.
8) Time for a little spring-cleaning
The soil around a plants roots is its house, and just like the houses we live in, the soil in containers could use a little spring- cleaning every year. A potted plant may live several years in the same soil. To keep that soil healthy, it's important to revitalize it every year.
Take the root ball out of the pot and carefully remove some of the old potting mix from the sides and bottom of the root ball, then add new potting mix to the container and replant.
9) Know your roots
Look at the plant's place of origin to see if your conditions will be a good match for it. For example, Philodendrons and other woodland plants love shady, moist humus-rich conditions resembling those found in there native environments. Plants from arid regions, such as many ornamental grasses and bulbs, prefer dry conditions and well-drained soils. Choose the right plant for the right place and you can avoid many ailments.
10) Baby, what's your zone?
Plant's in containers tend to be more vulnerable to extreme temperatures, so it's wise to buy plants that are Hardy to at least one hardiness zone colder than the one you're in.
This Does Not Matter in the house of course...
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