Plant Lesson for Beginners

Hello plant lovers!!

Plants are the true natural décor piece everyone adores. But certainly, there is a crowd which still fears in buying plants as they are not sure will they be able to keep it alive. It is easy said than done, giving advice to buy plant is quite easy then to take the advice in action. There is are quite a few things to take into account while shopping for plants. And by the end of this blog you should be ready to explore the garden shop and eventually buy the right plants for your purpose!

Having double thoughts whether to buy or not to buy plants, then take a deep breathe and check out my blog on plants and its benefits and, you will have a clear view!

So, let´s
start!

 

 The process starts not at the garden shop but at home, so before stepping out, make sure you have answered the following questions!

Where you want the plant to go?

Good Spot: First try and decide, where exactly you want to place your plants. This is essential because different plants have different properties and hence different requirements. But amongst the basic are light exposure and how big or small the area is.

It is recommended that you place your plant in such a location where there is good
air circulation, this is quite beneficial for the health of the plant. Avoid
placing it in cramped space, even plants can be claustrophobic!

Now I do understand that few homes/offices are small in area and could be challenging
for you to figure out a location on the floor. In such cases you can consider putting them on window sill or on your table/desk or maybe you can have them hanging.

 

What size of the plant to buy?

Once you have decided where you want to place your plant, now, you have adequate
information of the area it gets to breathe in and the exposure to light. So, now we decide what size of plant to consider.

If the plant will be standing on the floor, then it needs to be taller than the plant on a window sill or desk or table. While considering a floor plant, also take in consideration the area of the room. If you buy a big plant for a small room then it will create  visual imbalance. Likewise, a plant on the table/window sill should be proportional.

 

Light exposure to the plants

Light exposure is yet another important factor. For your plant to grow healthy you need to understand its requirements well, light being one of them. Location of the plant is the deciding factor of light exposure. Usually, the requirements of the plant are mentioned on the plant pot. If not, then you can get some assistance at the garden shop.

Plants with high light requirements: Such plants are the one that require maximum sunlight throughout and so, should be placed towards south or south-west facing windows.

Plants with moderate light requirements: Plants that require partial sunlight or maybe indirect sunlight, that is, not directly exposed to the sun. They should be kept direction facing towards east or west.

Plants with low light requirements: Such plants are the ones that can go on with minimal day light, making them easy to handle and grow in low level of light exposure. Such plants should be facing towards north.

That’s all
you really need to get started!

Hold on, that was just about how to pick the right plant for your spot in consideration to light levels. But plants do require other nutrients which come from soil and fertilizer. So, what about them?

 

Soil: Soil is a crucial factor for plants because it is the one, from where the plants absorbs its nutrients. Moreover, all plants have different characteristics and hence they require appropriate soil. It would be easy for me to say, that if you buy a plant like aloe-vera or others from the cacti family then go for well aerated non-clogging soil, as such plants love dry soil. But this would not be right as I cannot generalise for all cacti plant.  There is range of soil available in market, but it is important to understand which is the right one for your plants. For this, you can check with the garden shop and get some guidance from them. I am sure they would be happy to help!

Fertilizer: It´s like providing food to plants. Fertilising the plants is great as it helps its growth. Fertilize the plants monthly and weekly in winter and summer respectively. For herbs or plants that you use to intake (in food or as a medicine) or apply over the body, consider bio fertilizers or can even try home produced fertilizers.

That is quite simple, so now you´re all set to get your plants home along with the soil and fertilizers apt for it.

Congratulations,
on those beautiful plants!

But the work doesn’t end there, obviously the tough task is done, now remains the easy and fun part. Ok, so for this you can wear old clothes because we will be playing with soil, if you have kids then ask them to join you, as all kids love playing with mud. I guess the hint was quite clear, yes, we are repotting the plant. So, stay tuned and have fun!