There's a natural progression in my opinion to taking care of things. First plants, then a pet of some sorts, and finally children. Although I know a lot of people who can take care of children, but are hopeless with foliage.
What little I know about keeping a plant alive for more than a few days, I'll share with you. So maybe you'll be able to add a little life and color to your patio.
1. Know what direction your home faces.
Either look to the sun or use the handy compass on your phone for this. Knowing if your space will get morning or afternoon sun can make a difference when choosing which plants you want.
2. Make sure that your planter has a hole in the bottom for excess water to drain.
You've seen on Pinterest where you can turn just about anything into an adorable pint-size (or quite large) planter, but you have to make sure to drill a hole in the bottom. And apparently you need a special drill for ceramics, FYI. If you lack power tools, it's best to go to the garden center and pick them out there.
If you're like me, in an effort to make sure that they stay alive, you will most likely overwater them just to be on the safe side. Hence the drainage.
3. Plant an herb garden to go along with your new found love of cooking.
Why not get double the use out of your new hobby? Enjoy the aroma outside, as well as adding extra flavor to your meals at no additional cost.
4. Know when to transfer your growing, healthy plants into a larger pot.
If you notice any of the following symptoms, it's time to re-pot: stunted, deformed, pale and dull, top-heavy, generally declining, or water drains quickly through soil.
According to Google, you should move up pot sizes by only a couple of inches because, like when you move into a much larger house and automatically fill it with all of your stuff, the plant's roots will grow quickly at the expense of the flowers and leaves (which are what you really care about the most.)
What are some of your lessons learned when keeping a potted porch garden alive?
8 comments:
I love the idea of growing an herb garden! With a new apartment not they way that sounds like an amazing idea that i can't wait for!
xo. Kailagh
I'm doomed, I can't even look after a plant! lol Thanks for the tips. Hope you had a great vacation!
These are great tips because I am a notorious plant killer!
The husband and I just planted some basil and cilantro seeds {our first plants together} and they're starting to sprout! We are way more excited than anyone should be about plants growing - but thanks for the tips so I don't kill them!
Thanks for the tips! These are really useful for a black-thumb like me (obviously I just made that term up, but you know what I mean right? lol). I've never kept a plant alive long enough to re-pot it but I'm hoping to fix that situation by the fall :)
I've always loved succulents/cacti gardens but i live in a semi-tropical climate so I was always scared to plant them because I didn't know how they would do. And I never thought about bringing a plant to work!!
Yeah, I get much better light in my office than at home, so I think that has definitely helped keep it alive! Plus it's nice to have a little greenery in my office to distract from the computer. :)
Thanks for sharing these tips, I'm so a plant killer. I struggle with knowing when to transfer my plants to a bigger pot.
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