Houseplants>> Care

Plants are living things. And pretty much like humans, they have their own preferences, their likes, and dislikes. They also love to be tended with love and care and compassion; but in the right dosage. Overdoing and underdoing love can cause more harm than good. So here are some pointers on how you can take care of your plants in the right way:

• Plan your plants:- Plan beforehand on where you want your plant to be sitting. Is it going to sit in a shady or a sunny place? How's the temperature? What's the amount of humidity? Take note of these points. That way it will be easier for you to choose a plant accordingly.

• Plant selection:- Select a healthy plant, while you're at the plant hunt. Spot-check for any signs of insects or bugs that might be residing on the plant. Also, don't forget to take a look at their roots if they are healthy or not.

• Transplanting:- Now that you've chosen a beautiful healthy plant and brought it into your home, do not get it straight out of its home. Let it sit for some das and allow it to get accustomed to its new environment. After it has adjusted well, you can decide to re-pot it, if required. For repotting, prepare some extra soil with enough water so that the soil sticks together in a ball and does not readily crumble under slight pressure by thumb and forefinger. Then gently tap the former pot to take out the plant along with its root ball and transfer in a new bigger pot. Also, add the prepared soil to fill in the spaces and with some slight pressure, press onto the top. Finish it off with enough water to keep the soil moist.

• Water:- During dry periods, plants drink more water while in the cooler periods, less water. However, not all plants need frequent watering; some just want to be left neglected with little or no water at all. An easier way to know whether your plant is thirsty or not would be to conduct a STICKY TEST. Just stick your finger into the soil, few centimeters. if it is moist, then it's possible that the plant doesn't need water and vice-versa.

        Bonus: You can invest in a "MOISTURE METER" too.

• Temperature:- When it comes to temperature, plants have their own preferences. So, do a little bit of research before you actually select a home where your plant can sit comfortably. Also, take into notice if there are any air-conditioning units or humidifiers nearby. These can also affect the comfort of your plant.

• Light:- Similar to temperature, plants have their own liking towards the light. Some plants love low-lit areas, while others might like medium-lit. In either case, it will be good if it is natural lighting.
  

• Fertilizers:- Plants are living beings, just like us. Therefore, they also require nutrition, which in their case, happens to be fertilizers. Now fertilizers may be in the form of composted manure or even chemical, doesn't matter. What matters is the dosage. Feeding them with the right quantity will ensure the plant's good health.

• Pests:- It is necessary that you spot-check your plants for any signs of pests. And if you were to spot any, deal with them right away. One easy trick to prevent the occurrence of pests in the first place would be to remove the decaying foliage off the top of the soil and spray the plant with a good pesticide from time to time.
  

• Pruning:- Pruning is simply giving the plants a defined structure and likable shape. You can do this by cutting off the 'about-to-die' leaves so that these do not rob off the nutrients from the plant.
  

And that is all with the tips. I hope these prove to be helpful to you in any way and work for you as they have for me.

Until next time,

Bye.😀