11 Most Common Mistakes Made When Taking Care of Potted Plants
Your potted plant suddenly begins to fade and you have no idea what could possibly be going wrong.
In fact, you can harm them not only by neglecting them, but also when you care too much. Find out about all the things your plants do not like and never make the same mistakes again.
#1 Too little light
You don't match a plant to a place to make it all look good. They need sufficient amount of sunlight, which is really important in the fall and in the winter when the days are much shorter.
#2 Too much or too little water
Plants have various requirements when it comes to watering. Most of them prefer slightly dump mediums. But we also have cactuses, succulents and orchids who prefer rather dry soils.
#3 To high ambient temperature in the winter
This is when a lot of plants hibernate. As a result, they prefer lower temperatures of the environment. Otherwise they will lose their leaves.
#4 Avoiding repotting when it’s not necessary
Plants have to be re-potted on regular basis. This is when you need to replace the pot with a bigger one as the roots grow and need some more space. Young plants have to be repotted every year while the older ones every two or three years.
#5 Too high ambient temperature
In the summer never put your plants on the window overlooking the south. The sun might even burn the leaves. Even cacti might not put up with it.
#6 Excessive fertilization
An excessive dose of fertilizer might be hazardous. Always follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
#7 Dry air
Winter is a hard time for potted plants. The radiators dry the air making the conditions particularly unfavorable for tropical plants, crotons and ferns. It is a good idea therefore to get an air humidifier.
Thanks to the holes the excess of water can flow out of the pot preventing the roots from rotting. If the plastic pot you have just bought hasn't got any, you can pierce it with a hot nail.
#9 Too cold
Plants are sensitive to blows of cold air. If you want to open the window in the winter, take the plants off the sill until you close it back.
#10 Failure to trim
Climbers, pelargonium and philodendrons' shoots require regular trimming. This is how you boost their growth. They need to be trimmed in the spring and in the fall (that applies to the ones brought inside for the winter)
#11 Wrong soil medium
Plants need various soils. It is necessary to do the background reading and buy appropriate medium in the gardening store. You can't just bring some soil from your garden or the nearest par!
Have you got any reliable tricks that help you look after your plants?
