When we think about it, many plants from nurseries start out in a container only to arrive at your site to be transplanted into a larger container. From there, it may be necessary to change the plant’s home another time in the future as the plant may outgrow its space and become root bound. This type of planting and transplanting will utilize our intuition to sense when to change out the plant from one container to next. Aspects of this cultural practice are some of the best teaching tools we can receive for all types of gardening as the act of working with a live plant gives botanical education first hand.
Soil drainage is a priority in potted plant situations. Too fast of a watering drain may lead to roots drying out or a situation of having to water more frequently than necessary. A pot that takes water very slowly may create “wet plant feet” which can result in disease/rot. Either of these situations gives reason to consult with an experienced person to help us select a proper growing medium to use at the proper time re-pot. Be sure to use containers that have at least one drain hole in the bottom and depending on the situation, a plate that the container can set on is good to catch some excess water from spilling on flat surfaces.
Depending on one’s geographic location, when the seasons change, so can our containerscapes. Conventional landscape gardens, tree lined roadways, perennial gardens, fruit farms, etc. take on a more permanent theme but this is far from the truth when we do more exploring into container gardening. Annual flowers may do well in the winter of one region while in another they are definitely a summer use. Seasons also bring Holidays where color specific opportunities can arise for creativity. Talk to your nursery person for ideas and timing with bulb planting and even starting plants from seed if this idea gets your attention.
Let your imagination take hold and just get started with container planting for years of enjoyment! Be sure to have a daily routine of observation and monitoring. This can help in noticing slow or fast growth, too much sun or too little and even the need for turning the plant on occasion as one side may be stretching towards the light from time to time. Your gardening knowledge can come quickly when working with potted plants which can help you teach others. Hospitality, utility and flexibility are characteristics naturally shared by our green friends in containers and all we have to do is be the same for them.
Once we have committed to our chosen plant spaces and plant selections, it is a gift to acknowledge that we now and maybe again, are local participants in the magic of photosynthesis and its Divine results. Regardless of the geographic home of any Earth family participant, we need to be aware of a few Universal aspects of plant care as a baseline to gaining practical experience. Our approach to prepare, plan, diagnose and execute ongoing horticultural care is directly related to simply prioritizing our attention to current environmental signs as they come and go.
We all understand that there are seasons of the year that produce changes in temperature, rainfall, wind, sun intensity and so on. Do you have a basic understanding of the seasonal changes specifically to your area? If not, just look up the seasons for your area and even chat with a veteran grower in your neighborhood. A good suggestion for new and experienced gardeners is to create a simple seasons date chart near your gardening tools area. Refer and refer and refer to your seasonal date chart, until the moment when seasonal changes and consistencies just become a part of you. Sensing the onset of varying environmental conditions is good sign that you will soon be tuning in to your plants genetic patterns and needs.
Daily monitoring and observing the natural shifts of our green friend’s characteristics is most important. This wonderful caretaker type habit develops our ability to “read” the needs or non-needs of plant care in that moment. For example, our plant seems to be shedding more leaves this week than last. Next, we can go to our seasons date chart, then research the life cycle of this plant and can then comprehend that leaf shedding is perhaps within this plant’s annual leaf cycle.
Here are some basic plant care visuals we can do while daily monitoring and observing - look for broken branches both big and small (get used to looking up in the canopies of tall growing plants such as trees), leaves drooping (may be too much or too little water), slow growth as related to potential (soil deficiencies, maybe soil compaction).
Diagnosing a remedy in regards to correcting plant suffering can be accelerated by always considering that human made situations are very often the culprit for poor plant health. The repetitiveness of cars driving over lawns would make an obvious diagnosis for turf decline when monitoring and observing. However, would we be keen enough to notice a consistent hot breeze from a machine blowing on sensitive landscape causing a ‘burned’ foliage look? How about a shrub that never flowers like it used to but a newly built wall is now obstructing the sun it needs? When the right plant is planted in the right spot, they do mostly take care of themselves; so be sure to go to the human element when trying to troubleshoot what seems like a poor performing plant.
A few more human possibilities - excess vehicle exhaust along a hedgerow (making the hedge lose its shine), window reflection of the sun accelerating the sun's intensity (causing death to a isolated vegetative spot), poor fruiting from a tree (pollinators in decline from habitat loss).
Begin and maintain seeing yourself as a consistent, observant grower and watch your confidence grow! What does it mean to be a grower? One description could be of a person that simply obeys and implements the simple guidelines set down by Nature. With loving attention to plants backed with light knowledge, the understandings of this field will be imbibed into our being. There is an annual botanical rhythm, a harmony amongst plants and animals that can be part of our life’s homework.
Before beginning a garden project, you may have several ideas in mind for enhancing spaces with plants and it is good to take things one a step at a time. Having seen a certain plant, a particular landscape or even a picture could have grabbed your attention. Being inspired to create beauty or invoke the assistance of plants for a function comes from so many sources but it is helpful to select plants for our vision with a purpose that matches their habitat needs.
Sometimes plantings are done to hide something we don’t want to look at - a matter of function not necessarily just for better aesthetics. Rows of trees can reduce noise while providing shade, a good stand of turf is one’s best friend to prevent erosion, large and small patches of flowering plants attract pollinators, thickly planted groves become habitat for wildlife, edibles and medicinals are there for our body’s health, etc.
So let’s say that we have our landscape purpose in mind. What should one be thinking about when researching the type of plant(s) to purchase that will help achieve a healthy, lush, green and or/colorful canvas of beauty and function?
Plant industry professionals most often use descriptive terms such as annual, biennial, perennial, vines, shrubs, trees and grass. It would be best to familiarize ourselves with this simple language if you have not done so already. Evergreen (year round green) and deciduous (drops all leaves once per year) are also two terms that we should learn. Most importantly though, plants are categorized by global “planting zones” where the plant is likely to thrive in that part of the world’s typical climate conditions. Nursery personnel and garden center associates are all too happy to educate everyone on these matters as they know first hand the potential joys that successful gardening brings to the world.
Consider taking this simple approach - 1. select the plant’s living space. 2. have a purpose for plant selections 3. make practical plant choices that fall in line with appropriate climate zone and potential maturity in mind. 4. start small with trial and dedicated effort. 5. expand when appropriate but allow some time for results in each initiated case.
For example, a person may think that they would like one evergreen flowering shrub as a centerpiece to the garden in front of the home. The plant label says that they have the correct zone, the mature height of the plant is listed and this all matches their vision - now just go for it and start planting! At the proper time, adding a few colorful perennials and annuals at the base of this shrub could take on a welcoming entranceway for all to enjoy when coming and going.
Experienced gardeners know that abiding by botanical criteria for plant selection is a must but one should keep this fun and openly adore each new plant friend. Experience will help you gain confidence and doing some homework each time you are inspired to get digging will be a vital key to seeing your vision flourish!
Of course, indoor and outdoor growing choices need to be made first. However, the environmental checklists for achieving optimum plant health are practically the same regardless if we are talking indoor or outdoor gardening.
Start with a constructive observation of the environment where you may be planning to grow green life. It is a good idea to draw a simple map with some of your ideas and refer to it one year from initiating your planting to make improvements. For established gardens, one can sometimes see the mature size of species and a sketch will help the experience gardener make future plantings accordingly.
Take a look at the space you have selected and see how it is oriented to North, South, East and West. A compass may be needed to determine this critical step as “right plant, right place” is a rule of Nature. One can walk along any naturalized area and see how plants live together within the environment that their sun orients and careful observation will expose species using less sunlight to thrive.
Now, after deciphering your sunlight orientation, examine the soil type in your planting area. Is it clay or sand? Rocky or soft? Needing organic matter? Does it smell foul which may mean that it is compacted therefore anaerobic. Be sure to prepare your soil for the long term health, have a plan to add what is needed and consult a with local University or expert service for assistance.
With confidence that these first tips are in place, access to a good quality and quantity of water, timing of watering and scheduled watering consistency can be examined. In some places, a water test may be needed and one will have to use their best judgment as to reliable quantity. The act of water scheduling and consistency will come from one’s Heart to Love and care enough for their plants to make this task a priority.
Both indoor and outdoor plants have great chance at thriving if we always follow these basic growing principles. However, even with the best orientation and environment, your plants need a home where there is positivity for their presence and low possibilities of being injured manually or mechanically. We should never underestimate the dynamic potential being harbored within The Plant Kingdom as all Life starts with plants.