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Five
Basic Steps of Plant Care
1. Choosing
the right plant: You
won't have to spend as much time caring for your palnts if you
choose plants that are suited to your environmental conditions
and gardening style.
2. Watering:
Test the soil in your containers every day with your finger. If
it's dry an inch below the surface - water. If you can't water your
plants on a regular basis, consider self-watering
containers.
3. Fertilizing:
Mix a dry, time-release fertilizer into the soil when planting,
and use small amounts of liquid fertilizer for regular feeding every
few weeks.
4. Fighting
Pests: Inspect plants regularly for fungus, insects, bugs, etc.
Remove any diseased or dying leaves. Spray insects with water or
other natural repellants to get rid of them.
5. Pruning:
Don't be afraid to cut or trim plants to keep their shape and encourage
growth - just leave at least 2/3 of the original plant intact so
it'll have enough surface area to absorb sunlight. Pinch (aka. deadhead)
faded flowers regularly to encourage more blooms on annual plants.
Keep in mind
that every plant is different. Take some time to read up on your
plants and learn as much as you can about their individual needs.
A little time spent reading and planning now can save you a lot
of time and disappointment later.
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