If you’ve decided to get down to earth and see your favorite plants grow this spring, but don’t know much about it, we’ve put together seven tips for beginners for Green Gardeners.
Aromatic herbs, succulents or flowers, in the garden or on the balcony. Spring is coming and this is a good time to make the environment around you greener, with a small vegetable garden or just a couple of pots.
But gardening is not an easy task, especially for those who are still “green” in these wanderings: from the amount of water each plant needs, to sun exposure and even the patience and attention to be paid, there are several details to take into account so that everything grows. and flourish.
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Tips for Green Gardeners
Every morning in your inbox, everything you need to know. We spoke with a plant specialist and gathered seven pieces of advice to help you succeed.
1. Choose the right plant
What catches your eye the most is not always what can fill the vase at home. When deciding to purchase a plant, it is essential to understand which species suits the space in which it will be placed.
The size it can reach, for example, is a detail that is sometimes forgotten but should be a priority. As Dário Nemésio explains, “it won’t go well, for example, if we plant a bush in a small pot or a small plant in a large pot”.
Always find out what types of plants can grow in the pot, flower box or garden you have. Only then move on to purchasing the seeds.
2. Pay attention to sun exposure
For each plant, the right amount of light. It is important that you observe the space and identify the hours of sun and shade that fall there. This information is quite important, as plants that need a lot of sun can “get sick” if they spend too much time in the shade and vice versa.
A house with a south-facing balcony can never choose plants that prefer shade, such as tulips, violets and some species of hydrangea, among others.
3. Don’t neglect watering time
A drier or more humid environment, they choose. Paying attention to the quantities and times of watering is essential so that you don’t lose the work you are doing.
Always check the needs of each plant and keep in mind some tricks that help you when you are not around: “during a long weekend, or vacation, for example, you should place a bottle or jug of water with a small hole in the lid, turned upside down and with the lid buried in the substrate, so that the water is released slowly. It will work as a type of drip irrigation and maintains humidity for a longer period”.
4. Choose the ideal type of substrate
You may not know it yet, but there are different types of soil for different types of plants. Now that you know, whenever you buy it, focus on the characteristics that will make what you plant grow. There are universal substrates, others for aromatic plants, cacti, succulents, orchids… A world.
5. Observe your plants
This is where the attention and dedication that plants deserve come into play. There is no doubt, this is a step that cannot be left aside. As the person responsible, “plants are living beings and we must pay close attention: whether they continue to have healthy air, whether they are growing new leaves, whether they are developing any flowers”. If, by the way, the plant is not looking good, “try moving it slightly to see if it improves”.
6. Choose aromatic plants…
This time of year calls for you to dedicate yourself to aromatic plants. Taking the previous advice into account, try choosing three or four aromatic plants that are compatible, such as basil, chives, thyme, lemon or stevia, and place them in one vase.
This way, in addition to the use you will find for each one (especially at the table), “you will create a mini garden of smells”.
7. …Or opt for succulents
Succulents are the plants you see in the image below. To make better use of them, this gardener explains that succulents have “water reserves inside the leaves/stem and, for this reason, they need watering infrequently (once a month in winter, once a week in spring and summer)”.
If you have a balcony exposed to the sun, they are ideal. As for the aesthetic aspect, there are succulents with different colors and shapes, for all purposes. “One or more flower boxes with this type of plants has a really beautiful effect”, concludes. “Very aesthetically interesting and very easy to grow, succulents add an original touch to your balcony.”