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Think Twice Before Using Potting Soil that has Fertilizer in it
About three weeks ago, my Chinese perfume plant died. I purchased the plant from Logee’s Greenhouses. They sell tropical plants on the Internet, and through a catalog. The plant was supposed to be easy to care for. When I called to complain about it, I was told that the problem was probably that I had used potting soil with fertilizer already in it, and the plant was getting fertilizer whenever it was being watered. In other words, the plant was over fertilized, so it died.
They gave me instructions to repot the plant 10 days after I received it, so that is what I did. I was told not to buy potting soil with fertilizer already mixed in it. I realize now that this may be the reason why a lot of my plants are dying. I told the lady on the phone that they should have sent me instructions about what type of soil to use when I repot the plant, and she told me that it is the customer’s responsibility to ask questions like this, and they can’t give all the information for every plant. The moral of the story is, when you buy a new plant, you need to ask them specific questions about it. They’re not going to give you specific information about your plant unless you ask them, so from now on, whenever I buy a new plant, I’m going to call them on the telephone, and specifically ask them what I need to do in order to care for the plant. She said they would send another one free of charge, but it’s kind of aggravating because now it’s too cold for them to send it, so it probably won’t arrive until spring.
Always ask questions of the seller. Never feel like any question is too simple, or too stupid to ask about. They won’t tell you unless you ask, so you need to ask to get the information that you need. I definitely learned something from this incident. I never would’ve thought that the fertilizer in the soil could be killing my plant!
How to Make a Terrarium
This is the first terrarium.
my second terrarium
Making your own terrarium is fun, and easy, and it’s also very easy to maintain. The first thing that you will need is a container. I’ve been able to find very nice containers for my terrariums at the Salvation Army at very reasonable prices. You can find suitable containers there in the bric-a-brac section. I have found nice glass jars there. If you would like to have a closed terrarium, which is best because then you don’t need to water it as often, you might need to hunt around for a top for your jar, but usually you’ll be able to find one if it does not already come with a top.
Before you begin there are some things that you should keep in mind. Not all plants have the same environmental needs. If you choose to make a closed terrarium, you should only choose tropical plants that thrive in high levels of humidity. If on the other hand, you want to grow plants that like a lot of sun, an open container will work better. Be sure you have selected soil appropriate to your desired plants, and also be sure to choose slow-growing plants as to avoid overcrowding.
In order to make your terrarium, you will need the following items: potting soil,charcoal,small stones, moss,miniature tropical plants, and a piece of tree bark.You can usually get all these things at your local garden store, if they sell terrariums there, or you can buy them online. If you look on other websites, you will find other orders for the following steps, so you should check out other websites as well, and if you like their advice better, then do what they say, I’m just telling you what works for me.
First, put a layer of charcoal in the bottom of the container. On top of that, put a layer of small stones. On top of that, add your potting soil. After that, plant your small tropical plants ensuring that you leave enough space between each plant so that it will be able to spread out and grow adequately. The last thing to do is to plant the layer of green moss on the soil. Water your terrarium thoroughly, so that the water reaches down all the way to the layer of charcoal at the bottom. If you want to include a piece of tree bark in your terrarium, I’ve done that, and it looks really cool. You can usually find a piece of tree bark in your yard, or outside somewhere, and if not, you might be able to buy it in a garden shop. Put the id securely on the terrarium. It’s important that it’s on securely so that the water does not escape the terrarium. I have two terrariums that I have been watered in months, and they just keep growing and growing. Close terrariums have really great because they look good, and require very little maintenance. I found terrariums in stores that looked just like the ones that I’ve made that cost hundreds of dollars, and mine cost $30-$40 to make in just a few minutes!
The Catch Tray underneath Your Pot
I just had some thoughts about the catch tray underneath your pot. A couple of hours after watering your plant, it would be a good idea to check and see if the tray is still filled with water, or not. If the tray is still filled with water, it would be a good idea to empty it because if it’s filled with water, it’s equivalent to the plant’s roots sitting in water in a pot with no holes in it.
Also, it would be a good idea to put a pad, a placemat, or maybe even a towel underneath the catch tray. If the tray overflows, and there’s nothing beneath it to absorb the water, it’s going to stain your table. I’ve had that happen to a wood table, and also to a table made out of bronze that got so discolored from water stains that it was necessary to refinish the table top. In any case, it’s important to have something underneath the catch tray.
Using an Appropriate Pot Helps with Watering
A plant should be put in a pot that is appropriate for its size. A plant in the container that is too small can become root bound meaning that there is no room left in the pot for the roots. On the other hand, if a plant is in a container that is too big, the soil may not hold water for very long, and can become dried out quickly. If when you check the plant, you see there are more roots than soil, that is a good indication that it’s time to repot the plant. You only want to move plants up one pot size at a time to ensure that it is not potted in a container that is too big. If the pot has ever tipped over because the leaves are too heavy, that is a good indication that it’s time to move it to a bigger pot.
Whenever you go out to buy a pot for your plant, always remember to also get a tray, or dish to go underneath it to catch the water that drains out of the holes in the bottom of the pot. You definitely want one of these so that the water does not spill onto the table, or onto the floor. You can buy plastic pans for this purpose, or you can improvise by using something that you can find at home. Once, I used a Frisbee as a catch pan for a pot.
This information was taken from the website below.
How to Water Indoor Plants
Unlike outdoor plants, indoor plants depend on you for everything. Caring for indoor plants requires that you know what each plant needs. Many people think it’s a good idea to water plants on a specific schedule, but really it’s much better to check each plant every day to see whether or not it needs to be watered on that day. This requires that you frequently check the soil to see whether or not the plant needs to be watered. It is very important that the pot that the plant is in has drainage holes in the bottom so that water can drain from the bottom, and the roots are not sitting in water all the time. If the roots are sitting in water, they will rot, and the plant will die. Not every type of house plant is the same watering needs, so it is necessary to do some research on your plant see what type of watering it needs. Some plants need to be fairly moist all the time, while others need to dry out between waterings. Morning is a good time to water plants so they have a chance to dry out before it starts to get cooler later in the evening.
Put your finger in the soil down to the first knuckle, if you can’t even get your finger into the soil that means the plant definitely needs to be watered. If some of the dirt sticks to your finger, and the soil feels fairly moist, it probably has enough water. Keep an eye on the leaves as they can provide a good indication of whether the plant is getting enough water, or too much water. If the leaves are drooping, this often means that the plant needs to be watered. If they are brown, dry, or some leaves have fallen off, this also means that the plant needs to be watered. On the other hand, these signs can also mean that the plant has been over watered, so it is always important to use these observations in conjunction with checking whether or not the soil is dry. If the plant has been watered recently, give the plant some time to absorb the water before watering again.
It can be useful to learn how heavy the plant is when it has been well watered. You can test see if your plant has been watered enough by picking it up, and feeling how heavy it is. Lift it from time to time, and if it doesn’t feel heavy enough, this means that it needs to be watered. Of course only do this if your plant is light enough to be lifted easily. Don’t injure yourself trying to lift your plant up!
Some plants are sensitive to the type of water that is used. The chlorine in tap water can kill some plants. If you suspect that the chlorine in the water is hurting your plant, let the water sit out overnight in a large container before watering. I always keep water in a large plastic jug that has been filled up the night before.
Try to distribute the water evenly across the surface of the soil. When you water, it’s better to start out by giving the plant too little water rather than too much. You can always water more if you give into little water, but overwatering is more difficult to correct. Be sure to water until water comes out of the holes on the bottom of the pot. You want to be sure that the roots at the bottom of the pot get water, and just watering the surface of the soil will not accomplish this. Some plants also benefit from misting with a spray bottle, but not all plants, so you need to know the requirements of your plant.
I got this information from the source below.
Welcome to indoor green thumb!
Welcome to my blog! I would like to share with you my passion for indoor plants. Some people call them houseplants, but I prefer the term indoor plants because there are lots of plants that people don’t normally think about when they think about the term houseplant. I feel that the term indoor plant is a more general term covering any type of plant that can live indoors, including run-of-the-mill houseplants, terrarium’s, bonsai trees, and other extremely exotic plants that cannot live in cold climates, but can live comfortably all year round indoors.
There are lots of people who have outdoor gardens, but if you’re like me, and you live in an apartment, that’s not an option. I hope that I can show you that you can still have an enormous variety of beautiful plants indoors even if you can’t have a garden outside. Gardening does not have to be difficult. If you can provide the appropriate light, watering, fertilizer, and temperature for your plant, you too can be successful at growing indoor plants. Growing plants indoors can be quite a challenge because you need to provide everything that the plan needs in order to survive, as well as learn about pests, and how to deal with them. I hope that I can provide you with everything that you need in order to be successful with your indoor plants. The key is learning what your plant needs to be happy, and healthy and providing the plant with those things.
At the moment, I’m very terrified about starting this blog. I really don’t know that much about plants, and really I just want a place where I can share my passion with others. There’s lots of other people who know much more about indoor plants than I do, so I don’t know if anyone will bother reading this, but I hope that someone will get something out of this, and find something interesting about the adventure that I am about to undertake. I hope that you enjoy reading this blog, and that you get something out of the information that I will present here. Thank you for stopping by and giving me your attention.