20 questions from new gardeners: see how veteran gardeners answer them

Every time Little Walnut posts beautiful garden photos on the official account, messages from friends always come in: Wow, so beautiful, I really want to grow plants too... But:

I can even kill a cactus, so I probably can't keep any plant alive;

besides watering, do I also need to fertilize;

it has been cloudy for several days, will the plants die;

no matter what I buy, the flower seller says it is easy to grow, but once it is home it is not like that...

All right, today we will solve these problems and see what veteran gardeners say. let"s go!

Q1. Do plants need to be watered every day?

Answer: You cannot water plants every day. With so many flowers and plants, some like dryness and some like moisture. We need to water appropriately according to the preferences and needs of the plants.

Q2. What time of day is most suitable for watering plants?

Answer: Watering in the morning is best! As long as you water enough and thoroughly in the morning so the pot absorbs water fully, the plant can go all day without lacking water. Do not water at noon in summer, otherwise the roots are easily damaged by the severe temperature difference.

Q3. How often should potted plants be watered? How should watering be done more appropriately?

Answer: The basic principle of watering is to water when the potting soil is slightly dry. Do not water the plant again while the growing medium is still wet, and do not just use a sprayer to wet the leaves.

Q4. Gardening magazines mention that plants need sunlight, so plants are divided into 3 types: full-sun, part-sun, and shade-tolerant plants. What does this mean?

Answer: This classifies plants according to the intensity of light they need: full-sun plants must have more than 6 hours of sunlight per day and are suitable for flowering plants, such as roses and common herbaceous flowers. Part-sun means an environment where sunlight is filtered or half blocked, suitable for more delicate flowering plants and common plants, such as African violets and gloxinias. Shade-tolerant plants do not need direct sunlight, such as parlour palms and nerve plants.

Q5. I am going away for a long trip and have no way to water the potted plants on the balcony. What alternative watering methods are there?

Answer: You can place the potted plant in a shallow tray and fill the tray with water 3~5 cm high so it slowly absorbs water; you can also place a bucket full of water above the potted plant and connect it to the pot with a plastic tube or cotton thread as a wick so it slowly absorbs water.

Q6. The growing medium is not dry, but the plant's leaves are limp and drooping. Is this lack of water?

Answer: Lack of water and watering too frequently are both causes of poor plant growth, and the symptoms of the two are similar. Usually when a plant lacks water, the leaves shrink or gradually turn dry brown and wither.

Q7. I see many media in gardening supply stores. What exactly is a growing medium? Is it the same as soil?

Answer: Growing media can be divided into soil and soilless media. Soil comes from nature. Soilless media are non-soil media, most of which are obtained by processing natural materials, such as peat, sphagnum moss, perlite, vermiculite, coconut fiber, etc.

Q8. There are so many growing media. How should they be used?

Answer: Of course different plants suit different media. For example, succulents need sandy soil with good drainage, while wetland plants like clay with high water content. Most plants like sandy loam because it drains well, breathes, and also retains water and fertilizer.

Q9. With so many kinds of growing media, do they themselves contain nutrients? Should fertilizer be added when using them?

Answer: Whether soil or soilless media, they contain only limited nutrient elements and no extra fertility. When using them, you might add easily absorbed compound fertilizer to provide the plant with appropriate nutrients.

Q10. I am reluctant to throw away used growing medium and want to reuse it. What treatment is needed before it can be used?

Answer: You can spread the growing medium about 1 cm thick and put it directly in the sun to bake for 1~2 days. Old nutrient soil that has been disinfected and recycled will inevitably become finer or lose nutrients, so it can be mixed with newly bought growing medium or peat soil at 1:1.

Q11. There are many kinds of pots. Can flowers be grown in pots without drainage holes in the bottom?

Answer: For a pot used for planting, if there is no drainage hole in the bottom and you are also a beginner, it is best to ask the seller to drill a drainage hole in the pot, so it is easier to control the amount of watering.

Q12. Why do plants need repotting? How often do they need to be repotted?

Answer: Flowering plants grow continuously, and over time the potting soil becomes full of roots. Potted plants should be repotted after 1~2 years.

Q13. I found that in several potted plants on the balcony, roots have already grown out from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pots. Should the plants be repotted?

Answer: If roots are growing out of a pot with drainage holes, it means the root system has already filled the pot, and you should repot as soon as possible. When repotting, the new pot needs to be about one size larger than the original pot. Remember that after repotting, you must water thoroughly immediately.

Q14. I think the soil on the surface of potted plants looks dirty. Is there any way to improve this?

Answer: For newly planted or newly repotted potted plants, you can spread a layer of soil-protecting growing medium on the soil surface, such as small pebbles, shell sand, etc. In this way the potting soil is less likely to wash away, and it also has a decorative effect.

Q15. Do indoor foliage plants need fertilizer?

Answer: Many indoor potted plants are grown in soilless media and contain almost no nutrients. Suitable and appropriate fertilization will help plant growth.

Q16. I remember when I was little, I saw my grandmother use rice-washing water to water flowers. I always thought it was just because she was frugal. Does watering flowers with rice-washing water actually work?

Answer: Rice-washing water is a natural fertilizer used since ancient times. It is rich in various nutrients and has a mild fertilizing effect, suitable for all kinds of flowers. When watering flowers with rice-washing water, once every 7~10 days is enough, and it must be diluted before use.

Q17. Must pruning be coordinated with the seasons? How should pruning be done?

Answer: Winter is the best time for pruning, which can let plants grow more luxuriantly in spring. When pruning, pay attention to the principle of cutting branches but not leaves, and cutting away 2/3 of the branches.

Q18. Gardening experts say cuttings can turn your flowers and plants from one pot into ten. What are cuttings?

Answer: Cut a section of a plant's root, stem, or leaf and it can become a cutting. Insert the cutting into a medium and it can take root and become a new plant.

Q19. In the hot summer, what issues should be paid attention to for potted plants on the balcony?

Answer: It is best to reduce sunlight for the plants. You can move the plants under tree shade or eaves, or install black shade netting to filter out some strong direct sunlight.

Q20. I want to grow herb plants in summer. Which varieties are suitable?

Answer: In fact, many herbs are suitable for growing in summer, such as mint, rosemary, basil, stevia, perilla, lemon verbena, etc. Direct sunlight at noon must be avoided, especially strong light after rain.

Actually, there is no need to worry too much. Flowers and plants are not as delicate as you imagine. The key is that you always have to try it yourself and grow a dream garden for yourself.