Keep these points in mind when caring for flowers in autumn, avoid the pitfalls and your plants will look even better than in summer

A crisp chill rushes at your face in the early morning, and just like that, autumn has quietly arrived! How should the plants on the balcony safely get through this deepening autumn?

As soon as the temperature drops, many friends are always in a hurry to move their plants indoors. Not all plants need to be rushed inside. Although autumn is cool, there is still sun at noon, and moving them indoors too early means the plants cannot get enough light, which instead makes them grow leggy, with sparse, scraggly leaves that look bad. Cold-hardy ones like roses and bougainvillea can even withstand around 5°C. If there is a brief "autumn tiger" heat wave, do not forget to shade them from the sun and keep them out of the light! Cold-sensitive ones like jasmine and Aglaia odorata (mock lime) - once the temperature drops to around 10°C, that is the signal to bring them indoors! Before moving them, remember to place them by the window to "transition" for two days; do not jump straight from the cool outdoor environment into a heated room, or the plants will "catch a cold" and their leaves will easily turn yellow.

Watering is absolutely the "disaster zone" of autumn plant care. As the temperature drops, the potting soil dries out more slowly. In summer you have to water frequently because the heat makes evaporation fast, but autumn is different - it is cool during the day and still cool at night, so the potting soil dries much more slowly. Many people have not changed their summer habits and still water every day, and as a result the roots all rot. Here is a simple trick for everyone: feel the potting soil! Stick your finger in 2 cm, and water when it is dry; when you water, water thoroughly, do not just sprinkle like a dragonfly skimming the water - watering only the surface is the same as not watering at all. Moisture-loving ones like pothos and spider plant may need watering about every 5 days; succulents and cacti are even easier - watering once every 10 days to half a month is no problem at all, and it is always right to err on the dry side rather than the wet side. As for air humidity, if you run air conditioning or heating at home, keep a small spray bottle on hand to mist the leaves, and they will be much more comfortable.

In autumn, not all flowers need feeding; after entering autumn, plants gradually slow their growth, and at this time the nutrients they need are no longer as vigorous as in summer. For ones like jasmine and gardenia that finished blooming in summer, you can give a little light fertilizer in autumn, such as diluted compound fertilizer, to replenish the nutrients consumed in summer and help them resist the cold in winter; but if the plants have already begun dormancy, such as hyacinths and tulips, do not fertilize them - the more you feed, the more easily the bulbs rot. Also, never fertilize heavily; in autumn the roots have weak absorption capacity, and a heavy dose of fertilizer will surely burn the roots. Remember "light fertilizer, frequent application" - give a little less each time, once every half a month is enough.

Autumn is a great opportunity to tidy up your plants' "appearance"! But autumn pruning is not random cutting - it depends on the variety. For ones like roses and hydrangeas, after the flowers fade you can cut off the withered branches and leaves, thin out branches that have grown too dense to improve ventilation and also encourage branching; but for ones like azaleas and camellias that bloom in winter, do not prune at random - once cut, the flower buds are gone and there will be no flowers to enjoy. In addition, fallen leaves are common in autumn, so remember to promptly clean up the fallen leaves in the flower pots, otherwise they smother in the soil, easily grow mold, and attract insects.

Autumn is a great time for plant care, with suitable temperatures, and plants easily grow into good condition. With reasonable watering, scientific fertilizing, timely pruning and clever warming, your balcony can still be as green as spring.