HOME & GARDEN TIPS : OUTDOOR Gardening

All outdoor plants require at least 5-6 hours of direct sunlight a day to remain healthy, retain their colour, fruit and flower. Depending on the type of plant, remember to place it in an appropriate position where plenty of sunlight is available.

While watering plants, keep a few things in mind:

·         Check soil for moisture, if moist watering is not required. If you do expect a hot day ahead then you could give it a bit of a sprinkle.

·         Make sure the soil is never left soggy (heavily with water/moisture) for long periods letting it dry between watering. This will prevent the plants from rotting due to suffocation. Plants like cactus need to be watered once in a week and placed in full sun

·         The best time to water plants is in the morning, before the sunlight is at its strongest intensity as this is the optimum condition for plants to photosynthesize.

·         Make sure to thoroughly clean plants up to 2 times a week to keep them dust free. Dust interferes with the breathing of the plants and if not cleaned, plants appear dull and tend to wilt.

FERTILIZING :

All plants should be fertilized once a month. Make sure they are supplied a balanced diet of NPK- Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium or any well-decomposed Organic fertilizer.

For leaf shine and brightness, a weekly routine of spraying any Organic Liquid or Soil Fertilizer is advised.

TRIMMING & PRUNING:

Pruning is a horticultural practice that involves the removal of certain unwanted, diseased, non-reproducing parts of a plant. It is advised according to a particular plant's growth habit. While pruning, keep the following points in mind:

·         Is it flowering time of the plant in question?

·         If it is, then wait until it is done flowering and then continue to prune.

·         How much you need to prune will depend on how much you expect it to grow within a certain period. For example if you decide to drastically prune your bougainvillea, it will be another 6-10 months before you see in a lush bushy flowering state.

Pruning must be done systematically. A good method is to trim the young, wild, out of shape branches before you tackle the older, more established ones. In this way you give the plants a better form as it grows to increase its overall aesthetic appeal. It is advised that the cutters have sharp blades or else they could damage the plant creating and open wound susceptible to fungal and rust diseases.