Tuesday, June 5, 2012

i forgot to mention

My little boy was helping me in the yard the other day. He recently sprouted a seedling at preschool and was eager to it plant it in our yard.

When I looked over to check on his progress, I noticed the plastic bag full of water in a pot in the ground. I forgot to explain a few simple gardening tips to him. This is what i forgot to tell him.

DON'T OVER WATER
Plants can be over watered -and eventually drown. Check the water requirement on the packaging. most plants require extra waterings directly after being planted.

DON'T PLANT IN THE POT IN THE GROUND*
The pot restricts the roots and the plant will eventually become root bound (when the roots grow circularly around the inside of the pot for lack of a place to go), and stop growing.
*There are exceptions to this rule. For example, some plants (like mint) are very intrusive and will overtake the entire space. Plant these in pots in the ground if you want to control their growth.

DON'T PLANT IN THE PURCHASED PACKAGING
Unless the packaging was designed to be planted, don't use it. Most packaging will indicate if it is biodegradable and will break down in the soil. The plant needs proper drainage, using a pot with holes provides this drainage. Depending on the needs of the plant, you can also fill with small rocks and or a light weight draining material like vermiculite. Always check with your local nursery if you have questions.



The local nursery is my favorite place for gardening information. They are well informed on native species, their needs, and your climate region.

10 comments:

  1. Great tips and what a cute story! I'm sure your son will appreciate the advice and who knows? Maybe he'll have a green thumb!

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  2. How very cute! Thanks for sharing with the newbie party. have fun!

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  3. That is a sweet story that you probably will remind him of when he is all grown up. That reminds me of a friend who was supposed to help her husband in the garden but she didn't like to garden. He gave her a container of bean seeds to plant. Tired and annoyed after planting several rows, she took the remaining seeds and threw them on the ground and tried to hide her mischievous deed by covering them with a rock. She had not counted on the beans sprouting around the rock. It was very funny hearing her tell how she tried to explain her way out of that episode. It always reminded of an I Love Lucy trick. Anyway, thanks for coming to the party and don't forget that next week will be the Grill,BBQ and Picnic Party.

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  4. Very nice, please link it up with me today at Wow Us Wednesday.

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  5. I bet when he is grown up he will tell you all the tips he has learnt.....play your cards right and he might even do your garden for you!!

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  6. Great tips Laura, now if I could just REMEMBER to water my plants I'd be doing great! I love to plant herbs and such and never remember to water or feed them. I am terrible at growing things in the garden except tomatoes and rosemary. Maybe because they grow like weeds? Thanks so much for stopping by Creative Thursday this week. I couldn’t do these parties without you. Can’t wait to see what you link up next week. Have a wonderful weekend.
    Michelle

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  7. What a cute story. And even seasoned gardeners can always use a refresher, though my problem is often not watering enough. Thanks for sharing on Tout It Tuesday!

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  8. HAHA! That is so me too, the non-gardener! :) Thanks for the tips... I need them! Thanks for sharing this great post on Saturday Show & Tell @ Cheerios and Lattes last week! :) Hope to see you again this weekend! :)
    Mackenzie

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