PLANTS & CARE TIPS

Caring for Plants

Plants are alive. Like humans, plants eat, grow and reproduce. In their natural environment, plants thrive without human intervention. However, when we decide to bring plants home to connect with nature, plants need to be cared for in order to survive. A common request we receive from customers is “I want a plant that needs no maintenance.”. Our honest reply to them is “Please go for artificial plants”. Caring for real plants is a therapeutic activity and it brings joy as we watch them grow and thrive healthily.
 
Many customers often say “I don’t have green fingers. All the plants I tried to grow, died!”
So, what exactly makes growing plants so difficult? The most common reason is the lack of understanding regarding the needs of the plants and that, the needs vary across different plants. There are approximately 390,000 species of plants on planet earth and different plant species have different traits and growing needs. Hence, the care tips for one plant may not be suitable for another plant.
 
Plant taxonomy is the science that finds, identifies, classifies and name plants. The scientific classification of plants follows a system of rules that standardizes the results and groups successive categories into a hierarchy: divisions, classes, orders, families, and genera. Basically, plant taxonomy helps us understand the traits of the plants and their natural growing condition. With the advancement of technology, this information is now easily accessible online, facilitating us to understand more about the plants we have. Simply Google the name of the plant and you will find lots of information of the plant. Google Lens can also help you in identifying the name of the plant. We can also search for care tips from growers who share their experiences online.
 
The questions we usually ask our customers are “Where do you want to place your plants?”, “How is the lighting condition of that location?” and “How is the air circulation of that location?” Knowing these 3 elements, will help us recommend the appropriate plant for that location.
 
Unfortunately, plants can’t speak when they are unwell. As growers, we have to observe our plants periodically and look out for signs and symptoms of unhealthy plants. Adjust the growing condition and the care routine according to weather. When the growth of the plant starts to stagnate or deteriorate, look out for disease or pest on the plant itself or in the soil. It is good to fertilise the plants to maintain good plant vigor, as healthy plants are less susceptible to disease. Other good practices such as spacing, pruning, and weeding will help to promote airflow and reduce humidity , making it less favorable for disease.
 
Gardening is often a process of trial and error, a learning journey. We learn from past mistakes, try to identify the cause of the problem or death of the plant, and avoid repeating the same mistake. Gardening cultivates patience and perseverance and boosts our mental and physical health too.