Gardening is a popular activity, one that may be enjoyable and truly fruitful. For a beginner, it is important not to set your goals too high. Gardening may be fun, but for the beginner who is not well versed in the basics of cultivation, there may be many pitfalls to be faced while jousting with the primeval forces that govern the natural world. So, the novice gardener must enter this arena with his/her eyes wide open, and armed with some basic understanding of the dormant processes that underlie plant life. You must empower yourself with the fundamental knowledge of how sunlight, shade, soil and water may benefit or adversely affect your plants.

For the indoor plants that adorn your house, 4 factors must be taken into account: light, water, food and repotting. While these are the basic needs of plants, each plant varies in terms of the dosages that it requires; hence, it is imperative that you seek the advice of practiced gardeners to ascertain the particular needs of the plants you own. To elaborate, a particular plant may be averse to direct sunlight, hence provisions for indirect sunlight or diffused light will have to be made; for example, the plant may be placed near a window which is sheltered by a screen or a curtain.

Similarly, plants differ in terms of their water consumption. A few things to remember while watering plants: use lukewarm water and not cold water - as the latter is detrimental for the roots; in addition, you must ensure that the pot has a drainage hole for the excess water to flow out. It is useful to regularly check the level of moistness retained by the soil (simply dig your finger or a stick into the soil to gauge the moistness of the soil) - this will help to determine the need for watering. Remember you do not want to drown your plant in water!

Apart from light and water, plants also need to be fed. Once again, it is important to consult an expert as to what type of food you should serve - water-soluble, spikes (a solid food) or granular.

Finally, with all the nutrients that your plants are being injected with, their growth is but inevitable. Thus, repotting becomes a necessity as and when your plant outgrows its container. Care must be taken during the transfer of the plant - be sure to apply proper support to the plant while removing it and placing it in its new container of moist soil. After placing the plant in the new pot, firmly fill it to the top with the damp potting soil, and finish with a quick watering of the plant around its base to further condense/pack the soil. Remember there are a few musts for the new container, which include:
§ it should feature a drainage hole
§ it should have a net covering over the drainage hole - this helps to prevent the 'loss of soil' when the plant is watered

If you like Gardening....These pages might also interest you:

Allium Directory, Amaryllis Directory, Begonia Directory, Crocus Directory, Daffodils Directory, Dahlia Directory, Hyacinth Directory, Iris Directory, Lily Directory, Tulip Directory

Also see:

A Love Affair With Gardening, Charming Camillias, Firescaping, Gardening for the Family, Garden Rodents, Garden Catalogs, General Gardening Tips. Gardens in the Shade, Hot Summer Cool Garden, How to Plant Leeks, Involve Your Children, Outfits for Gardening, Photograph Your Garden, Plant Care Basics, Using Leaves as Compost, What to Avoid Buying Guide, Cheap Garden Ideas, Creating Garden Berms, Garden Fragrances, Garden Lessons, Gardening for The Challenged, Gardening is Great, Gardening Math, Gardening Tools, How to Use Peat, More About Gardening, Love affair with Lilacs, Organic Gardening, Slow Down and Enjoy, Smart Plant Shopping, Tips for Beginners