Dr. Ossola recommended a smartphone app called Planta, which can identify plants in your home, share care and location recommendations, and provide watering reminders.
Mr. Satch, however, says that instead of relying on a watering schedule, he recommends that people check each plant every few days by sticking a finger into the soil, about two knuckles deep, and only water when the ground sits dusty and dusty. dry. “If it feels even a little wet, wait another day,” he said. (Mr. Satch is not a fan of moisture meters: “I haven’t found one that worked properly,” he said.)
As for how to water, Satch said, it’s best to use warm water rather than cold water, because cold water can shock plants. He also said to water slowly; otherwise the water will flow through the soil and not be absorbed. The goal, basically, is to saturate the plant with water as if a storm had just passed. “The trick is to mimic nature,” he said.
Prune if you are not satisfied with the appearance of your plant.
I’ll be honest: pruning terrifies me. I am always afraid to cut an essential part of the plant. So I was relieved to know that even if you don’t know much about pruning, “you’re most likely not going to kill the plant,” said Michelle Bidwell, a horticulturist at Cornell Botanic Gardens in Ithaca, N.Y.
You also don’t have to prune most houseplants. “Indoor pruning, for the most part, is an aesthetic choice,” Satch said. You can prune if your plant is getting too tall or leggy, with long stems and detached leaves, for example, but you can also leave it alone.
Some outdoor plants, on the other hand, benefit from pruning. Flowers like marigolds and petunias, for example, should be deadheaded, Satch said, meaning faded blooms should be removed to promote more growth. Ms. Bidwell often gives her hanging plants in containers “bowl cuttings” when the tips aren’t growing well, she said, because doing so encourages more tip growth.
Source: www.nytimes.com