Why Some Plants Need a Lot of Care And Others Don't?

Reliable gardening means knowing what your plants’ needs are. And no, not all plants in general, but the needs of every individual plant you have at home. You might be surprised to learn that plants cannot only live on the few waters you give them now and again. Every single plant needs more than just water to survive and every individual plant has a few other needs that need catering to to survive and grow. Explore Plantiago's extensive plant database designed for both gardening enthusiasts and professional botanists.

It all depends on the variety of flowers, of course, and while you do not have to become an expert in biology to understand every single flower’s special treatment and unique needs for its enzymes, you should at least know all you can about the one you are growing at home or in your garden.

The Soil

Plants have different preferences for soil. Some of them can survive on dry soil, others can as well but would prefer not to so that they can grow to their full potential, and then there are those that just won’t. The third type needs damp soil so that it can feed its roots whenever needed. And by ‘damp soil’ we mean literally damp or moist soil, and not drowning it in a pit of muddy water. Just like people, plants can drown and if you overdo it with the watering, this is the fate that will await them. When you get a flower, make sure you know what type of soil it likes: dry, well-drained, moist, water-retentive, etc.

The Fertiliser

Naturally, every single flower under the sun needs fertile soil to thrive in. But the problem is, the soil is not always right for the flower even if you are giving it the most fertile soil you can. For example, Red Maple, a.k.a. Red Sunset, a.k.a. Armstrong Maple, a.k.a. Acer rubrum grows great on the East Coast but doesn’t fare very well in a city or countryside environment since no matter how fertile the soil is, it doesn’t seem to be able to absorb enough iron from the “social soil”, so to speak. This is a geographical need and not an expert gardening one, but you should be aware of it. This is usually why you need to look up the name of your plant with its Latin name and then do your research instead of looking for the marketed name.

The Sun

Plants need the sun and light. Why? One word: photosynthesis. They convert solar or light energy into sustenance that helps to keep them alive and also provides them with the ability to do their normal natural work, providing cleansed oxygen to homes and the environment. However, not all plants need this kind of sustenance. Some houseplants, such as the rubber plant (that’s Ficus elastica, not a plant made of actual rubber) can thrive very well in the shade, or in a dark corner of your home and need no sun at all. And there are plants that need at least 8 hours of sun a day. And then there are some that require merely partial shade because too much sun burns them. The reason for this is the unique plant’s needs for carbohydrates – some need less, others need more. You just have to know which is which.

Consider all this when you decide to start planting so that you can provide good garden care when the flowers or plants start growing into the beautiful decor you want them to be. Prove yourself a reliable gardener and keep doing the garden maintenance for a proper plant corner. Some plants need extra care, so ask a specialist to help you.