Many of our flower customers feel that it is impossible to keep their plants looking as amazing as the day they bought them. Some feel that there is some sort of "secret potion" that we use to make our plants so large and beautiful! We do have a special fertilizer mix and the greenhouses are the ideal environment of heat and protection from inclement weather. However, you absolutely can have fantastic plants once they are home. Here are some basic tips in flower care:
- Never water at night! The number one problem we hear repeatedly from customers is that they water late at night or at the end of thier workday. This is the worst thing you can do for annuals, perennials, and vegetable plants. This causes "wet feet" powdery mildew to develop and will stress your plants out, being dry in the heat all day. So, the Best time to water is always in the morning.
- Always check plants to see if they actually need to be watered. You can do this with potted plants and hanging baskets. Just lift up the bottom of the plant to check the weight. If it is light, you will need to water it. We like to keep our plants slightly heavy (especially on those hot, windy, sunny days!). You can also stick your finger in the soil of potted and bedding plants. Try to avoid letting the water run out the bottom of the pots. Over-watering too often will drain the nutrients and color from the plants.
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We recommend that you move your hanging baskets and potted plants to a sheltered area on days they are calling for heavy rains and wind. Even something as simple as taking them down and setting them on the porch, against the house, will protect them better than leaving them up and subjecting them to the wind and rain. This is especially helpful with petunias, although they will recover in a few days once being back in the sunlight. This is just a great tip for always having beautiful plants.
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Feed your plants. Water is simply not enough in the summer months. Feeding your plants will provide more of the nutrients they need to flourish all summer. Our plants have such a strong start in our greenhouses that all they need is proper care to maintain their beauty. There are a variety of fertilizers that you can buy. Just make sure it is an appropriate one for the plants you have. Some are strictly for annuals, while some for vegetables. Most fertilizers say to feed every other week, we feed in our greenhouses once a week and recommend you do the same. We prefer a powder fertilizer that you can mix with water, just make sure it's well mixed in your watering can. The morning that you are going to feed, do not water the plants first like you normally would. Just apply a substantial ammount of fertilizer mix right on the plant.
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One last helpful hint is to consider the location of where you want to put your plants. All vegetables need full sun, while annuals and perennials vary. Some are full shade, part shade (which means morning sun only), or full sun.
So, if you follow these simple tips your plants should thrive throughout the summer up until the frost comes!
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