How to Grow a Successful Plant
- 1). Decide on the plant you wish to grow by asking yourself a few questions. What is the plant's purpose: vegetables and fruits for food, flowers for beauty or herbs for seasonings? How much space do you have? Will you grow it indoors or outdoors? How much time and attention are you willing to devote to the plant's care?
- 2). Choose the right container or outdoor space for the plant depending on its current size and the size it will be when fully grown. The container should allow for some room for the root mass to grow, but not so much that only the roots grow at the expense of the leaves or flowers. Expect to repot the plant a few times as it grows. Make sure that the container or garden space has sufficient drainage.
- 3). Select the growing medium. Does the plant appreciate a moist, nutrient-rich soil or a sandy substrate? Does it prefer an acidic or alkaline growing environment? Purchase the right medium for maximum plant health.
- 4). Determine how much sunlight the plant requires. Place the plant in a spot with the correct amount of sunlight, either indoors or outdoors. If too much sunlight appears to be drying out the plant, move it to a shadier spot indoors or erect a shade over the garden (draping a sheet over a clothesline to minimize sun, for example) to protect it.
- 5). Place the plant in the container or plot with the growing medium gently packed around the root mass. Don't pack the roots too tightly or air will not be able to circulate through the soil. The soil should come up to the crown of the root mass.
- 6). Water the plant according to its preferred level of humidity. Most houseplants and outdoor vegetables thrive in soil that is kept moist to the touch, but not overly wet. If the soil appears dry or crumbles when touched, the plant needs water. Certain succulents like cacti, however, desire dry, sandy soil and are able to extract and store moisture from the soil for long-term use. Water succulents sparingly.
- 7). Fertilize the plant regularly, either with a commercial fertilizer dissolved in water or with a handful of compost worked into the soil.
- 8). If the plant is growing outdoors, protect the roots from too much evaporation and replenish soil nutrients with a layer of mulch placed around the plant's root crown. The mulch can be made of almost any biodegradable material, including dead leaves, lawn clippings, shredded newspaper or wood chips. Wet the mulch layer to speed up its breakdown into nutrients for the plant.
- 9). Fruits and vegetables should be picked when just ripe to encourage the plant's continual output. Some flower plants should be "dead-headed" (dead blossoms removed) to keep the plant blooming.
