Our House
Gardening! Have you ever tried it or have you been intimated by the very thought of it? Honestly, I would have never dreamed that I would be good at plant care. Because I have always had a love for plants and flowers, I decided to step out and give it a try this year. I am so glad that I did! To my surprise, it’s not as hard as you may think. Let me start by saying I am not an expert, but I did want to round up some tips that have been given to me and that I have learned along the way. Some of these tips I have tried and some I plan to try. What I have tried so far has worked! My plant babies are alive and thriving!
FERNS love water! Lots of water on the soil and to be sprayed on the leaves. They like an evenly moist soil with regular waterings. Allowing the soil to dry out between watering stresses them. Ferns also love the shade. Ferns love a good soaking. Once a month I take my ferns in and soak them in a bathtub of epsom salt and water mixture. You can also do this in 5 gallon buckets. Mix 1tbsp per gallon of water. I recently discovered EpsomSalt plant food from Dollar General, but regular epsom salt works just as well.
FIDDLE LEAF TREES do not love as much water. They like to be very dry before you water them. They like indirect sunlight and humidity in the air. If you have a humidifier, set it up in the same room as your fiddle leaf tree. If you do not have a humidifier, then you can spritz its leaves daily or a few times a week. I’ve heard that they love Thieves essential oil to be diluted and sprayed on them as well. When it’s time to water your tree, rotate it a quarter to give all sides an opportunity to grow evenly in the light. Fiddle Leaf Trees do not like to be moved around a lot. Once you find its home, leave it there. I’ve heard many things that people do to shine the leaves. Anything from lemon juice, diluted milk to mayonnaise. I have only used a damp paper towel and it shines them up great. I hear that Miracle Grow Leaf Shine works well and gives it the proper nutrients it needs.
FLOWER GARDEN. When I first planted my flower garden, I discovered squirrels were digging in it. Someone recommended adding cayenne pepper to the soil to keep them away. It totally worked! I just sprinkle it heavily in the soil and mix it with my hands. I reapply after it rains. No more uprooted plants!
-Charlotte Evans Russell
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