Hands-On Care For Potted Plants During Summer
Summer heat dehydrates potted plants and soil- must be watered consistently, especially places like Southern California where there is a drought.
Every time you water, nutrients leach from the soil and must be replaced. However, too much water or humidity can cause fungus or mildew problems.
Rehydrating A Parched Plant
Everyone should know how to rehydrate a parched plant. Soil is hard and repels water and it runs down the sides of the pot instead of soaking into the soil. Rehydrate by placing potted plant in a trough or bucket full of water so that it can draw water from bottom of pot. Leave in water for few hours or overnight until the soil has softened and saturated with water. Let top of soil dry to touch and then continue watering as needed in normal fashion.
How To Tell If A Plant Is Dead
Only the flowers on the plant are dead, they finished blooming and can encourage more blooming by deadheading or pinching. Remove the dead flower with stem with your hand or use scissors. When you remove the old flower, remove the seed pod so plant will continue producing flowers instead of dying. Pinch off the top part of stem after blooming. Remove sunburned leaves to avoid diseases.
Fertilizing
If using "slow release" fertilizer," it may direct you to every 3 months. You can also prepare diluted solution of liquid fertilizer and feed your plants weekly with weak solution. Buy "general flowering plant food" with richer potassium and phosphorus rather than nitrogen, which stimulates green leaf growth. Spread the fertilizer granules on moist soil and water in deeply. Avoid getting on leaves or flowers. Slow fertilizer releases food slowly. Don't over-fertilize!
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