Growing Flowering Plants in Your Backyard

Posted by Editor in Gardening on Jul 17th, 2019 | Comments Off on Growing Flowering Plants in Your Backyard

Growing flowering plants in a small apartment in Singapore can be a challenge especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with gardening. But it is possible, and the rewards are worth the effort.

Here are tips to maintaining a small but beautiful backyard garden of flowering plants.

• If you are going to use pots, make sure that there is a hole at the bottom for sufficient drainage.

• Do not use just about any soil you can find in your surroundings. Buy a gardening soil from supply shops to avoid diseases, weed seeds, and fungal growth. The best type of soil is mixed with vermiculite, decomposed organic matter, or peat moss. Flowering succulent plants and cacti require a different type of soil.

• It’s also a good practice to transfer the plant to a new pot instead of keeping them in the original container. Fill the new pot with soil including the potting mix. Next, pat the soil to remove air pockets but don’t pack it too tightly. Loosen the plant from the original pot; don’t pull. Then, set the plant on top of the mix in the new pot then fill in with the soil. There should be at least 1 inch between the soil and the rim of the container.

• Water the plants only when the top inch of the soil is dry and free from moisture. Excessive watering can cause fungal diseases in plants and make the roots rot. During hot days, you may need to water the plants daily, but check for specific requirements for each plant first.

• Over time, the gardening soil can lose its nutrients. For flowering plants, use water-soluble fertilizers or liquid fertilizers you can purchase at garden supplies shops in Singapore. Follow the instructions to the letter to avoid harming the plant or dilute the solution before applying it.

• Inspect the flower pots or beds regularly to remove weeds. These not only compete with resources with your plants, but they can also bring in diseases and pests.

• Most beginner gardeners forget mulching when it comes to plants. Mulch can retain soil moisture but is also an excellent way to avoid excessive water retention. Which mulch is best for you garden depends on how it will look once the soil is covered with the material. The natural-looking materials are composed of wood chips, leaves, or grass.

• Majority of flowering plants require plenty of sunshine, so you should place your pots in areas where it can get at least 6 hours of sunlight. If not, place them on the windowsills where they can get sunlight during the mornings. However, some plants that do not require a lot of sunlight should be placed in shaded areas.

• Flowering plants are prone to pests and diseases. Inspect for weeds regularly and install traps and barriers for common pests such as aphids, gnats, and mites. You should also avoid planting different species in the same plant box or pot, so it is easier to monitor signs of disease.