Picking up gardening as a hobby is a fantastic way to spend your time during the quarantine – but it’s not as simple as just placing your plants into the hole you’ve dug and leaving them be. There are a few tricks that our environmental consultants in Melbourne think you should all know about when it comes to ensuring your plants grow to be strong and healthy – and that’s exactly what we’re going to be looking at in today’s blog.
1. Know your plants
Each plant will have its own set of requirements that will help it grow – you need to know what these are and, if possible, group ones with similar needs together. For example, if you have two different plants but one enjoys plenty of sunlight and the other doesn’t – then you’ll probably want to separate them so one of them won’t get as much sunlight as the other.
2. Utilise mulch
Mulch is essentially any organic material that goes on top of your garden bed to enhance it. Compost is the best example of this – which can be made up of a variety of organic materials such as eggshells, newspaper, fruit scraps, leaves and many more. Composting will feed the soil rich nutrients that it needs to thrive. It also means you’re keeping certain waste out of landfills – which positively contributes to the environment.
3. Don’t forget to water
One of the simplest solutions to healthy plants is also one that can be easily overlooked. Be sure to water regularly but keep an eye on the weather as you won’t need to water as much if there’s plenty of rainfall coming down. Thoroughly soak the root of the plant and try to avoid getting the leaves wet if possible. The reason for this is that wet foliage can increase the spread of disease.
This is also why it’s a good idea to water your plants in the morning – as it gives them sufficient time to dry during the day if you have gotten any of the foliage wet. Our environmental consultants in Melbourne also recommend using a soaker hose for a more effective and thorough soaking technique – or a squeeze trigger gun nozzle (provided the pressure isn’t too high and it’s an evenly spread burst of water).
4. Pest control
Our Melbourne-based environmental consultants believe that the best way to stop pests or disease from enveloping your garden is to deploy organic insecticides and weed killers as opposed to synthesised chemical-based ones that you buy from the store. These organic options will have a much better effect on your plants. They’ll also be a lot friendlier to your pets if they come sniffing around – as opposed to chemical-based ones.
Other methods include using nets with very fine holes in them – so that sunlight and water can penetrate but the number of insects and pests that can enter through it is greatly minimised. This is especially effective for medium-large sized veggie patches.
5. Prune when the time is right
Pruning is an art form and knowing when to prune makes all the difference when it comes to keeping your plants healthy. The best time to prune depends on the type of plant. Spring-flowering plants are best pruned right after they bloom whereas some other plants are best pruned whilst they’re still dormant as it will encourage healthier growth.
When pruning – make a clean cut and avoid leaving any bark. You should never leave any stubs as it allows an easy access point for pests and disease. A solid pair of secateurs should always be used when pruning as they’re specifically designed to give you the best possible cut when used correctly.
Are you looking for environmental consultants in Melbourne?
Alpha Environmental is still operating through the current pandemic and can offer premium and thorough environmental services such as soil testing, environmental site assessments, groundwater testing and asbestos testing/removal to name a few. We pride ourselves on our comprehensive and methodical work ethic that guarantees high-calibre results.
So, whether you need a recently acquired property assessed or a plot of land, our environmental consultants can help you out. You can contact us by filling out the enquiry form on our website or calling 1300 039 181.
