COMPLETE GARDENING COURSE – PART 1 | GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS | LEARN GARDENING

[Music] this complete gardening course is divided into multiple Parts with multiple sections within each part starting from basic information to expert gardening hacks and tricks you can skip to any section by clicking on the timestamps given in the description below I guarantee that you will become an expert Gardener if you watch this entire course at least once till the end please follow this playlist titled complete gardening course and watch all parts like part one part two part three and so on let's begin let's start with a brief introduction and basic concepts before we list out the fertilizer please do not skip this information well we all know that the major nutrients or macronutrients found in fertilizers are nitrogen phosphorus and potassium that is NPK and E each fertilizer has a ratio of these nutrients mentioned on the labels this NPK ratio is very important to decide what you want to achieve from your plants nitrogen is required for growth of foliage that is leaves of the plant phosphorus is required for strong root growth and flowering and fruiting potassium helps regulate important functional processes in a plant and makes the plant healthy the minor Trace elements or micronutrients were also important and include iron Boron chlorine magnes zinc copper sulfur and many more we also know that the use of chemical or synthetic fertilizers is harmful and hazardous to all living organisms on Earth on the other hand we also know the benefits of using organic fertilizers having said that now let's list them one by one with few important points on each of them and how to use them please watch it till the end and by the end of the episode I bet you will be really amazed to know so many organic options for fertilizers and many non-animal substitutes for vegan gardeners on number one cowdung manure this has been the universal fertilizer since ages not only cow dang you can also use horse dang goat dong and so on but remember it has to be fully decomposed to be used as a fertilizer generally it has NPK ratio of 2 1 and 1 plus orus 0.5 and this has a decent amount of all three major nutrients apart from mixing it in your potting soil in about 30% proportion generally a handful of cang once every month or twice a month is good enough for most flowering and fruiting plants you can find a detailed video on cang tips and tricks from a link in the description below on number two wormy compost this is nothing but earthworm poop or earthworm castings generally it has NPK ratio of 2 1 and 1 plus or minus 0.5 and can be used as a substitute for cang manure or a mixture of both apart from mixing it in your poting mix in about 30% proportion generally a handful of Wy compost once in a month or even twice in a month is good enough for most flowering and fruiting plants on number three blood blood meal this fertilizer is created using powdered animal blood generally this has NPK ratio of 12 1.5 and 0.5 this means it's high in nitrogen and low in other elements and one more important point to remember while using blood Mele is it's highly acidic and overdose can cause fertilizer burn which usually happens with chemical fertilizers but the advantage of using blood mail is it's highly fast acting like the chemical fertilizers and can be used to quickly heal ailing plants with nitrogen deficiency add half to one teaspoon of the roots of the plant and water the plant and you should see the results within 2 weeks on number four fish meal as the name suggests it's made from fish and Fish Bones generally it has NPK ratio of 5 2 and two or maybe different depending on the company label this two is fairly fast acting fertilizer similar to blood made and apart from nitrogen it has decent amounts of phosphorus and calcium as well on number five chicken or poultry manure this generally has NPK of four three and three plus or minus one and has more nitrogen content than Kang this is also a fast acting and hence overdose can burn your plants use very little dosage similar to blood meal and uh fish meal the best way to use these three fertilizers that's blood meal fish meal and chicken manure is to add a small amount to the soil before planting or to quickly heal a plant with nutrient deficiencies on number six bone meal this needs no introduction this is made from powdered animal bones which is available either as a fine steamed bone meal powder or corse powder for slow release that is for the entire growth cycle of a plant this generally has NPK of 4 20 and zero this is high in phosphorus content and very important for strong roots and healthy flowering and fruiting of your plant adding 1 tspoon per medium-sized container mixed into the potting soil is sufficient for the entire growth cycle on number seven Rock phosphate this is a wegan alternative to bone meal with high phosphorus content with NPK of about 0 20 and Zer you can either add this while you are making your pot pting mix 1 tbspoon mixed with a potting mix volume of a 12 to 15 in container or use 1 to 2 tasps once in about 3 months per plant if the plant is already in the soil or potted on number eight seaweed this fast acting fertilizer is available for free along Most Coast lines its NPK is about 2 1 and 4 it's high in potassium it also has plenty of micronutrients like zinc and iron seaweed is considered highly beneficial to the plants that need high levels of potassium commercially it's available as either zyme granules or seaweed liquid extract which also contains humic acids folic acids and other essential amino acids you can add half to one teaspoon per plant once in a month to nourish them with the seaweed nutrients liquid seaweed extract can be used to quickly revive an ailing plant of nutrient deficiencies by spraying it on the leaves that is called folar feeding and also by watering the plant the dosage is 10 ml per liter of water make sure you spray more on the underside of the leaves because the stomata or the openings are more in number on the underside on number nine humic acid and fic acid these are rather growth enhancers and the final breakdown constituents of natural decay of plant and animal materials humic acids are an excellent natural and organic way to provide plants and soil with a highly concentrated dose of essential nutrients vitamins and Trace elements humic acids keate complex compounds into simple molecule so that they're suitable for plant absorption this reduces the fertilizer usage by about 30% and increases flowering fruiting by More than 70% so how to use this the dosage is 1 tpoon per liter of water mix it well and water 1 cup that's about 250 ml of it per plant if you're using liquid then add 3 ml of it per liter of water and then water your plants you should see the results within 2 weeks on number 10 organic micronutrient granules this type of fertilizers contain both major NPK nutrients and micronutrients like calcium sulfur zinc copper iron Boron moib denum manganese chlorine and so on you can add about 1 teaspoon of it per plant once in a month you can watch a detailed video on various micronutrient deficiency patterns from Link in the description below on number 11 neem cake and neem Cake Powder this is both a good organic fertilizer as well as a good soil pesticide it's actually the leftover product after NE oil extraction any cake for the matter is a leftover product you can mix about 10% of it while preparing your poting mix to avoid soil pests you can also sprinkle it around your existing plants to get rid of soil pests you can also make a liquid fertilizer or NE cake tea by adding one handful per liter of water and allowing it to brew for at least 24 hours and then water your plants directly or by further diluting this water on number 12 mustard cake and powder this is another natural source of NPK and increases flowering in Plants the use is similar to how we discussed for NE Cake Powder on number 13 Epsom salt this is the best source of magnesium for plants it's chemically magnesium sulfate magnesium is the central most atom of the chlorophyll molecule you all know chlorophyll is very essential for photosynthesis that is plant food production you can watch a detailed video on the uses of Epsom salt and how to use it from a link in the description below on number 14 soy bean meal this also needs a special mention especially for vegans who can use this as a substitute for bone meal for phosphorus Supply on number 15 other organic fertilizers that need a mention like alpha alpha azomite cotton seed meal feather meal green sand and so on the pesticides approved in organic farming are largely the natural ones though a limited amount of synthetic substances are permitted let's list these synthetic and natural pesticides used in organic farming and learn how to use them one by one please watch it till the end and on number one boric acid and borax this powder is commonly used to play caram and has many uses in gardening it's mainly used to treat soil pests and insects like millipeds and also for an control just sprinkle the boric acid or Borax powder over the areas of infestation and do not water for at least 24 hours it acts as a contact poison and also as a stomach poison when the pests ingest this powder on number two copper sulfate this is used both as a fertilizer as well as a fungicide as an antifungal it can be used in the prevention and treatment of fungal diseases like the powdery mildew Leaf rust black spot Rose disease and many other serious fungal disease this is the most effective antifungal in organic gardening how to use it mix 20 G of copper sulfate into 1 L of water in a spray bottle and spray it on the affected plant you can repeat this process after 1 week prepare only the required solution for the day and do not store it for the next use on number three tricoderma V day this is a certified biofungicide and is normally present in the soil which controls other pathogenic fungi and prevents root rot and other harmful soil fungi so this can be used in the treatment of soil fungi root rot damping of in seedlings and also to treat fungus affected seeds or to prevent fungal infestation of the seeds so how to use it for preventing canker and stem rot after pruning make a solution by adding about 10 G in 100 ml of water and apply this on the injured stem after pruning to prevent fungal disease to prevent seed fungus add about 10 G powder to 1 kg of seeds and mix well for plants that are wilting and you suspect a fungal disease in the soil or root rot mix about 10 G per liter of water and Drench the plant and the soil repeat after a week if necessary to mix it in your potting mix add about 10 G to potting mix volume of about 12 in container and then repot your plant this is particularly beneficial when you transplant your seedlings into a fresh potting mix on number four baking soda this is pure sodium bicarbonate which is mainly used for cooking purpose and readily available in your kitchen to use it as a fungicide you can mix about 2 to 3 tpoon of baking soda in 1 liter of water and mix it well then spray on the affected Parts if you want to make it more effective and a universal pesticide you can add 1 teaspoon of oil like neem oil to this solution plus some 10 drops of liquid soap and spray it on the plant you can also use any vegetable oil but best is NE oil and also you can use clove oil or even eucalyptus oil repeat this spray every week till your problem is solved apart from this there are about 10 uses of baking soda in gardening you can watch a detailed episode on this from a link in the description Below on number five dious Earth this magical organic powder has many uses in gardening like an control slux and snail control preventing animal and rodents in your garden and mainly as an organic pesticide effective against all types of pests like aphids mes trips Mele bugs caterpillars and even soil pests and insects the mechanism of action is it's a contact poison which kills the pests by extreme dehydration you can watch a detailed episode on this from a link in the description below so how to use dious Earth on Plants first of all what are your plans for the day then Dust the plants with an applicator or just sprinkle the powder on your plants to avoid killing beneficial pollinators like the honey bees and butterflies do not sprinkle on flowers on number six hydrogen peroxide though it's a chemical with formula of H2O2 which is similar to that of water but with an extra oxygen atom this concept is is the key for using hydrogen peroxide in gardening well to use it as an effective pesticide and antifungal add one cup that's about 250 ml of 6% hydrogen peroxide per liter of water or 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide per liter of water load it in a spray bottle and spray on the plants to control fungus snats and soil pests you can water the plant with the same solution apart from this hydrogen peroxide has many other miraculous uses like to save a dying plant as a fertilizer and many other beneficial uses you can watch a detailed episode on another 10 miracles of hydrogen peroxide in gardening from a link in the description below on number seven vinegar this is chemically acetic acid it's an inexpensive product and found in most kitchens in gardening we use 5% white vinegar or the distilled white vinegar for the treatment of powdery milw or the spot fungus add 1 cup of white vinegar to 1 liter of water and shake it well and then spray it on the infected leaves to use it as a pesticide add 1 cup of white vinegar to 1 ler of water and then add some 10 drops of liquid soap and spray on the affected plants you can watch a detailed episode on the 10 gardening uses of vinegar from a link in the description on number eight NE oil NE oil is by far the best organic pesticide available worldwide Aid duratin and nimin found in NE oil are the two major compounds responsible for its antibacterial and antifungal actions it is in fact a broadspectrum pesticide and the safest and the most effective of all organic or natural pesticides to newbie gardeners tend to watch so many crappy non-scientific gardening information and advises on the internet and damage their plants little bit of Common Sense and applying some basic science is all that's necessary for successful gardening on number one placing or planting identical plants together or in a row this may sound weird but it's true though it may look nice with a tidy row of similar trees in your garden or even if it's container gardening you tend to place one type of similar plants together this is a bad idea because if pests or disease strikes you will lose the whole row on number two transplanting a Seedling many gardeners tend to hold the little ones with their tender stems this is wrong because stems are tender and this can damage the water and fot conducting tubes that's xylm and flm passing through the stem always lift the seedlings by their leaves and use a fork or a spoon to dig through the roots on number three immediately reporting a newly purchased plant from a nursery if your plant just came home from a local Garden Center or Nursery let it adjust to its new environment for at least a week before reporting it this is because the plants are already in shock in the new place and they need to adapt to new factors like light temperature and humidity conditions on the contrary if your plant is purchased online you have to report it immediately for reasons quite obvious on number four overconfidence one of the biggest mistakes sometimes experienced Gardener make is over Reliance on their own experience and knowledge you are never perfect and the most successful gardeners are usually those who are willing to continue learning and growing in their knowledge on number five removing the root ball while repotting never pull out the plant by its stem to remove the root ball just tap the container on a hard surface gently it'll come out easily if it resists run a knife around the container to Len the root ball on number six using contaminated or dirty tools we've all been guilty of this one time or another digging in different parts of soil with the same tool can transfer pathogens from an Afflicted plant to a healthy one investing in multiple sets of travels or Spades may not seem to be practical what you can do is disinfect or clean the tool after use or just wash it with water you can even use household baking soda or even vinegar for cleaning your tools you can watch detailed episodes on these topics from links in description below on number seven placing or repotted plant in direct sunlight this is another common mistake most of us commit the plant is already in transplant shock after repotting always keep the plant in indirect light or shade for at least a week before you shift to full sunlight on number eight planting twoo close together that is spacing whether it's planting seeds or saplings planting too close to each other is not useful and will lead to stunted growth of plants due to competition for nutrients in the soil on number nine sewing too deeply this is a common mistake most neyes commit if you sew Too Deep the seed may not germinate the general rule of thumb is the seeds should be sewn twice or maximum twice as deep as they are thick for example if the seeds are 5 mm thick sew them 10 mm deep if the seeds are too tiny like about less than a millimet simply sprinkle them on the top of the soil on number 10 removing the mother soil during reporting you should never remove the entire mother soil in which the plant came with during purchase unless the soil is too clay or if it's Afflicted with diseases like fungus Nets or stuff like that just tease the roots and place the root ball into the new container while reporting on number 11 killing beneficial insects and pollinators like honeybees and butterflies and also the pest eating insects like ladybugs beetles and many more you can find a useful video on identifying these insects from a link in description below on number 12 overwatering this is the most common mistake and the biggest plant killer overwatering or water suffocating the roots can lead to root rot and death of the plant the best practice is to dip your finger to about an inch into the soil to check for moisture before watering on number 13 over fertilizing overfeeding the plant with fertilizer especially the chemical fertilizers in an attempt to make your plant grow faster can literally kill your plant the best fix to this problem is to use organic fertilizers like wormy compost decompos cow dong or hor dong and stuff like that and stay away from chemical fertilizers on number 14 not following hardening of process hardening of off means you gradually expose your seedlings to the outside world mainly the sunlight and get them acclimatized once you get your first leaves on your seedlings you can introduce them to sunlight in an incremental or step-by-step exposure like for example 1 hour for the first day two hours for the next two days and so on on number 15 not closely inspecting pest attacks pests need to be identified and eliminated carefully failure to control the P especially AIDS white flies mbug and others can cause heavy damage to your plant on number 16 hesitating to prune or trim your plants pruning or trimming your plants is very much beneficial to the plant and promotes more branching and hence increases the E you can watch a detailed video on when and how to prune a plant from a link in the description below on number 17 allowing Wheats to grow this is an act of laziness rather than a mistake unwanted plants or Wheats will suck out the nutrients from the soil and cause deficiency issues in your main plant on number 18 not knowing the importance of sunlight without sunlight plant cannot prepare their food and survive however the light requirement for every plant is different but expecting to grow vegetables and fruits without full sunlight exposure is a mistake as a general rule for most flowering and fruiting plants at least 6 to 8 hours a day of direct sunlight is indispensable on number 19 planting invasive plants close to other plants this can cause again the deficiency issues in weaker plants closer to the stronger invasive ones as you all know survival of the fittest on number 20 relying on unscientific information in gardening this is the most dangerous mistake newbie gardeners tend to watch so many crappy non-scientific gardening information and advises on the internet and damage their plans little bit of Common Sense and applying some basic science is all that's necessary for successful gardening purchasing a plant from a nursery requires patience take your time and never purchase anything in urgency remember if you purchase a plant in a hurry your time money and efforts will be wasted please follow these 10 useful tips while choosing your PL and please watch all the tips till the end else you'll end up buying sick and unhealthy plants at number 10 decide on the type of plant you want to buy whether indoor or outdoor plant you should know where to place it in your home Garden whether it's shade loving sun loving or semi Shady plant or indoor plant and whether it suits your climate this knowledge is really important for the plant to survive at number nine do not h hesitate to ask that is inquire with the nursery staff and question them regarding the name of the plant how to care for the plant the type of plant whether indoor or outdoor the fertilizer requirement of the plant and so on then cross check them at reliable sources at Google search at number eight the first look of the plant first look of the plant itself will reveal its overall health take a closer look and compare it with other similar plants for bushiness that's branching ing pattern and new shoots if it's looking fresh and healthy then decide on it and make further judgment by applying few more tips discussed in this video at number seven overall look and hygiene of the nursery or the garden store check whether they're maintaining the nursery well like the overall appearance including Arrangements of the plants cleanliness of the nursery and so on at number six soil and watering check whether they're using a good well- draining soil for the plant and check whether the plant is watered adequately with the nursery staff you can assess this by simply dipping your finger into the soil to check watering as well as the soil compactness your fingers should be moist and should easily enter into the soil without much effort at number five check for weeds if there are a lot of weeds around the plant it indicates poor maintenance by the nursery staff the weeds actually Rob off the nutrients from the main plant stunting its growth at number four look at Le leaves not flowers do not buy plants in full bloom instead choose plants with healthy foliage and nice fresh growth with many flowering birds still to open if it's fully Bloom plant then check whether it has lots of birds in it too at number three proportionate size of the pot or the grow bag is also an important factor check whether the plant is getting adequate space for its root development like if you see larger plants in smaller containers or grow bags this can indicate poor maintenance and the plant can get rootbound and can be stunted in growth that's our next point at number two inspect Roots wherever possible and check for rootbound plants what is the meaning of root bound plants this happens when the plant outgrows and matures and there is no space for further root development and eventually The Roots grow to the shape of the pot and growth of the plant stops and the plant may even die but most of the times you cannot remove the plant and directly check this but one tip to grossly check this is check whether the roots of the plant are coming out of the drainage holes and entering the ground at number three look for pest attacks look at the plant very carefully especially underneath the leaves for insects and pests plus also check for damaged or curled leaves you better reject such plants even if they offer free of cost or as a gift because such plants May harm and contaminate your other garden plants many gardeners have their own preferences regarding the choice of containers for their plants whether clay or plastic or cement Pots if you're confused on how to choose the right container for your home gardening or Terrace gardening you're not alone containers are made of many materials including clay cement ceramic brass or fiberglass Stone pots wooden pots cocoa coir pots and whatnot just think of these factors one by one and this will help you in making a decision cost durability and pros and cons of each option and this we'll discuss in detail let's go into the pros and cons of each option let's start with plastic pots plastic pots are generally a cheaper option and they further come in three or more options or colors choosing a color is also important you remember one common Concept in sth standard physics black bodies are good absorbers of heat they come in terracota color light color and black color what most Nursery guys use so black is not my preferred option because it absorbs more heat if you want you can use these for plants that prefer indirect light or shade no issues the advantages of these are they are cheaper easily available even in supermarkets lightweight durable and do not break easily easy to clean easy to make multiple drainage holes come in different sizes and shapes and even decorative shapes now the disadvantage es the first one is they get heated up soon when kept in direct sunlight and can kill the beneficial microorganisms in the soil and can burn the roots if you're keeping an indirect light or filtered light no issues one most important problem with plastic is environmental and health hazard particularly if you're using from an unreliable company make sure you use the least toxic ones like hdp2 ldp 4 pp5 and so on try to avoid pvc3 and ps6 and polycarbonate 7 especially for food Gardens currently majority of plant pots are made from polypropylene that is pp5 currently one of the safer Plastics however it's better to check than to assume things cement and ceramic pots these have similar pros and cons the advantages of these pots are they are visually more appealing and come in different sizes and shapes because they can be molded into any shape shape and size and also they do not break so easily like the clay pods but still they are breakable unlike plastic pods ceramic parts are costly but look very attractive the disadvantages are they do not provide lateral IRAs unlike clay ports because they do not have porosity in the walls and hence they can get heated up and produce bad results if kept in hot sunlight one more issue with concrete or cement pots most of us are unaware is that they can affect soil p because concrete is rich in lime and can slowly release into the soil and can make soil more alkaline which can be toxic for most acid loving plants before moving on to the clay pods we'll quickly look into other options like wooden pods Stone pods styrofoam containers and others Styrofoam boxes what some people call thermal boxes are good when they are new and insulate plants well by reflecting heat especially in summer they are cheap and sometimes you get them free of cost they are lightweight and durable the most important dangerous drawback of these is the polyene material Hazard because as it gets older it can degrade and release toxic carcinogenic substances Stone containers they are very attractive but are costly heavy and not easily available and very heavy to lift or shift wooden containers are good but if the timber used to make them is from reliable source of company bamboo Planters are good and look attractive for small small ornamental plants wooden containers also provide good insulation to plants from heat the major drawback is it attracts insects and pests like termites and also if Timber is of bad quality it can start rotting metallic pots they heat up very fast and bad for sun-loving plants some containers can get rusted and also drilling drainage holes can be tough clay pots they have the they have the best advantages from plant Health perspective like their porous and provide excellent drainage from all sides and also lateral IRAs can be kept in direct sunlight without any issues or damage to the plant roots the only disadvantage of these parts is they are very fragile and can easily break growbags a relatively New Concept in home gardening they are available in various sizes and are very cheap they are lightweight and ideal for Terrace gardening and most reliable ones are UV resistant and safe the problem is they do not look much attractive whether purchased online or offline from a local Nursery people often have a misconception that immediately reporting a newly purchased plant into a larger container and a nutrient Rich potting soil will make your plant grow like crazy but this is not always true now let's discuss some very important points and Concepts you must keep in mind if you want to keep your newly purchased plant healthy and avoid the so-called reporting or the transplant shock to answer these questions let us ask two questions when do I report a newly purchased plant Offline that is from a local Nursery or a garden store then when do I report a plant purchased [Music] online now let's quickly look into the conceptual answers to these queries if a plant just came home from a local Garden store or Nursery do not report immediately let it adjust to its new environment for for a few days or at least a week before reporting it this is because the plants are already in shock at their new residence until they get used to the new factors like light temperature humidity and stuff like that then in the second scenario that is when you purchase a plant online reporting immediately is the best solution in most cases because it is very much likely that the plants would have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles and many days without any water moisture before reaching its final destination the pl and will be going through a recovery period and an acclimation period during these days of Transport in whatever medium the Siller packs them in so why let the plant re acclimate twice in this situation now the third topic the 10 golden rules of reporting let's quickly list them one by one on number one water are the plan day before you plan to report then number two perform reporting in the evening hours to prevent the shock to the plant during sunlight that is the daytime which is the active period for photosynthesis let it get overnight period of rest and Recovery then on number three to remove the root ball gently tap the rim of the pot to a hard surface like a table or a counter this is to loosen the root ball instead of pulling it with Force which can damage the roots or the stem if the root ball resists to come out run a knife between the pot and the root ball to loosen the root ball then on number four inspect the root ball for things like any root worms or maggots root disease and whether they are root bound to decide whether to you want to repot in a larger container or perform root pruning on number five choosing the right container for fruit and vegetable plants especially if you're growing on Terrace choose fabric growbags as your first preference this is because these are not only light but also follow the principles of air pruning and can grow into healthy trees using this principle if you want to know what is air pruning you can watch my detailed episode on that topic from a card linked at top right corner of the screen then it is also very important to choose a pot that is of appropriate size for the plant like you should never repot a 6-in pot plant into a 14-in or a very large pot go step by step choose one or two steps higher like 6in Port you can report in a 8 in or a 10in container and so on then on number six drainage holes this is probably the most important factor you should consider if you do not make enough drainage holes at the bottom the part your plant will stand in water and this will lead to root rot and death of the plant on number seven choosing the right soil as a general rule use a well- draining nutrient-rich soil with at least 30% compost like wormy compost or decomposed cang to make it well draining you might have to add cocoa Pete or Pete Moss to garden soil in proper proportions make sure you also add stuff like bone meal or soy bean meal for inducing flowering and fruiting you can watch my detailed episode on the best potting mix recipe from a link in description then on number eight partially fill the container with potting mix and then place the root ball exactly in the center of the pot then add additional soil to cover the empty space make sure the surface of the root ball is below the rim so that you can cover it adequately with potting soil or compost and also there is good space for properly Watering your plant then on number nine gently tap the pot on a hard surface to remove air pockets and also to level the soil from within then on number 10 finally after reporting water the plant thoroughly and this also removes leftover a pockets and stuff like that then to counter the reporting or the transplant shock you can follow these simple steps that is water the plant with epsom salt solution weekly once for about a month the dosage is 1 teaspoon Epsom salt per liter of water finally keep the plant in indirect sunlight or under a green Shade Net for at least a week before shifting it to full sunlight before we start let's look into what is a well draining soil well draining soil is a soil where water drains out at a medium rate neither too quickly nor too slowly we all know that if the soil is too wet plant roots fail to get the oxygen they need and they tend to rot and the plant dies similarly if the soil has too much air pockets and if it drains out too quickly plant roots dry out which again is not good for plant growth compacted clay soil is an example of a poorly draining soil whereas sandy soil is an example of a fast draining soil so in order to make the perfect or near perfect well- draining soil you need soil amendment and adding one or more of certain stuff or ingredients to your garden soil in proper proportions neither too less nor too much will demonstrate you a simple test to check whether your soil is the perfect well draining soil at the end of this episode before that let's list out the top 10 things you should add into your potting soil to achieve this goal on number 10 pet Moss pet Moss is organic dead fibrous material which makes your soil well draining it has an acidic pH and hence very useful for acid loving plants but its main problem is it's a bit expensive and may not be suitable for alkaline pH loving plants its best use is in seed starting mix it's usually mixed with compost and it holds moist moisture and nutrients for a longer time and hence helps in Sea germination pet pets like these are available which are really great for starting seeds on number nine perite perite is another natural substance and amorphous volcanic glass and sometimes they call it as volcanic popcorn when you look at per light under a microscope you should see that it's quite porous and this property AIDS in making soil well draining and well irrated PE light forms a great stuff for making indoor potting mix and a seed starting mix but you cannot add peite alone to garden soil or compact soil because it easily gets crushed to powder on pressure on number eight pomis this is another natural substance the main advantage of this substance is it overcomes the problem of polite that is which gets crushed into powder on pressure when mixed with garden soil so pmies in this case is the best option Garden pmies or Horticultural pises available in various grades or sizes and a very useful ingredient in succulent potting mix on number seven vermiculite this is another naturally obtained substance with a neutral pH it holds lot of moisture and makes a well- draining soil it will not rot or degrade or mold and is non-toxic and sterile which makes it a good option in a seed starting mix this is great for water living plants because it holds lot of moisture but be careful or better not use it in succulent potting mix there are different grades of vermiculites available for gardening you can use a lower size grade for making your seed starting mix along with other stuff like cocoa Pete or Pete Moss if you're using this alone to mix with garden soil you should use in this proportion like one part to three part soil on number six cocoa pit it's the most widely used growing medium which is obtained and processed from coconut fibers this is available as r ready to mix powder or compact bricks which can be easily reconstituted by mixing it with water and this expands into lots and lots of volume of cocoa ped it has a slightly acidic pH of around six which is very much favorable for most plants depending on the requirement or the plant you're growing you can mix about one part to two part soil that is 1/3 or two parts to two part soil that is 50% especially for making indoor potting mix or Terrace gardening mix to make it a light weight potting mix for seed germination you can use cocoa ped alone or add some 20 to 30% compost in it to support the seedlings until transplant on number five compost s adding compost like decompos cow dung or horse dung or even Leaf compost and even special compost like wormy compost this is not only indispensable for plant growth but this also makes your soil less Compact and well draining but adding other stuff like perite vermiculite cocoa peed or pet Moss along with compost makes the soil more suitable for healthy growth of plants on number four sand adding construction or river sand is another good option if you do not want to purchase perlite or vermiculite or things like that remember not to use Sea sand or beach sand for your plants the major drawback with sand is that it can make your soil drain out too quickly especially if you're adding more than 30% to the soil but this type of mix is very much favorable for succulents and cacti but not to other plants another major problem is soil compaction over a period of time which can make it concrete like and difficult for the plants so generally add no more than 10% or Max 20% sand into potting mix for most plants on number three brick powder some gardeners suggest adding brick granules or coarse red brick powder makes the soil well draining and Well irrated on number two gypsum powder this is another good alternative to mixing it with compact soils which effectively changes the structure and fertility of heavy clay soils on number one shredded bark twigs and sawdust no doubt all these make your soil well draining but at the same time they steal nitrogen from the soil in the process of their decomposition so if you're adding these stuff into the potting mix or for mulching make sure you mix a lot of supplements to supply nitrogen to your plant and prevent its deficiency now finally simple and a rough test to check whether your soil is perfectly well draining when you add water to your container I mean after thoroughly Watering your plant it should drain out from the drainage hole in about 1 to 2 minutes neither quicker nor too late let me start with three piece of successful gardening that is planning your garden potting mix preparation and planting so today we'll discuss on the second PE of gardening that's preparing the the best poting mix for your plants based on some useful scientific Concepts please watch this video till the end first we'll discuss the criteria for the best potting soil for your plants and then the formula or the recipe for the best allpurpose Universal potting mixture for your gardening well you need to understand this point why can't I just dig up the ground and use this soil for my plants this is because we have two major limitations of this the first one is the compaction or the hardening of the soil mainly with clay soil which can suffocate The Roots then the second one is lack of nutrients in the soil that is the major NPK elements that's nitrogen phosphorus and pottassium and also minor Trace elements hence the need to prepare your own poting soil hold on Friends some more important Concepts to learn before I disclose my recipe a few criteria you should be taking care of while preparing your poting mix that is drainage water retaining capacity and adding nutrients the first one is drainage we all know too much water can rot your plants so a well- draining soil that quickly drains out water within a particular duration of time is important for all plants this is the most important criteria for growing succulents and also based on this you can adjust the proportions of stuff like sand perite and other stuff then second is the water retaining capacity this is just quite opposite of the first Factor so we have to add materials in such a way that the water should neither drain out too quickly nor it should stagnate in the container the third one is the nutrients very important Materia and container gardening we have to add certain nutrients into the potting mix so that your plant can produce flowering or futing at the right time and can grow in a healthy manner having said that now let's start making your own potting mix with the best and easily available ingredients I'm showing you two Formula One you can use purely for Terrace gardening which is very lightweight and will not have any compaction this can also be an ideal seed starting mix so that the seeds can push the lightweight ingredients in its germination process and also to some extent this is sterile and the second one is allpurpose mix for most of our plants you can change the proportions as per your requirement but generally this mix will be useful for any plant so the formula is good quality garden soil about 40% by good quality I mean you should not have any large stones or other large size stuff within it then secondly cocoa Pete or pet Moss about 30% if you do not have this you can use about 10 to 20% river sand adding more sand may result in to fast drainage which might be helpful for succulents and cacti then thirdly 20 to 30% compost like DEC compost aung powder or wormy compost or Leaf compost or a mix of these these first three ingredients should be minimum for your plants you can further fortify this with about 5% of any of these or combination of these that is bone meal powder for increasing flowering and fruiting then neem cake or any oil Cake Powder for its antimicrobial and antifungal effect uh to protect the roots then optionally you can also add tricoderma or pseudomonas powder and also some beneficial fungi called micro the second formula of cting mix is a lightweight mix suitable for rooftop gardening and also a great seat starting mix here what you do is you do not use garden soil but you use only cocoa pit or P Moss about 50% then compost like the decompos powder powder or the Wormy compost about 30% then perlite or vermiculite about 20% you can optionally add the same 5% ingredients like the bone meal M mix micro and other stuff as discussed earlier water is really amazing chemically H2O made up of hydrogen and oxygen it's literally responsible for all life on Earth Watering your plant is a no-brainer but how much and how often can be more tricky to tell luckily we have a few gardening tips and tricks in this episode on what watering for Optimum plant Health Watering your plants is key to keeping them healthy apart from a rich soil and a good amount of sunlight today let's solve this frequently Asked question in gardening how much to water plants and how often to water plants that is what should be the frequency of watering the answer to this question is not really easy and depends on a number of factors like the type of plant your location or the local climatic Zone the season of the year the type and size of the container and so on now let's list out the 12 golden rules of Watering your house plants especially applicable to container gardening you must also remember this very important line overwatering is the most common plant killer than underwatering on number one avoid water logging and stagnation to avoid this firstly you need to have a well- draining potting soil mix your potting mix must contain at least 30 to 50% of stuff other than garden soil like compost pet Moss cocoa ped peite vermiculite sand and stuff like that you can check a related episode on this topic from a link in the description below then secondly you must also check whether the drainage holes of your container are patent water should freely flow out of the holes else it can be a disaster to your plants on number two checking the top soil for moisture before you water your plants make it a habit to check the top one or 2 Ines of the so oil using the finger dip method if it's completely dry then you need to water your plants you can also check this using a soil moisture meter or a simple moisture and PHS testing Gadget like this but the best gadget is your finger this is important because drying out of soil just before watering promotes growth of roots rule number three water less often but thoroughly this is really an important rule generally for most plants it's better to water less often but thoroughly this is always much better than watering more frequently but with little quantity of water the next rule that is the rule number four explains this concept better Rule Number Four Water must reach the roots most roots are located deeper near the bottom of the containers hence superficial watering with small amounts and even though more frequently will not give you good results hence thorough watering and less frequent watering is recommended so that the water reaches the deeper Roots till the bottom of the container on number five water late in the evening or early in the morning in late evenings and early mornings the soil is cooled and hence less water evaporates than it would on hot soil during the day and the plants can sufficiently stock themselves with water for upcoming photosynthesis and the plants will be able to deal better with upcoming heat of the sun on number six keep the leaves dry to avoid fungus generally for most plants especially for the suculant and cacti it's recommended to pour water on the soil and not drench the plant completely due to the risk of fungal disease but this depends on the local climate and the type of the plant if it's scatching hot in summer you can mist or drench some of the plants but not those plants which store water in their leaves and stem that is the succulents and cacti due to the risk of rot on number seven water gradually and allow it to go down into the soil with wait and then water again till the water comes out of the drainage hole this is thorough watering and important for deeper roots to receive water as I already discussed in rule number three that is less frequent but more thorough watering on number eight if you're on a vacation or want to reduce the watering frequency we can use clear it soil but smartly this holds water well and this is the soil used by most Nursery guys to water their plants less frequently but there is always a risk risk of root rod from this water stagnation if you use clay soil you can also use water retaining gel crystals like the sa sack gel crystals that is super absorbent polymers which are now easily available and non-toxic and safe granules this can significantly reduce watering frequency then rule number nine different watering for different plants this is really important especially if you are a beginner you have to know the name of the plant and also its care tips like watering requirement sunlight requirement and stuff like that do not hesitate to ask the plant identity and Google about its GE tips and watering requirements on number 10 container gardening versus ground gardening watering requirement and frequency is different for these two types of gardening remember this line container grown plants dry out much faster and hence require greater watering vigilance rule number 11 always water your plant after rep spting so that the plant can settle in and stay hydrated while it establishes itself into its new home rule number 12 rather these are small tips like plants in larger Parts dry out more slowly than plants in smaller parts then plants in bright daylight dry out more quickly than plants in low light or even indoor plants humid air keeps the soil moist for longer than the dry air how would you feel when one day on your early morning Garden inspection you find part of your garden disappeared while you slept or realize your flower birds are torn apart and very badly damaged I'm sure after seeing this your first instinct is likely to spray some powerful chemical pesticide all over your plants to kill those culprits without even investigating further this is not a right decision please spend a little time to find out what's eating your plants and then take necessary action to eliminate that particular pest or insect well now we'll look into identifying some common pests by scanning the leaf signatures that is the leaf damage pattern they leave after feeding on your plants let's begin at number one zigzag Leaf mining pattern obviously these are called Leaf miners Leaf miners are actually very tiny lar of variety of insects like flies m and beetles Leaf miners do not actually cause a significant injury to the infested plant but rather give an unattractive look to the plant this mining pattern of zigzag lines on the leaves are produced as these tiny lar bury and eat along the infested leaves if you want to control these NE oil spray is the best organic solution 5 to 10 mL NE oil per liter of water along with few drops of liquid soap spray once or twice weekly at number two chewed leaves or slime Trails if you see irregular shaped holes in the leaf but not along the edges and if you see slime Trails or lines then most likely the culprits are the SLU and snails so what's the solution there are a lot of remedies for slux and snails like hand pick and eliminate method electric copper wire fence beer trap Etc beer trap is the most effective one pour some beer in a saucer and leave it overnight this attracts and kills these creatures at number three chewed leaves along the edges this type of leaf signature is left mostly by leaf cutting bees so what's the solution generally unless it's too extensive a damage you did not take any step to kill or drive away these bees because they are beneficial insects and required for pollination in your garden at number four chewed leaves with Cent Al holes in between veins like skeletonized leaves this signature indicates caterpillars especially if the holes are larger this is also caused by other insects like beetles earrigs and soft flies so what's the treatment for caterpillars handpick and eliminate them including their eggs from the leaves after doing this spray neem oil plus soap solution weekly twice 10 mL NE oil plus 10 drops of liquid soap or a shampoo and spray it thoroughly including the underside of the leaves at number five discolored leaves plus sucking damage this is commonly caused by trips and spiderid common trips are the Cuban Laurel trips as you can see here the leaf is discolored and then folded onto itself to form a pouch to cover these creatures and its eggs if left untreated these thps will multiply drastically and can cause a cons considerable damage to your plant so what's the solution firstly try and remove as many leaves or trim those branches and burn them then you can spray NE oil plus liquid soap added with a little clove oil or eucalyptus oil weekly twice if they still persist then go for chemical sprays like those containing idlid as The Last Resort at number six Leaf Galls or Leaf bumps this is a strange and rare patter which presents a tumor like boils on the leaf surface this is considered to be due to irritation or stimulation of plant cells due to feeding or egg laying by insects such as apats wasps and mides at number seven sucking damage and deformed leaves and leaf curls common sucking pests are aits white flies and M bugs the M bugs are very common and are found sucking the new growth and tips in fact in fact Mele bucks as well as AIDS have a symbiotic relationship with ants which protect these pest from predators and also carry them to the plants the ants in turn get the Honeydew sugars excreted out of their aners as their gift so what's the solution NE oil plus liquid soap is again the first choice sprayed weekly twice another disease related to this is the leaf curl virus seen in some plants like the peppers and tomatoes this is actually caused by a leaf curl virus to treat this firstly isolate the plant then use this recipe to spray and completely cure this disease take 1 lit of s buttermilk you can also take 500 mL if you have fewer plants then add 1 teaspoon or about 5 G of asaa powder to it and mix it well let it stay for 1 or 2 hours see this solution using a fine cloth to avoid spray bottle clogging spray this thoroughly over the affected plant including the under side of the leaves repeat this every 3 days for 3 to four times Leaf curl virus which is common in Pepper and tomato plants will be completely cured by this treatment most of the times when you see leaves of your plants turning yellow or burning or Browning at its tips or edges it's time to investigate and find out the possible cause and solution to it you must be aware of these problems and solutions to keep your plants straight stress free and healthy the first broad diagnosis that should come to your mind is your plant is in stress and then you further start investigating and finding out the exact reason for this problem please watch this episode till the end and we'll start listing the top 10 reasons for this problem in descending order on number 10 natural aging of the plant this is one obvious reason for ELO leaves if you see older leaves especially at the bottom of the plant turning yellow just ignore it this is not a reason to worry on number nine pest attacks sucking pests like a fads Mele bus white flies trips and mites can damage the leaves and can cause Alo of leaves you know prevention is better than cure these can be easily prevented or even treated organically using NE oil spray regularly for treatment as well as prevention spray NE oil once every 15 days as a preventive measure and weekly once or even twice for treatment of these pests you can watch my detailed episode on neem oil from a link in the description below on number eight rootbound plants rootbound plant means that the roots of the plant have completely taken off the space within the PW often circling and creating a dense web of roots this can stress the plant and deprive it of nutrients air and water and this can result in leaf yellowing and even stunted growth of the plant just report the plant in a larger container or k carefully perform root pruning if you wish to use the same container on number seven transplant shock this is another reason for leaf yellowing and even Leaf drop this is the period of stress to the plant when you just report a plant you can solve this to a certain extent by reporting your plant carefully and after reporting for the next one week keep the plant in shade away from direct sunlight water the plant once thoroughly with epsom salt solution to counter this transplant shock like five to 10 G of Epsom salt per liter of water is the recommended dosage you can watch my detailed episode on the 10 golden rules of reporting a plant from a link in description below well on number six fertilizer overuse If You observe a strange pattern to yellowing of leaves like if the veins of the leaves are green and the tissue is getting yellow or the edges or tips are yellow or looking like burnt along with butt drop off or fruit drop off then it is mostly due to fertilizer misuse commonly overuse of fertilizers is the problem so it is important to use fertilizer only at the recommended dosage this problem is more common with the use of chemical fertilizers like Ura dap or NPK granules and not a problem with Organic fertilizers and moreover people tend to use too much fertilizer on their plants to make them grow faster especially the Newbie gardeners but what it actually does is it creates a Toxic effect on the plants which burns turns the leaves and turns them yellow on number five high soil PH that is two alkaline soil this can be one of the reasons for leaves turning yellow this is little difficult to diagnose unless you have a soil PH testing Gadget this simple pH testing Gadget will give you a rough idea about the soil PH whether it's acidic or alkaline soil most plants need a slightly acidic pH of around 6.5 best absorption of nutrients all related videos links in the description below well on number four temperature leaves start turning yellow when it is either too hot or too cold in terms of the cold temperatures like for example the adenium plants the leaves start yellowing in Winter and eventually fall off and the plant goes into the Dom state in winter this is called winter domy and this applies to many other plants as well then on number three sunlight reduced exposure to sunlight is another common reason for plant leaves to turn yellow because not enough light is reaching the plant for photosynthesis similarly Too much exposure to hot direct sun is another common reason for the tips and edges of the leaves to turn dry and brown this can be corrected easily by knowing your plant by its name or at least whether it is a sun loving plant or a shade loving plant knowing a plant by its name is really important to learn about its C tapes especially its light requirement and then you provide Optimum exposure to the sunlight a simple free app to know a plant ID is is Google Lens app provided by Google you can watch a detailed episode on this topic from a link in the description below well on number two improper watering we'll discuss this in detail please watch this carefully to understand the concepts improper watering can present as either Leaf yellowing or leave drying or Leaf burning at tips and edges the most common reason that the plant leaves turn yellow is because of moisture stress which can be either overwatering or underwater similarly the most common cause for brown Leaf tips or brown edges on leaves is the plant not getting enough water I repeat the plant not getting enough water which can be due to several reasons apart from you not watering the plant adequately first of all check whether you are adequately watering the plant by checking the soil surface for moisture by dipping one or two inches of your finger if you are forgetting to water the plant Rectify this problem immediately especially for water loving plant but this does not mean that you have to overwater them which is actually more dangerous than underwatering it can result in root rot then secondly the roots may be constricted and unable to pick up or absorb the water adequately especially in container gardening also too much clearage soil is another cause for constricting The Roots tightly so increasing the watering to resolve this issue is not the solution because there is a possibility of root rot withd overwatering hence the best solution ition to this is to report the plant in a larger container and in a loose well- draining soil a simple hack to get rid of clay soil while reporting your plant is to soak the clearage root ball for few minutes in a bucket of water to dissolve this soil and then repot this in a well- draining soil then thirdly the soil does not hold the water and drains out too quickly this is another reason if your soil is too much Sandy or overd draining soil with lots of sand the water May simply be draining away too fast and this may be causing water deficiency and brown edges on the leaves improve the soil with other stuff like organic material and by mixing some garden soil and also other stuff like cocoa ped vermiculite perlite Etc which will hold on to the water better an ideal well- draining soil is the one which drains out neither too quickly nor too slowly a simple and a rough test to check whether your soil is perfectly well draining is when you thoroughly water your plant it should drain out of the drainage hole in about 1 to 2 minutes neither too quicker nor too late fourthly the roots may be damaged like while digging or even repotting or too much root pruning of a root bound plant this can cause root damage and reduce the water uptake in this case correct the problem which is causing the root damage and then do some good pruning on the plant branches to reduce its watering requirement so that the root system recovers from the stress then the fifth reason for the sights of a leaf to turn brown is high high salt content of the soil either using hard water that is salty water to water the plants or overuse of fertilizers to overcome this problems start watering with soft water and also if you have overfertilized flush the pot with large amounts of soft water keeping it in sunlight and properly opening the drainage holes of the container so that the salty water or the fertilizer flushes out easily out of the pot one simple Common Sense hint here for watering is generally indoor plants are more prone to overwatering and outdoor plants are more prone to underwatering then on number one is leaf chlorosis due to nutritional deficiency either due to poor quality potting soil or absorption issues due to improper soil PH lack of uptake of major and minor nutrients the plant like nitrogen and also certain mineral deficiencies like iron magnes zinc and others can cause unique Leaf yellowing patterns summer season has started in most tropical countries and the temperatures are gradually soaring for those who are beginners in gardening or planning to start gardening trust me it's a great hobby fun and really satisfying and also it's not that difficult it's just gaining some basic knowledge and applying some common sense well it's not just humans who suffer from The Heat Of Summer plants do need proper hydration and care you cannot switch off the sunlight it's not in your hands in fact with some precautions and following some simple tips here this season can be really good for your plants so here are some quick and useful tips one by one to keep your plants healthy and blooming this summer one number one watering in summer you need to water your plants more than you normally do keep it a rule to keep the soil moist at all times of the day if your potting soil is Sandy and and very well draining out you must water at least once a day during summer what are the plants during early morning or just after Sunset that is to avoid evaporation of water quickly most outdoor plants kept in sun dry out at the end of the day hence daily watering is a general rule except for succulents you can water your succulents and cacti on Alternate days or at least twice weekly in summer season on number two humidity you can cover the top layer of the soil by mulching with material containing some wooden pieces Twigs dead plant leaves newspaper or even mulching Sheets if you have mulching will help retain the moisture of the soil for beginners mulching means applying some material on the top surface of the soil to prevent water evaporation and many other benefits you can watch related detailed videos from links in description another simple way to increase humidity is to make a humidity tray by using small Pebbles installed in a large tray surrounding the plant and pour some water in the tray this really helps to maintain humidity levels around the plant on number three clustering of plants you can keep potted plants in clusters close to each other this way they'll face less Sun maybe from one side only or smaller plants may get some shade from a larger plant and this will also increase humidity levels on number four pruning pruning or trimming of your plants should be done to remove unnecessary or bad foliage and branches this will avoid excess loss of water through transpiration and also conserve plants energy for a healthier new growth on number five fertilizing the summer season is the growth period of most plants starting from the spring season and the plant soil should be provided with more fertilizer in summer to sustain this high growth rate and extra energy requirement after the D and winter season apply manures like decompos cowdung wormy compost bone meals and oil cakes like mustard and neem cakes or any type of fertilizers recommended for a plant at least once in 2 weeks you can also make a cocktail fertilizer mixture for ease of application and saving time you can watch a detailed episode on this cocktail mixture from a link in the description well on number six deweeding all kinds of weeds should be rooted out to the plant soil so that the nutrients and water meant for your plants are not used up by the weeds then on number seven sunlight the morning sun is best for potted fruits flowers and vegetables try relocating your plants to receive maximum morning sunlight and avoid the strong noon Sun you can consider installing shade Nets or green Nets with at least 50% filtering Factor this even protects the plant from the harmful ultraviolet radiation detailed video on this is linked in description below on number eight misting the plants to keep it humid and fresh misting frequently with water can really help the plants this will also make the leaves clean and shine you can also wipe the plants with a soft cloth to promote photosynthesis if you have limited number of plants on number nine Pest Control this is really important you cannot afford to lose this growing season by allowing pests to hamper the growth of your plants do rigorous Pest Control organically wherever applicable by spraying NE oil once in a week or at least once in 15 days on number 10 few quick additional tips like do not place your plants near AC units this can damage your plans then if you can arrange keep a swinging fan running for good air circulation in summer many well-maintained nurseries have lots of fans constantly running in daytime with even automated fine m units then installing drip irrigation system is also very useful idea to save lot of your time it's not really difficult and Al not at all expensive and can be easily installed by yourself rainy season is the best time for beautiful Greenery in your garden whether your backyard balcony or even Terrace Garden the plants are benefited not only by the rains but also the fresh and cool breeze with healthy air circulation around your plants and also the optimum humidity in the air which acts as a bone for your plants when it comes to home gardening especially container gardening we'll quickly look into 10 simple tips to follow during rainy season on number one the drainage system this is the most important task to perform in rainy season inspect every container for this you should see the water flowing out of the drainage holes after a minute of thorough watering insert a sharp poed tool like a screwdriver into the drainage hole and make sure it's open this is very important in rainy season because stagnant water can result in root rod and death of your plant and this is also the high time for fungus attacks this stagnation can increase the breeding of mosquitoes and increase diseases like Deni fever and other mosquito Bor diseases another important tip here is to avoid using tray under your parts at least during rainy season on number two watering do not water the plants during the monsoon season unless the soil has turned dry or the leaves have started wilting remember this line overwatering is the most common plant killer and not underwatering on number three soil a well- draining soil is indispensable for your plant especially in rainy season so what is a well draining soil a well- drained soil is a soil where water drains out at a medium rate neither too quickly nor too slowly we all know that if the soil is too wet plant roots fail to get the oxygen they need and they tend to rot and the plant dies a perfectly well draining soil can be assessed by a simple test when you thoroughly water your plant it should drain out from the drainage hole in about 1 to 2 minutes neither quicker nor too late you can check out a detailed video on this topic from a link in the description and also the things you can mix into the soil to achieve this goal on number four earthworm The Gardener best friends and also called as Roberts of garden this is the time when they found maximum and if you find them concentrated in one container you can pick them up and spread them around the garden to allow best fertilization of soil at multiple places on number five protect in and tender plants that is your seedlings and saplings from rain tender in plants that is seedlings and saplings which are too fragile should be sheltered adequately to protect them from rain on number six frogs and toads these animals should be allowed in the garden during the monsoon these are insect eaters and help the garden to be free from these insects that is one method of biological pest control on number seven pruning and deadheading is important just before Monsoon for most plants this helps the fresh shoes to grow and increases branching and growth on number eight fertilizers it is always better to use natural fertilizers than chemical for plants in Monsoon and also the fertilizer requirement increases during this season firstly because this is a growth season for most plants then secondly because of rain There Is frequent wash out of Applied fertilizers slow release fertilizers like cang manure have been proven to be the best manure for plants you can also use home compost or even wormy compost you can also use folio feeding or folio spray to feed your plants quickly for any deficiencies during the monsoon season the stomato or the pores in the plants open up and spraying the fertilizer helps the plant to absorb them immediately on number nine for ground gardening preparing raised beds is so beneficial water will never stagnate for container gardening and ground gardening make sure you do not have pits around your plants and try to fill it with muls or try to level it or make it slopey or flat the main idea is to prevent water stagnation then finally on number 10 pesticides spraying pesticides should be done during the monsoon immediately after fresh shoots start appearing after the pruning process most pests and insects prefer to suck fresh leaves and application of pesticides will help them in controlling this pests this is a honeymoon period for many insects especially the slux and snails which can significantly eat away your garden best natural pesticide mix can be prepared by mixing 5 ml of NE oil in 1 L of water plus 1 teaspoon of baking Bing soda and then 10 drops of any liquid soap mix well and spray once every 10 to 15 days as a preventive measure or weekly ones if your plants are already affected by pests this will control all types of pests in your garden including the fungus spot diseases like the black spot Rose disease and stuff like that most summer plants either begin to die or prepare for a type of hibernation or dorcy during winter season for beginners hibernation or dorcy means a period of inactivity where all the processes like growth are slowed down something like a suspended animation so during this period you must help your plants and care for them if you want to keep them alive whether outdoor plants or indoor plants all need winter care for survival but outdoor plants are more prone to Winter attacks than indoor plants but it all depends on how vulnerable the plants are how cold the weather is and the length of the winter season and also the location or the zone you live in the secret to helping plants survive winter is adjusting some care routines to suit your plants seasonal growing conditions let's review these 10 gardening tips or winter plant care tips one by one on number 10 plant selection always choose the plants that are suited to your climate and Zone this is simplest and lowest effort Choice learn which growing zone you live in and keep the plants that will survive in your Zone well on number nine conserve plants energy in Winter remove any Dead Leaves birds flowers and even branches to conserve your plants energy during the state of domy as a general rule for most plants fertilizers are not used during winter even if used the quantity should be very minimal the only exemption to this rule are the winter flowers and winter vegetables and few other plants for other plants you can resume fertilizers at the start of the spring season on number eight bring potted plants indoors if you have any potted plants or hanging baskets Outdoors bring them inside your home this will increase the temperature by at least 5° for sun-loving plants place them back in Sun during daytime I know it's a tough task but you need to take the pain for the sake of your plants on number seven covering your plants this is a very important step if you do not want to bring your plants indoors you can use various to cover your plants depending on the size of your plants and parts like using a polythene covers or Ziplock bags to cover smaller plants being transparent you can even leave them covered even during daytime make sure you make some small holes in the back for air circulation and also leave some space of about 1 or 2 in at the bottom side then you can also use any size plastic shopping bag and make similar holes for air circulation use just anything to protect your plants even a blanket or piece of cloth to to cover the plants by placing few sticks or supports for tenting for support you can also use a garden try or make your own DIY TR using some long sticks take it off during the daytime for sunlight exposure this method works best to protect plants from frost another hack here is use empty pots to protect your seedlings or even small plants just place them upside down and cover the seedlings or inplants in night time and of course remove the cover in the morning to expose them to sunlight on number six mulching for beginners mulching is a process of applying some material to the top layer of the garden soil apply a layer of mulch like shredded leaves Twigs straw and things like that which act as insulators holding in heat and moisture in the soil it is used to protect the root systems of your plant from cold temperatures and also prevents wheed growth on number five you can build your own DIY poly houses or green houses using some poly polythene sheets and sticks and keep your plants inside them also there are many ready to use poly house BS and Tents available online on number four Supply a heat Source in extremely cold conditions you can provide your plants with their heat Source like a room heater or a high wattage light bulb or even a plant grow light like LED grow lights these are not just for warmth but also they help your plants prepare their own food that is photosynthesis then on number three pruning pruning or trimming your plants especially if your plants are under pest attack or they are diseased pruning can certainly save your plant and as discussed earlier this will also conserve the plant's energy you can watch a detailed episode on how to prune when to prune and the types of pruning from a link in the description below then on number two spray the plants especially indoor plants sprayed with a light mist at once a day are benefited spray and clean the leaves of any dust and help them perform photosynthesis efficiently using the minimum amount of light available then on number one watering for indoor plants considerably reduce the frequency of watering to prevent rod and also plants grow at a slower rate in Winter and obviously require very less moisture if you're not sure use the finger dip method that is dip your finger into the soil to about an inch and check for moisture water it only if it's completely dry plants can sense changes in the seasons for example in the fall when the days start to get shorter the trees sense that there is less sunlight the plant is stimulated and it sends messages telling the leaves to change colors and fall off and the plant then goes into dorcy this is an example of photoperiodism the reaction of plants to the length of the day or night well spring is the most active and most important season for gardening plants wake up from their sleeping period that is the dorcy period or the inactive period of winter applying these five steps and tips just before they start their active period really makes a lot of difference and helps them grow and yield better in the coming days on number five clean up your garden this should be your first task especially if you do not do this regular early you may see a lot of debris like fallen leaves Twigs dirt and other garbage this should be done first because neat and clean garden makes a perfect scam on number four weed removal early spring weeds can be a nuisance they can be a real problem and steal your plants nutrients from the soil and can result in stunted growth of your plant head out in the garden and start pulling those weeds make sure you pluck them at the root level this is really important to stop them from growing back again use different types of weed removal garden tools depending on the size of your garden on number three fertilizers and soil preparation winter season can make your soil hard and compact you need not repot your plants completely into a fresh new potting mix just till the top 1 or 2 in of the soil carefully without damag ing your plant roots then you can apply the fertilizer over this or remove this soil if it's too compact or if it's not too much compacted then remove this soil and mix it with compost like decompos cang powder or wormy compost like one or two handfuls of it depending on the size of your container or the size of your plant mix it thoroughly with this top soil and then add it back to the plant well this is a onetime task to improvise the top soil then regarding fertilizing your plants make sure you add at least one handful of compost like decompos cow dong or horse dung or even wormy compost per plant at least once every 15 days spring season is the most important time the growth of your plant picks up and fertilizing your plant is really important at this stage then on number two pruning that is trimming or cutting your plant branches for most summer plants this is the best time to prune them even hard pruning your older plants can be done at this time pruning encourages the plant to grow well and makes them bushy as the plant grows you can watch a detailed episode on how to prune types of pruning with important concepts of pruning from a link in description below well on number one start planting new seeds or plants depending on the zone you live in you can start sewing your seeds like summer vegetables or flowering plants for the summer in this spring season please follow this playlist titled complete gardening course and watch all parts like part one part two part three and so on please like share and comment below with your feedback and queries happy gardening

Channel: GARDEN TIPS

Views: 12,000

Keywords: gardening course, gardening lessons, gardening tutorials, organic gardening tips, container gardening ideas, indoor gardening techniques, starting a garden, small space gardening, landscaping, raised garden bed, indoor plants, house plants, potting soil, gardening, garden, plants, farming, horticulture, organic gardening, how to garden, vegetable gardening, how to grow, gardening tips, gardening for beginners

Id: _D79Yed-k5E

Length: 84min 10sec (5050 seconds)

Published: Fri Jan 19 2024