subject: Pots And Potting, Feeding Plants And Watering. [print this page] Pots And Potting: Pots And Potting:
Plastic pots arent just substitutes for clay ones. You will discover a number of advantages - they are lighter, more long-lasting and easier to clean. They require less water, but there's an increased danger of water logging. Peat, paper and whalehide pots are also available, but they must only be used as temporary homes for plants until the final potting up or planting out stage.
Learn to recognise when a plant is pot bound. Growth is slow, even when the plant is fed regularly in the spring and summer. Check by spreading the fingers of the left hand across the soil surface. Invert and gently knock the rim of your pot on the staging and lift off the pot. If there is a matted mass of roots around the soil ball, then it is pot bound and repotting is necessary.
On no account use ordinary garden soil for filling pots. Use a peat based or soil-based compost and never jump from a tiny pot to a very large one when repotting. If you do, the new compost could become sodden and new root growth will be inhibited. Use a pot that is only a couple of sizes larger than the present one.
Place a layer of compost in the bottom of the new pot and place your plant on top of it. Fill around the soil ball with fresh compost, leaving a 1 to 2cm. space between the compost level and the top of the pot. Water carefully and keep it in the shade for about a week.
Feeding Plants:
Plants require food to stay healthy. With a high-yielding crop, like Tomatoes or Cucumbers, this need is even more pronounced in order to get an exceptional crop of full-size fruit. Commercial peat based composts contain essential nutrients, but these last for only about 6 - 8 weeks after planting. After this period, regular feeding is essential.
The standard technique is to use a soluble fertilizer like Instant Bio which is diluted and applied through a watering can. Foliar feeding is a fascinating technique which may be used when root feeding is ineffective because of disease or injury.
Watering:
Whenever you are growing plants in a greenhouse then obviously they are going to depend on you for water. In the summer, plants may need watering twice each day, in the winter they may require water just once a fortnight. Water with care. Do not give daily dribbles so that the soil never dries out. The time to water is when the soil or compost is on the dry side, and then you should water thoroughly. Growing bags have their very own special rules - follow the manufacturers advice.
Another good tip is always to water according to the weather. Plants need a lot more water on a sunny day than on a cloudy one. For watering individual plants, the best buy is a can with a long spout so that you can reach the rear of your greenhouse staging. If the house is a big one a watering can is not realistic, you will need a hose pipe. Keep the pressure low and avoid washing away compost and exposing roots. Use rainwater whenever possible - never use hard water for Azalea, Orchid, Cyclamen or Hydrangea.
On hot days your greenhouse must be damped down by spraying the floor and staging with water. The plants need to be misted with a fine spray.
