Pot plant care for gifts given and received.

Here are a few useful hints that will help with pot plant care and the TLC (tender loving care) they deserve.

All gifts of pot plants will require some additional looking after before giving and once received.

Pot Plant Care

• Always read the care labels found on the plants before purchasing as this will tell you all about the pot plant care. The label should tell you how much water they like. Whether they prefer sunlight or shade. How warm they like to be. When and how often they require feeding and what type of plant food to give them. Make sure that the label is still attached when you give the present.

• Dead head (remove old flower heads) regularly for both indoor and outdoor plants. This will encourage new flowers to form.

• Never water plants in bright sunlight as any water on the flowers or leaves will cause them to burn. You will be able to remove house plants from any direct sunlight when watering. Outdoor plants may be more difficult to move, so water in the early morning or early evening.

• If possible water all plants from the bottom as this will stop you from over watering.

• Discard any water that has not been taken up by the plants. If the plants are allowed to stand in water this will rot the roots.

• Only water when the soil starts to feel dry to the touch. There are various gimmicks that you can buy from florist that will help you determine when a plant requires watering. Some hold water and this seeps slowly through the wall to keep the soil moist. Why not give this as an extra gift to help with the pot plant care?

• Peace lilies like a lot of water and often start to droop when they require some. The plant will soon revive when you give it a drink. They like to have natural light to keep them healthy, but must not be placed in direct sunlight.

• Terracotta pots draw the water away from the plants. Using this type of pot will mean they may require more watering. Often pots have been finished with a special coating to prevent this happening. Check with the person when buying the pot to ensure you do not over water. Let the person you are buying the gift for know what type of pot it is.

• In summer, water your patio plants daily in the evening as the sun is going down. This will help them grow into healthy plants. Patio pots and hanging baskets will often need several liters of water daily.

• Always ensure you have enough natural light for indoor plants. Choose your presents wisely for the type of room or garden where they are likely to be placed.

• Some plants such as poinsettias do not like to be kept in drafts and require good natural light. They do not like to be over watered and will drop their leaves if they are. They may even rot if the problem is not rectified quickly. They make ideal Christmas gifts for people with green fingers.

• Orchids in the wild normally anchor themselves to things rather than growing in the ground. These orchids should be purchased in clear containers so that it is possible to see any problems with the root system. These containers have good drainage and allow the light to reach the root system as it would in the wild. The roots require the light to maintain a healthy plant.

• Hydrangeas come in white, pink and blue. The blue is obtained by placing aluminum sulfate in the soil. It is much easier to control the color of the hydrangea when grown in containers. It is much easier to change plants from pink to blue than the other way round. To maintain the color of the plant always use water with a ph level of no more than 5.6.

• If buying a pot of hyacinths for a gift make sure that the earth they are planted in is reasonably dry. They should not be watered until you have got them home or have given them away as a present. Hyacinths will start to open as soon as they receive water. Pot plant care of hyacinths is very easy and makes them a suitable gift for everyone.

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