Getting the best out of your plants
Now is the time for planting and preparing for a summer full of blooms. Whether you’re planting flowers, or some tasty fruit and veg, looking after them is very important. If you care for your young plants right now, they’ll reward you later on
The plant lifecycle
Helping your plant grow big and strong starts with knowing how it grows. Let’s take a look at the plant cycle of a sunflower
The basics – what do plants need to grow?
Plants need the right environment to grow and the needs of each plant are different. But here are the things that every plant needs to grow
Water
- Plants use water to help transport food and nutrients
- They’re a good all-rounder – great for salads, grilling, baking, or frying
- Water is taken up through the soil, that's why you should always check soil for moisture
Light
- Sunlight helps plants to make a chemical called chlorophyll - it's what makes them green
- Plants absorb light from the sun and use it to make energy
- Some plants even open during the day to get the most light, then close again at night when it's dark
The right temperature
- Seeds need to hit a certain temperature to start growing
- Every plant is different, that’s why different plants grow outside in hot and cold countries
- Need more support due to the weight of the fruits being higher
- Plant roots are very sensitive to heat, if it's too hot or cold, the plant gets stressed
Air
- Plants breathe too
- They need oxygen from the air to make food
- They help clean the air that we breathe by taking in carbon dioxide and creating oxygen
Time
- Plants don’t grow overnight
- Every seed or bulb needs a different amount of time to grow. Beans grow fast while potatoes take a little longer
- There's even a cactus in Mexico that only grows 1 inch in 10 years
Nutrients
- Nutrients are the food that helps plants stay healthy
- If they can’t get them from the soil, fertiliser can help
- Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium the most to grow healthily
Fertiliser is any sort of material that’s added to soil to help plants grow. It has important nutrients needed to keep the plant healthy and increases the amount of flowers or cropsNutrients is the fancy word used to describe the food that plants need to grow and stay healthy. Nitrogen is one of these nutrients – it helps plants grow healthy green leaves
There are two main types of fertiliser
bie mystery together
Organic
- Where nutrients are found naturally in animal waste and in food scraps
- Manure and compost are both types of organic fertiliser
Man-made
- These are products that humans have made that are full of the right nutrients
- You can buy it in pellets, as a powder or as a liquid
Our friends at Westland have a range of fertilisers (plant food) for different types of plants in your garden.
Boost has been created so that it has all the nutrients your plants need to grow big and strong – it can make them produce up to four times as many flowers! It's also really easy to use
How to spot if something’s wrong
Once your plants are growing, it’s important to know if they’re healthy. Plants tell us what they need – you just need to take a careful look
Tall and skinny seedlings
- They’re not getting enough light
- Move them to a brighter spot near a window
Yellow or strangely coloured leaves
- Your plants aren’t getting enough nutrients to grow
- Add a small amount of plant food and make sure you’re using the right compost
Wilting leaves
- Your plants are thirsty
- Keep the soil damp and moist, but don’t overwater as it can make the roots rot – and watch out for mould
Seeds not sprouting
- They might have been planted too deep or are too cold
- Put them somewhere warmer or replant at the right depth