As avid gardeners know, ways to protect plants are essential if you want lush foliage and a bountiful harvest. From pests to diseases to environmental factors, countless threats can harm your beloved greens.
Fortunately, there are numerous strategies you can use to safeguard your plants, no matter what challenges come your way. It is very important that rightfully protecting plants from the sun can bring out the best result in them. Some famous ways to do so are:
Choose the Right Location
To give your plants the best chance of survival, start by selecting the right location for them. Different varieties have different needs in terms of sun exposure, soil type, and drainage conditions.
Do some research ahead of time to find out which areas of your yard are most suited for each plant species you plan to cultivate. Try to put the plant in places where there is ample sunlight but not too much.
Prepare your soil
Healthy soil is key for healthy plants; it provides nutrients that allow roots to develop well and absorb water efficiently. To prepare your soil before planting day:
- Test its pH level using an inexpensive kit from any gardening store.
- Add organic materials like compost or manure based on test results to improve texture and nutrient content.
- Turn over the topsoil with a spade or tiller 6–8 inches deep.
Mulch Properly
Mulching helps retain moisture in the soil while also controlling weeds. Always try and aim for a thickness of about 2–4 inches across all exposed ground surfaces after planting has occurred, but not too close to stalks.
It is due to the fact that it may attract insects that would cause rotting. Mulching might not help the plant directly, but it will prepare the soil properly, which in the end will help the plant.
Water Wisely
One of the best ways to protect plants from the sun is by watering them well. Plants need water consistently throughout their growing season, and they may require more during heat waves.
But how much differs through every season, although watering twice daily might work effectively. When watering, make sure not to do so when the sun’s radiation is overhead, especially during midday hours, because leaves will get burned rather than nourished.
If you are able to water the plants at regular intervals, it will be fruitful for the right growth of the plants. Watering the plants may differ based on the plant, and you need to be careful about it.
Defend against pests
It is never a good feeling to see your plants being eaten by pests. Most of the time, the pests are bigger in size, but they tend to be smaller too. In all of the other ways to protect your plants, clearing the pests is the key. There are specific ways to do so.
- Use insecticides and pesticides according to directions.
- Plant “trap crops” (like marigolds or collards) alongside others that are more susceptible to damage.
- Handpick large insects like caterpillars off your plants before obvious signs exist.
Portable Greenhouse
On the list of ways to protect plants, building a portable greenhouse can be highly effective. A lot of gardeners would be unaware, but the greenhouse can protect the plants from excessive sunlight.
The glass or plastic used in the greenhouse is UV-protective but provides ample light needed by the plants. Installing the greenhouse is quite easy, and the advantages of the portable greenhouse are quite massive.
Don’t Ignore Nutrients
As human beings need nutrients, similar is the case with plants. For the proper growth of plants, nutrients play a massive role. Some of the finest nutrients include phosphorous, bone meal, eggshells, etc.
If you need to keep the plant full of nutrients, never try to overdo it. If the amount of nutrients exceeds the prescribed amount, the acidic nature might harm the root and plants, eventually killing them.
Special care for the pets
When talking about ways to protect plants, your pets tend to play a massive role. Yes, you heard it right. If you have a pet, be it a cat or a dog, it can make holes in the pot, which can destroy the plant.
Dogs are historically known to urinate on the leaves of the plant. This is very harmful to the proper growth of the plant. Not only this, but pet waste has such harmful chemicals that they kill the roots of the plant. Try to get rid of pet waste as quickly as possible.
Protect Against Extreme Weather
Gardeners know that weather can make or break harvest season. When extreme rainfall occurs, don’t let the soil become waterlogged, subsequently letting air pockets dissolve. It will eventually result in drowning roots; however, systemically opening airways periodically through short drainage channels works miraculously well.
At times, highly intense sunlight scorches foliage, making it sensitive to disease; thus, covering it with mesh sheeting is beneficial during such occurrences. The gardeners can even use the dark shades of plastic above the plants to keep them safe.
Know When To Harvest
The last yet important way to protect plants is to know the exact time of harvesting. Yes, you heard that right. If you are able to pluck it at the peak of its ripeness, you will get maximum flavor and great nutritional value.
Different flowers and plants have different time zones for harvest. Being a gardener, you should be well aware of the right time. Not everyone is an expert in it, but you will learn the tricks of the trade slowly.
After doing all the hard work of protecting, saving, and growing the plant, it is very important to harvest it at the right time. This will provide ultimate satisfaction to the gardener himself.
Final Thoughts
It is very satisfying to see someone’s garden grow so well. But the better growth of the garden needs time, effort, and money. Owning a brilliant flower is nothing if you aren’t able to protect and grow it well.
From watering to providing nutrients and even building the greenhouse, ways to protect plants are many. However, the reader should know the right process that works for your garden. Every garden has its own needs.
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