Plant Language 101 Article

This is the article that will be in the magazine along with great pictures.

Plant Language 101 Remember when the plant rage was playing music to your plants? Folks swore that their house plants grew better with music. The plants were listening to the music and were happier and healthier. What is really needed is for people to learn to listen to their plants. Plants really do talk we just don't always understand what they are saying.

Welcome to Plant Language 101. If you can learn to listen to your plants you will have great success and all of your friends will start to rave about your ‘Green Thumb'. Like learning any new language it takes desire and practice. There isn't space in a magazine to put in the homework lessons. Learning any language requires practice....Go to www.weidners.com and look for the Plant language pages to complete each lesson's assignment. Or come into Weidners Gardens anytime after November 1 and ask for your free copy. Weidners Gardens...695 Normandy Rd. Encinitas [Closed Tuesdays] ph 760 436 2194

LESSON ONE.. Leaves and stems wilting and drooping down. Plant is usually saying...."I'm thirsty...give me a drink. Please...Please...notice me. No, Don't walk on by me...I am so thirsty! Your plant needs slow soaking to re-hydrate the soil and the plant. In the ground get out the hose or set the sprinklers to running. Learning when and how to water takes practice. This is one of your most important homework assignments. .

LESSON TWO.. Stop, You're drowning me! Plant wilts and looks like it is dry but the pot is heavy. If the pot is extra heavy and or the soil is wet and soggy to your finger...the plant is saying ‘Stop, You're drowning me. The soil always seems to be wet. The opposite of being thirsty but what you see appears to be the same. In a plant drowning...you want to look at the soil and see if it is water saturated. When you leave the plant soil fully saturated for longer than just a short time he air pockets in the soil are filled with water and the plant roots begin to drown and quickly die. Drought and Drowning...are the two big killers. You cannot make up for forgetting to water by over watering. It doesn't work that way. When your plant is drowning the leaves and stems wilt...just like the thirsty signal but they are wilting because the excess water has destroyed the roots and the roots are the highway that bring moisture to the upper parts of the plant.

LESSON THREE.. Give me more light.. The branches all lean out towards the brighter light You have fewer flowers and skinny long branches. The plant is saying...It's too dark here and I'm trying my best to get more light. Solution...Move the plant to a different location and choose plants that will tolerate the shade that is in that area.

LESSON FOUR.. I'm hungry...Give me some food Leaves of the plant are lighter green, smaller than before, less growth and flowers. In the garden everything looks pale green and stressed looking Well fed plants are good dark green with fresh new growth. Plants are supposed to grow. In order to grow the plants need regular fertilizer. Most of our soil in North County is almost totally lacking in nutrients. Fertilizer does no good sitting on the shelf.

LESSON FIVE.. Please get me a bigger house! How is the plant talking to you? It's hard to keep the plant watered. The leaves look pale and are getting smaller. A look at the roots shows the inside is full of roots with not much room for soil Plant needs repotting into a larger pot. Go up in pot size 2 to 4 inches for an indoor plant. 4 to 8 inches for an outdoor potted plant.

LESSON SIX.. I need a hair cut... Look at your plants...Are they getting long and scraggly looking?. Lots of dead flowers hanging on? It's time for a haircut? Be sure to read the practice sections for this lesson. Best one line of advice...It doesn't hurt your plant to prune it. On most plants always leave some green leaves to encourage new growth. Dead-head, Dead- head, Dead-head!!!

LESSON SEVEN.. Help! The bugs are attacking! You see: Black sooty look on leaves and stems, You see ants crawling on your plant. This is an indicator that the plant has or has had some unfriendly insect infestations. This sooty mold is not damaging to the plant by itself but the sweet clear exudate from insects gets covered with the black soot. Look for aphids, scale, mealybugs or spider mites. Spray with strong water spray the appropriate insecticide or use beneficial insects to help control the insects. Get after those Ants!!! The practice sessions for this lesson are really important.

LESSON EIGHT.. It's time for a specialist...You are really stumped and you don't know what to do. Remember, It's a wise person who knows when to ask for help. Call in the Master Gardeners....858 694 2860.or www.mastergardenes.org They work under the supervision of Vince Lozanio, your Home and Garden Agricultural Extension Expert. If the Master Gardeners can't solve your problem, Vince can. . It's free, Your taxes pay for it. They're friendly folks and a wonderful resource for you. Use it!

LESSON NINE.. Nothing lives forever...please put me out of my misery. Annuals are supposed to only last for one season. Many of the new blooming plants have a two to three year life. Disease strikes, plants wear out, mistakes are made. You've tried it all and it's not working. Dump the plant and go on with living. Gardening is a life long learning experience and we are all constantly learning by our successes and our mistakes.

LESSON TEN.. Congratulations...You've completed plant language 101 Now for the most important lesson of all. You know how to listen to your plants and you are beginning to understand them. Keep practicing The rest is up to you. ..

e-mail address staff@weidners.com

Evelyn@weidners.com (this goes to my home computer)
Web site address www.weidners.com