Plant lovers know that summer can wreak serious havoc. Florist Mar Ramón, founder and director of Flors & GO!, gives us 10 tips to take care of plants in summer.
The plants need a series of special care. The arrival of summer can cause serious damage to your image and your ability to develop; therefore, it is good to apply some measures that are decisive and favor the state of conservation of the plants.
In order to have a clearer vision of the processes that we can apply to vegetables during the summer season, we have turned to the florist Mar Ramón, founder and director of Flors & GO! This professional offers us a series of tips that, without a doubt, are functional and useful for keeping plants in good condition.
Irrigation, very important in summer
To have beautiful and colorful plants, it is essential to pay attention to the amount of water that we provide. To provide the right measurements, it is recommended to have a knowledge of the species. Some are going to require more water than others; for this reason, it is convenient to know its own characteristics and its natural qualities. Not all of them need to receive a lot of lighting; in fact, there are indoor plants that need little light.
Generally, it is recommended that plants be watered at sunrise or sunset. Why is this? If it is done during the hottest hours, the water evaporates quickly; In this way, the soil will not be as hydrated and, therefore, proper care of indoor and terrace plants is not carried out.
The simple act of spraying water from time to time is a positive thing. The vegetable is refreshed and that feeling of constant dryness is avoided. Keep in mind that if they are constantly in the sun, they require precise attention at certain times of the day so that they are hydrated. If you want to have the perfect plants, water is life for them.
Attention and care
One of the tips that Mar Ramón shows us is the protection that we must offer against pests. Aphids are a serious problem, as are other diseases that can damage leaves and flowers. It is also good to transplant when necessary. For some plants we can resort to large and beautiful pots, while others can be accommodated in small pots.
If you don’t want to have problems with the plants, you can also opt for those that better resist high temperatures. However, think about the possibility of creating a small greenhouse that can conserve moisture in the plants. In any case, it is good that they are kept away from the sun and that they do not spend too many hours in the suffocating heat, it is a way of keeping the plants in good condition and moist.
In short, if you want to know the 10 tips that Mar Ramón offers us, keep reading and discover the best advice to properly preserve outdoor and indoor plants.
1 Water at the right time
In summer it is important to water deeply so that the water reaches the roots. For this reason, you have to water slowly to offer the plants what they need, without flooding the substrate.
The time of irrigation is also important: either first thing in the morning, or at nightfall. Watering during hot hours can damage plants due to the “magnifying glass” effect that the drops exert on the sun’s rays.
Although not all species tolerate it, in many of our plants it is convenient to spray water to keep them cool.
2 Watch out for pests
Summer is the time of greatest risk in this regard. Special attention must be paid to all parts of the plants to check that no disease is attacking them. Since many plants are in the flowering season in summer, the supply of nutrients is essential to avoid diseases and pests. You have to apply more manure and fertilizer than the rest of the year.
Interior design: Atelier HR studio.
3 The Power of the Stones
A simple and very practical method : place small stones on the substrate so that it retains moisture. This “blanket” prevents heat from reaching the roots.
Decoration: Studio BMK.
4 Water and “clean”
Fundamental when we go on a trip: just before leaving for your destination, spend a few minutes watering all the house plants and removing everything that is left over: branches and dry leaves. This prevents the plant from devoting moisture and nutrients to the wilted leaves and flowers.
Architect: Jorge Moser.
5 Transplant
If you have plants in clay pots, this can transpire moisture from the soil very quickly and end up drying out the substrate. In summer, bet on plastic. Transplant or insert the pots for your plants, made of clay in larger plastic containers, filling the holes with substrate.
6 Take the opportunity to renew
Do you want to give a new look to your home or your garden? If in summer you bet on a change, take the opportunity to choose the species that best tolerate high temperatures. The vicarias can be planted directly in the soil of your garden, they do not require special substrates and they withstand heat well.
Agaves (succulents) are perfect plants for outdoor decoration, as they resist direct sun and lack of water.
The crotons -plants of the Codiaeum genus- will not complain if you go on vacation and spend a few days without water: they will resist summer perfectly.
An idea from the Egue y Seta studio.
7 The “cord” trick
One last idea, very effective. You only need a lace (for example from a pair of sneakers). Put one end in a container of water, and the other inside the soil of your plant. The cord will absorb moisture from the container, taking it to the pot.
Decorator: Marra Matey.
8 to the bathtub
Yes, another common and beneficial place is the bathroom: the plants that you have in terracotta pots can be placed on a few pieces of brick or simply in turned plates inside the bathtub, with some water (no more than 5 centimeters of Water). The brick and pots will absorb the liquid to add moisture to your plants.
9 Your homemade greenhouse
A simple and effective trick: place all the plants together, and near them one (or more) basins with water. Cover everything with a plastic, which you will have previously pierced (so that the plants breathe and excessive condensation does not affect them). It is a simple way to maintain the necessary humidity for our plants. Be careful, yes, with the floor: cover it to prevent water condensation from damaging it.
Interior designer: María López Montero.
10 The Perfect Place
Have you chosen a paradisiacal beach to sunbathe this summer? It’s a good plan for you… but not for your plants: keep them out of the sun! We need the plants to stay humid for as long as possible, so the ideal is to leave them in a room where -although some light enters- the sun’s rays do not reach them. It is also a good idea to leave some containers of water in the room. When it evaporates, the environment will be humidified, and your plants will thank you for it.
