How to Grow Things - Your Online Source for Information on How to Grow Plants, Fruits, and Vegetables
How to grow plants
Learning how to grow plants is exciting because you are creating a new living thing. The process by which a seed becomes a plant is truly an awesome experience. You can take one little seed and grow a huge plant, a flower, or a tree. Learning how to grow a plant is easy. All you need is a seed, water, soil, and sunlight. You can grow plants indoors or out doors, in a pot or in the ground.
The best way to learn how to grow plants indoors is to buy some plant pots or flats, some fertile soil and either seeds or seedlings of the plant you wish to grow. There is also a peat planting mix available where really all you need to do is plant the seed and moisten for it to grow. Fill your pots or trays with soil--moisten the soil--you can do this by placing the pot in a pan of water until the soil moistens or water it from the top. Depending on what kind of seeds you are planting, you should read the instructions on the package. Some seeds need to be soaked before planting or have other requirements.
Next, it depends on the size of the seed you are growing as to whether you make a little hole in the soil, put the seed in and cover it with soil, or if as with very small seed ,you will need to make a row, scatter the seed in and then cover with soil. Some types of very fine seeds are simply scattered on top of the soil. For larger seeds, plant them 2-3 times the depth of the seed.
If you place plastic over the top of your pots, it will keep the moisture consistent until the seed germinates. Put a couple of very small sticks in the pot to keep the plastic off the top of the soil. Put your pot in a spot with lots of light but not a lot of direct sunlight. Depending on what kind of plant you are growing the seed will germinate in anywhere from one week to two months. As soon as you see the little green sprouts popping out of the soil, remove the plastic.
Next, the plants need to be watered daily if the soil is not moist, and they need more and more sunshine to grow. If you want to start adding plant food, now is the time. If you planted several plants, such as in a flat, you will need to thin out the plants as soon as they have developed two sets of leaves. These can be transplanted into new pots or flats. Make sure to move them by holding onto the stem and not the leaves of the plant.
When the plants have grown large enough that you are ready to plant them in the garden, you should harden them off by placing the pots outside during the day and bringing them back inside the house at night. After a few days of this, the plants are ready to go into the garden.
Part of learning how to grow plants also means doing a little research on what pests and diseases the plant you are growing is most susceptible to, and taking appropriate measures to keep the plants healthy. Unhealthy plants will not produce either flowers or vegetables. Make sure to keep your plants weeded as well because the more competition there is for the nutrients, the less you plants will get.
The whole process of growing plants can be very exciting. The first sign of the plant bursting through the soil is usually a joyful experience, as is knowing that with your care it can grow into a healthy, beautiful living thing that will produce much fruit.