Page 118 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2022

HOME & GARDEN
How Not
TO KILL YOUR PLANTS story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster
First things first, don’t set yourself up for failure. Choose plants that are native to the area, and thus are already acclimated to South Mississippi’s climate. Some examples of local flora include crape myrtles, azaleas, cypress, oaks, and hollies.
Next up we’ll address the bare necessities: water, light, and
soil. “Make sure your plants get the correct amount of sunlight for that type of plant and only water plants when they are dry,” says Rachel Bond of Pine Hills Nursery. “Don’t over water, especially if you grow in containers. Plant in loose topsoil in the ground or good potting soil in containers.”
One of the most common mistakes are watering a plant too much or, in contrast, watering it too little. Bond says, “Your plant will show you what it needs.
Water if wilted but do not water wet soil. Some people want to follow a schedule with watering, but it’s best to check the soil in case it is not needed.”
There are different opinions whether indoor or outdoor plants are easier to care for if you’ve
got a brown thumb, but one of the pros of indoor plants is that you can control the conditions. Of course, this could be good
or bad depending on just how challenged you are. “It’s good because you can more closely monitor the care of your plants,” says Bond. “However, if you go out of town or forget to water them, they can die quickly since they are not getting any moisture from their environment.”
If your plant is starting to look, well, wilty, there might still be some hope. Bond says that plants are – thankfully – pretty resilient
and
can
recover
if you fix the
problem and follow up with proper care. For damaged plants, the best course of action is to
cut back all foliage and branches until you get back to a place with good, green growth.
Pine Hills Nursery
7434 Cuevas Rd., Pass Christian 228.255.9645 www.pinehillsnursery.net
118 | March 2022
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Looking for some survival tips for
the horticulturally challenged? We’ve got you covered.
PRO TIP:
When planting outside, a good rule of thumb is to amend the soil. Most soil in South Mississippi has more sand or clay than plants typically like. When you plant, mix a bag of good compost or topsoil with the existing soil so the roots will
have good, loose soil to
grow into.