3 tips for taking care of your plants this summer

In this article you will find all our advice for taking care of your plants in summer, we will cover different themes including watering, exposure, temperature and humidity. Water and light are two fundamental elements for our friends the plants as well as for their development because this is what will enable them to feed them, however a good dosage is necessary for their balance. Depending on the periods and depending on the temperatures and ambient humidity levels, their needs will evolve generating a period of adaptation.

Due to high heat, summer temperatures and increasingly long days, plants' water requirements will also increase. This is mainly due to the fact that the water will evaporate and be absorbed more quickly by its roots, the plant will therefore need a more regular supply of water. The best way to know if a plant is lacking water is to touch the soil with your fingers and see if it is dry or not, knowing that during this period the potting soil must always remain very moist. We recommend watering 3 to 4 times per week for those who are more water hungry (likecalatheas ) otherwise every 15 days for the most resistant (likesucculents and cacti ) always atroom temperature and rainwater no limestone.
We tend to think that the moment or hour we water our plants doesn't really matter, as long as we water them, but in fact it does! And we explain why.Awatering your plants in the evening or at night promotes the development of diseases such as root rot or other bacteria or fungi , this phenomenon mainly occurs because of the lack of light. The plant will continue to receive water all night, but it will not be able to absorb what it already has. During the day and especially thanks to the light, the plant will be able to more easily and quickly absorb the water that will reach its roots, keeping it healthy and avoiding any risk of mold. Prefer watering in the morning before 10 a.m., the air is then cooler and the soil too, which reduces evaporation and therefore your plants benefit more from the water you apply.

If you are away for a long period of time, leave with peace of mind by using an oya, which will allow you to water your plants continuous and progressive.

The recommended exposure for most plants is a bright exposure without direct sun, in fact contact with direct sun could risk burning the foliage.To remedy this, it is therefore advisable to keep your plants away from the window so that they are not exposed directly to the sun's rays. Concerning the orientation and where to place them, it all depends on your interior, for a north-facing interior we favor plants that support dark spaces such asDracaena ,pothos ,asparagus , pilea... for a south-facing interior with lots of light and sun it will be suitable forcacti ,succulents , ficus.

Never forget that the sun rotates , so be sure to rotate your plantperiodically to prevent it from leaning towards the light.
Even when you go on vacation, do not close your windows or shutters because your plants will not survive without light.

In summer, our houses and apartments will tend to have alower humidity level than the rest of the year , which is why in addition to watering, it is strongly recommended to spray the foliage of your plants using a spray in order to prevent them from suffering too much from drought. Even more so concerning tropical plants such as ferns or even calatheas which are accustomed by their original environments to living in a very high humidity level of between 77% and 88%. Spraying your plants also helps to dust off your plants which allows them to breathe better. Finally, as for watering, it is strongly recommended to use rain or non-calcareous water.Mist 1 time per day remains ideal for providing all the humidity they need. Just like basinage (where we "soak" the aerial parts of the plantin a bucket or a basin) which also makes it possible to transiently increase the humidity around the plant.

For more advice and extend your experience, read our complementary blog article on caring for plants in summer:

Our complete guide to taking care of your plants this summer

How to save your plants when you come back from vacation

Author: Mathilde, expertLa Green Touch