My Green Thumb

I work at Lewis Drug in Sioux Falls. This is my third year working in the garden center. It can be a lot of fun and a lot of work. Here are some tips and tricks that I've picked up from working with the plants.

One of my favorite phrases I learned in the class we all had to go through is that plants are like people. They are living breathing beings and need to be treated with the same respect and care as say a pet. They need water, food, space, sunlight, and shelter. Here are some tips for each of these things.

Watering
Water in the morning just as the sun is coming up. This is the time when the plants do the majority of their growing. On a hot day water in the afternoon as well. Count to 5 Mississippi for a normal drink. If the plant is really dry, you might want to submerge it in a bucket of water to force the soil to absorb water. If it rains during the day you don't need to water. (I shouldn't have to say this but you would be surprised by the questions I get asked on this subject.) Make sure you get the water close to the roots of the plant. If you just wet the leaves you aren't really watering...your just getting water everywhere. Try not to over water. The way to tell if your plants need water is to check the soil. It should always be moist. If you are using one of those spray heads, make sure you use a gentle setting like shower. How would you feel if someone shot water at you with enough force to knock you over? Plants like rain not storms or jets.

Food
Yes plants need food. How you can tell when your plant is hungry is when the leaves turn yellow. Most plants come with food in their pots. This is why you want to use the dirt from the container then add more dirt as needed. You can buy small containers of plant food. Yeah that's about it with food...

Space
We all need room to grow. Look at the label before you buy to see how big your plant should get. I say should because if you don't take care of your plant it will not grow (many people don't understand this). As your plant grows bigger on the surface, its roots will also expand. If you plant your flowers too close together, you might end up with a mixture of flowers. Make sure you plan for the future.

Sunlight
Plants are labeled in three ways: Full Sun, Partial Sun, and No Sun. Know where you are putting your plants. If your house faces East a No Sun plant will die. You need to know how much sunlight is present in the placement of plants. Most plants are full to partial sun. Petunias and Pansies are good examples of full sun annuals. Impatiens are a little to no sun plant. They will die if placed in the sun all day. If you are unsure as to how much sun a plant will need just look at the label. Full sun has a yellow label, partial sun has a yellow and orange label or just an orange label, and no/little sun has a purple or pink label. If your plant has no label ask an employee for help.

Shelter
We live in South Dakota...there is always a need for shelter. Storms are a big issue. If we are in a tornado watch or a flash flood warning, bring your plants inside. Wind is another big issue. Just make sure everything stays upright after a windy day and you will be fine.

Some other random facts
Annual=only lasts one season
Perennial=supposed to come back every year

Deadhead=pick off all dead leaves and flowers from the plants
The employees have to deadhead all the plants in the garden center every day. Not only does it keep the plants looking nice but it also prevents mold from spreading.

Mold
Caused by dead flowers or leaves that rot in the soil. This year was the worst for the mold because of how cold it was in May. We couldn't keep up with the dead leaves in the green house so on a daily basis I would have to take gloves with me to the tents and pull all the mold off the plants...gross! Once mold starts it is very hard to get rid of. I spreads to all the plants around it. The only way to get rid of it is to pull it out off the soil and let everything dry out.

There is a chemical that you can buy that turns pink hydrangeas blue.

The difference between top soil and potting soil is that top soil is meant to go on the ground and potting soil is meant to go in pots.

The last official frost date in South Dakota is June 4Th.

We live in zone 4. This means that some plant that are considered a perennial in other places are actually annuals here.

We have a joke at my Lewis that plants are suicidal. They like to fall off the displays....yeah that's probably only funny to me...

Perennials are not meant to be put in a pot. They are meant to go in the ground. If you insist on putting one in a pot do not expect it to come back next year. Even though its gets very cold here, plants are still much warmer and happier being in the ground.

A paper plate works just as well as a plastic dish.

Plastic pots will not last forever
Plants are not meant to stay in the pots they come in forever. They need room to grow.

Yes you will get dirty when planting your flowers....your working with dirt

After July 1st you are pushing it if you want to plant perennials. They need time for their roots to take hold and they have to do that before it gets too cold out.

And finally, Go To Lewis!!!! We have the best plants and we actually take care of them. We give you the best price we can for the best plants (for a department store) in Sioux Falls.

Happy Gardening!!!
AH