🌱 Plant Care Essentials

Master the fundamentals for thriving biological gardens

Proper plant care is the foundation of successful biological gardening. Understanding watering, feeding, pruning, and general maintenance ensures healthy, productive plants without relying on synthetic inputs.

💧 Watering Principles

Deep and Infrequent vs. Shallow and Frequent

The golden rule: Water deeply (6-8 inches) 1-2 times per week rather than lightly every day. Deep watering encourages deep root growth, making plants more drought-tolerant and resilient.

  • Deep watering benefits: Stronger root systems, less surface weed germination, more drought-tolerant plants
  • How much: Most vegetables need 1-2 inches of water per week (including rain)
  • Test soil moisture: Stick finger 2-3 inches into soil. If dry, water. If moist, wait
  • Avoid overwatering: More plants die from overwatering than under watering. Soil should dry somewhat between waterings

Timing Matters

  • Morning is best: Water between 5-10 AM. Foliage dries quickly, reducing disease risk
  • Evening is second choice: If morning impossible, water early evening (before 6 PM) so leaves dry before night
  • Avoid midday: Water lost to evaporation, less efficient, can stress plants in heat
  • Never at night: Wet foliage overnight promotes fungal diseases

Watering Methods

Drip Irrigation (Best)

Pros: Waters soil not foliage, very efficient, can automate, reduces disease

Cons: Initial setup cost and effort

Best for: Permanent beds, busy gardeners, water conservation

Soaker Hoses (Good)

Pros: Waters at soil level, easy to set up, affordable

Cons: Can clog, uneven water distribution, shorter lifespan

Best for: Rows of vegetables, temporary setups

Hand Watering (Acceptable)

Pros: No equipment, you observe plants closely, can target specific plants

Cons: Time-consuming, easy to underwater, inconsistent

Best for: Small gardens, containers, spot watering

Overhead Sprinklers (Least Desirable)

Pros: Easy, waters large areas

Cons: Wastes water, wets foliage (disease risk), less efficient

Best for: Lawns, not vegetable gardens

Water Conservation

  • Mulch heavily: 2-4 inches of organic mulch reduces water needs by 50%
  • Improve soil: Add compost to increase water-holding capacity
  • Group by water needs: Plant thirsty crops together, drought-tolerant crops together
  • Water wisely: Don't water pathways or empty beds
  • Collect rainwater: Rain barrels can provide free irrigation water
  • Shade cloth: In hot climates, reduce water loss through transpiration

🥗 Feeding Your Plants Organically

Understanding Plant Nutrition

Plants need three primary nutrients in relatively large amounts (macronutrients) and several secondary nutrients and micronutrients in smaller amounts.

Nitrogen (N) - Leafy Growth

Function: Promotes green, leafy growth and overall plant vigor

Deficiency signs: Yellowing leaves (starting from bottom), stunted growth

Organic sources: Blood meal, feather meal, fish emulsion, alfalfa meal, compost

Phosphorus (P) - Roots & Flowers

Function: Develops strong roots, flowers, fruits, and seeds

Deficiency signs: Purple-tinged leaves, poor flowering/fruiting, weak roots

Organic sources: Bone meal, rock phosphate, fish bone meal

Potassium (K) - Overall Health

Function: Disease resistance, water regulation, fruit quality

Deficiency signs: Brown leaf edges, weak stems, poor fruit development

Organic sources: Kelp meal, greensand, wood ash, sul-po-mag

Feeding Schedule by Crop Type

Heavy Feeders (feed every 2-3 weeks):

  • Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant - Balanced feed throughout season
  • Corn, squash, cucumbers - High nitrogen early, balanced during fruiting
  • Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale) - High nitrogen throughout
  • Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, chard) - High nitrogen for leaf production

Moderate Feeders (feed monthly):

  • Beans, peas - Fix own nitrogen, need phosphorus and potassium
  • Root vegetables (beets, turnips) - Balanced feed, avoid excess nitrogen
  • Herbs (most) - Light feeding, too much reduces flavor

Light Feeders (compost at planting sufficient):

  • Carrots, radishes - Excess nitrogen causes hairy roots
  • Onions, garlic - Need good soil, but not heavy feeding
  • Potatoes - Compost at planting, side-dress once at flowering

Application Methods

  • Top-dressing: Sprinkle compost or organic fertilizer around plants, water in
  • Side-dressing: Apply fertilizer in bands 4-6 inches from stems
  • Foliar feeding: Spray diluted compost tea or fish emulsion on leaves for quick boost
  • Pre-planting: Mix amendments into soil 2-4 weeks before planting

✂️ Pruning and Training

Why Prune?

  • Improve air circulation: Reduces fungal disease pressure
  • Direct energy: Focus plant's energy on fruit production rather than excess foliage
  • Increase light penetration: Better ripening and photosynthesis
  • Maintain shape: Keep plants manageable and productive
  • Remove disease: Eliminate infected parts before problems spread

Pruning Tomatoes

  • Remove suckers: Small shoots growing between main stem and branches. Pinch when small
  • Bottom pruning: Remove leaves touching ground (reduce disease, improve air flow)
  • Top pruning: In late season, remove top 4-6 inches to direct energy to ripening fruit
  • Indeterminate vs. determinate: Indeterminate varieties benefit most from pruning. Determinates need less

Pruning Cucumbers, Melons, and Squash

  • Cucumbers: Train main vine up trellis, pinch side shoots to 2-3 leaves
  • Melons: After fruit sets, pinch vine tips to direct energy to fruit development
  • Squash: Generally don't prune, but can remove damaged or diseased leaves

Pruning Herbs

  • Basil: Pinch growing tips regularly to promote bushy growth, remove flower buds
  • Mint, oregano: Cut back by 1/3 every few weeks to prevent flowering and encourage new growth
  • Rosemary, thyme, sage: Light pruning after flowering, don't cut into old wood
  • Parsley, cilantro, dill: Harvest outer leaves/stems regularly to encourage new growth

Training and Support

  • Staking: Single support stake for indeterminate tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
  • Caging: Wire cages for determinate tomatoes and bushy plants
  • Trellising: Vertical support for cucumbers, peas, beans, squash
  • Florida weave: String support system for rows of tomatoes
  • Espalier: Training fruit trees flat against wall or fence

🌡️ Environmental Care

Temperature Management

  • Frost protection: Row covers, cloches, water jugs can protect from light frosts
  • Heat stress: Shade cloth, extra mulch, and consistent watering help in extreme heat
  • Transplant shock: Harden off seedlings gradually before planting outdoors
  • Season extension: Cold frames, row covers, and plastic tunnels extend growing season

Light Requirements

  • Full sun (6+ hours): Tomatoes, peppers, squash, corn, most fruiting plants
  • Partial sun (4-6 hours): Lettuce, leafy greens, herbs, root vegetables
  • Shade tolerant (2-4 hours): Leafy greens, herbs like parsley and chervil
  • Monitor for issues: Leggy growth indicates insufficient light

🌿 Common Plant Problems & Solutions

Yellowing Leaves

  • Bottom leaves yellow: Natural aging or nitrogen deficiency
  • All-over yellow: Overwatering, poor drainage, or nutrient deficiency
  • Yellow with green veins: Iron deficiency (chlorosis), often pH-related
  • Solution: Adjust watering, feed appropriately, test soil pH

Wilting

  • Recovers after watering: Under-watering, needs more frequent watering or mulch
  • Doesn't recover: Root damage, disease (wilt), or severe heat stress
  • Morning wilt: Often indicates root problems or disease

Poor Fruit Set

  • Temperature stress: Too hot (>90°F) or too cold (<55°F) prevents pollination
  • Poor pollination: Lack of pollinators, hand-pollinate if needed
  • Excessive nitrogen: Too much causes lush foliage but few flowers/fruit
  • Water stress: Inconsistent watering causes blossom drop

Blossom End Rot (Tomatoes, Peppers, Squash)

  • Cause: Calcium deficiency, usually from inconsistent watering rather than lack of calcium in soil
  • Solution: Maintain consistent soil moisture, mulch heavily, avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen
  • Prevention: Add crushed eggshells or lime to soil, ensure proper calcium availability

🌱 Plant Care Fundamentals

  • • Observe daily: Check plants regularly to catch problems early
  • • Water wisely: Deep and infrequent beats shallow and frequent
  • • Feed appropriately: Match feeding to crop needs and growth stage
  • • Prune strategically: Remove only what helps the plant thrive
  • • Mulch consistently: Reduces weeds, conserves water, moderates temperature
  • • Support properly: Stake or trellis before plants get too large

💡 Pro Tip

The best time to water is early morning, the second-best time is now! If you missed morning watering, don't skip it - just water early evening instead. Consistent watering prevents more problems than it causes, even if timing isn't perfect.

📚 Further Reading

Explore our Books section for in-depth plant care guides, including "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" by Edward C. Smith and "How to Grow More Vegetables" by John Jeavons.