Welcome to the world of amateur gardening; essentially, all you need is a Happy Pot (with free seeds!), some soil, sunlight, and you’re set!
So, why should you include plants in your surroundings?
Introducing plants to your living and working environment is a natural way of improving the surrounding air quality, since plants absorb carbon dioxide and other forms of harmful airborne chemicals whilst also giving out oxygen. Research also shows that keeping and caring for plants at home or in the office reduces both physical and psychological stress by engaging senses of touch and smell which are known to reduce insomnia, anxiety, and even depression.
The benefits of having plants far out-weigh the fuss of taking care of them, so to help you get started, here’s a quick, step-by-step guide to novice gardening.
What do you need?
To get you started all you need is:
- Your personalized Happy Pot (link)
- Seeds – you can use the free seeds that come with your Happy Pot, or transfer a previously owned plant (link to Do’s and Don’ts)
- Soil and plant-food – we recommend recycling rather than store-bought (link to DIY Plant Care)
- Fresh water – you can also use the water refuse from your AC or dehumidifier!
- A space in your office/home that has exposure to sunlight at certain times.
- Ventilation
What do you need to do?
Step 1
So you’ve got your very own Happy Pot. Now it’s time to spice up your surroundings by putting it on display, and making a home for your plants to thrive! Now, if you’re planting seeds, make sure to germinate them first – we recommend using seeds of endemic flowers when possible. If you’re transferring store-bought or previously owned plants, make sure to properly dispose of its previous pot by either recycling, finding alternative use, or giving it away!
Step 2
Fill your pot half way through with soil of your choice, plant your germinated seeds/ plant, and add more soil until your Happy Pot is almost full (leave 0.5-1 inches empty). Be sure to leave no roots exposed, and to not pile soil over your seedling’s initial stem.
Step 3
Before finding a place for your plant try to take note of exposure to sunlight and ventilation in your chosen space. This of course depends on your seed of choice, so if you choose a spot that has little to no sunlight, you should choose plants which are appropriate for such conditions. Temperature and humidity also have a bearing on your plant’s health, so it’s super important to know what your plant likes!
Step 4
Watering your plant is a somewhat tricky job. Over watering and under watering can be devastating for plants, so it’s important to do some research on your floral friend to figure out what they like. The same goes for plant nourishment, and we always recommend organic! Keep in mind that the six essential nutrients for plants are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur and calcium.
Note that all plants are different and have different requirements, which means that they thrive in different conditions. We hope this article made your adventure into . Be sure to check out our other articles on floriculture and gardening tips, as well as our content on Sustainability and Protecting the Environment!