Trees are one of the most precious natural resources we have and, despite this, it is also one of the most mistreated dailies. Trees help us from producing the oxygen we breathe to helping alleviate the effects of climate change and the stove effect in large urban centers. Many people worry about how to take care of plants and trees. If we talk about houseplants, we need not worry.
How to take care of plants and trees?
There are only two issues that should be addressed.
1. Irrigation:
2. Nutrition:
3. Lighting:
4. Temperature:
5. Humidity:
6. Transplant:
1. Irrigation:
It is necessary that each garden has a watering can. The purchase of one with a narrow peak is recommended to ensure adequate irrigation. But since it doesn’t always work, the finger test can help. If you feel the earth is wet, do not water it. If it is not, water it.
2. Nutrition:
Decorative plants always need to have high nitrogen. Instead, plants that produce flowers need K2O. Slow-acting fertilizers can be mixed with compost. However, some plants, such as cacti and orchids, need a special diet. Feed your plants at the zenith of their growth.
3. Lighting:
There are plants, such as Sansevieria and Aspidistra, that do not need shade. They can be located far from a window. Creepers need a half shadow. These plants can be placed near a window regardless of whether the sun hits or not. Others do not need the sun at all, such as the Monstera Deliciosa.
4. Temperature:
Household plants can survive a little more than 40 degrees Celsius. But drastic fluctuations in temperature may not do them well.
5. Humidity:
Some household plants require a humid environment. One way to keep moisture is to put the pot inside a larger one and fill the space in between with stones or compost to keep the moisture inside. The compost will not dry out. Plants have the ability to create their own microclimate when they are nearby. This tip is useful for keeping the soil moist. If you wish, you can water them once or twice a day, depending on the temperature.
6. Transplant:
There are plants that need to be transplanted to grow optimally, but there are others that don’t work that way. If your root system is bounded, you probably won’t like to be disturbed. One way to know if your plant needs to be transplanted is by turning it, tapping its pot to release the plant and looking at its roots. If you only see roots, a transplant is necessary.
Why it is important to take care of trees
It is important to keep in mind that trees are one of the main sources of the oxygen we have on our planet. Thanks to them, the presence of this gas in the atmosphere increases and CO2 decreases, the main cause of the greenhouse effect and, consequently, of global climate change.
Only for these two benefits are there enough reasons to care for trees. However, its benefits go much further, although many times we are not aware of it. Trees are especially important to counteract the presence of pollutants in the atmosphere, which becomes essential in cities. In fact, it is the best way to purify contaminated air, which will have a direct impact on the health of people and animals that live in an urban nucleus highly populated by trees.
Likewise, these same trees located in the urban centers protect us from heat and high temperatures in summer, so they are the best way to counteract the so-called stove effect, which occurs when heat penetrates asphalt and concrete structures and these end up becoming plates that radiate heat during the night. Trees help avoid this effect, preventing heat islands from occurring and allowing temperatures to be more stable.
In this way, it is essential that concrete actions be carried out to help care for existing trees, as well as to increase their presence in deforested cities and rural environments.
What Public Administrations can do to help care for trees
Some actions to take care of the trees that can be carried out by the public authorities are the following:
Dedicate part of public budgets to take care of trees
It may seem very obvious, but it is not always done. Caring for trees, as well as expanding the existing forest mass, costs money, and the only way to obtain that money is to allocate a portion of the public budgets to this action.
Reforestation Plans
Besides taking care of the trees already present, a part of that public budget should be allocated to the execution of reforestation plans that allow expanding the present forest mass, both inside and outside the cities.
Develop good forestry and fire prevention plan
Another of the most important aspects when it comes to protecting trees is to avoid fires. This can only be done through proper action in forestry and forest surveillance, as well as a fire prevention and action plan that allows for its rapid control and extinction.
Plant native trees in the area
When carrying out reforestation plans (whether they are public or private organizations who execute them) is that native trees are chosen from the area.
Respect the initial ecosystem. It will allow reducing risk and maintenance spending, as well as increasing the chances that the specific tree will grow and develop healthily and effectively. In this sense, it is essential to understand that, in front of the aesthetic argument, the practical one must prevail, which implies choosing trees that develop properly, and not only that they are “beautiful.”
Pass and enforce laws that protect trees and natural heritage
A good example would be laws that more severely punish the actions of arsonists in the mountains. You should only take care of your plants a little, and in return, you will reap their benefits. Not only will you have a garden that will add beauty to your home, but you will also learn how to respect and care for various life forms.
Tags: caring for trees, planting trees, take care of plants, tree care
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