Sometimes we spend too much time and money on activities for little reward. One thing we should all be doing more of is spending time with our plants.
Plants have an incredible knack of giving back what you have put in. Spend as little time with your plants as you can, and they will present you with pest, disease, and deficiency issues throughout their lives.
On a recent episode of NPK Live, we talked about the ‘plant whisperer’ and what it takes to become one. There are no fancy gadgets needed and apart from your time; it’s completely free!
To become a plant whisperer, you must allow yourself to become immersed in growing. Watch how your plants respond to the environment, feeding schedules, nutrients, and the lights that you use. There are no books, charts, videos, or podcasts that can replace you!
As you spend some time with your plants, they will metaphorically whisper to you what they like, what they love, and what they’re not happy about. The more time you spend with your plants, the greater the chance you have of spotting something that could be detrimental to their health at an early stage.
As soon as you see those signs, make changes and prevent damage that impacts quality and yields.
Plants are very good at telling you what’s going right and what’s going wrong. Your crops can make you healthier or wealthier. Knowing this, would you rush into the grow room, feed them as fast as possible, and leave without listening to what they have to say?
How frustrated do you become when trying to explain something important to someone and they don’t listen to you? Do you reward them with hard work and more of your time, or do you spend your time on someone that actually listens to you? Plants are pretty similar to people. They like being listened to, and if they go unheard, they will not work to their maximum potential, leaving you with subpar plants and low yields.
Your time is a currency, the most valuable currency that you own; you can never buy more. Whether you decide to do nothing for a day, or do lots, spend some time with your plants!