If you live in the San Francisco area and want to grow a tropical plant that’s easy to care for, consider the croton. It has a long growing season and a low watering requirement.
This succulent plant can thrive indoors, but it needs adequate light to grow properly. If the sunlight is too weak or if it doesn’t reach all parts of the plant, growth will slow down or even stop.
Watering
Watering is one of the most basic and important things you can do to take care of your plants. It can be confusing though and many people try to use regular schedules like once a day or every three days and it simply does not work.
Most plants need to be watered at least once a week, but the timing of each watering depends on several factors. These include time of day, temperature, soil and age.
During hot weather, it is best to water in the mornings when it is cooler. This allows the water to soak into the soil and roots instead of evaporating.
If you must water in the evening, be sure to do so before the sun goes down. This will prevent oversaturation of the plant and avoid rot and fungal growth in the root system.
If you have recently planted seeds or transplanted a new plant, give it a good soaking right after it is in place. This helps the soil absorb and hold the water for longer, which keeps your plant healthier in the future.
Humidity
In the Bay Area, summers can be dry or wet and incredibly humid depending on where you are. High humidity levels can cause a variety of problems including respiratory issues, nose bleeds and allergies.
The climate in san francisco is affected by several factors that create microclimates within the city. For example, mountains parallel to the coast produce rain shadows and drier interior valleys, while gaps in these ranges allow ocean fog to penetrate inland.
This cool marine air often lingers throughout the day in San Francisco, causing fog and overcast conditions. This is especially true during the early mornings and evenings, when the air is coolest.
Because of this, it is important to consider the temperature and humidity before watering a plant in san francisco. If the weather is hot and sunny, you may want to wait to plant until a cooler day comes around. This way the plant will have a better chance of getting the water it needs to thrive.
Light
One of the most important factors in keeping your garden in top form is good old fashioned light. We’re talking about the sun, a bit of moon and the occasional star of the evening, or so it would be. If you have a little time and the right tools, you can even turn your home or garden into a mini sylvan oasis. In short, you can create a little microclimate where plants, trees and flowers can flourish. The best part? It’s free! You can start small and expand as your budget permits. To get the most out of your green thumb, try a little experimentation with different plant types and a few well thought out watering strategies. Hopefully, you’ll be rewarded with a sexier and happier you in the process. You may also discover a new appreciation for gardening or at the very least, you’ll have some great stories to tell your friends and family.
Pruning
Pruning plays a critical role in a plant’s health and is used to train plants, improve quality, and restrict growth. It also plays an important role in maintaining the overall look and appeal of your landscape, which can help you create a more inviting appearance for your san francisco home or business property.
Trees and shrubs can be pruned throughout the year to shape, maintain proportion, and control size. This helps prevent excessive overgrowth which can detract from the overall aesthetics of a property and make it more difficult to maintain.
Fruit trees can also benefit from pruning. This is because heavy upper foliage can block sun from the lower parts of the tree, inhibiting formation of fruiting wood.
When pruning, use loppers or hand pruners to remove dead or damaged branches back to the base of the tree or shrub. Be careful to avoid shearing flowering shrubs.