Easy ways from Olle Garden Bed: Make Plant Stems And Roots Stronger

You are likely to enter the garden of flowers, fruits, vegetables and leaves. However, as unsung heroes in the plant world, stems and roots play a supporting role in helping your green vegetables perform at their best. Fortunately, there are several simple ways to support your plant from top to bottom. Learn from Olle Garden Bed how to make plant stems stronger and how to strengthen plant roots so that you can have the healthiest and most vigorous garden. 

Why strong stems and roots are important

Although gorgeous fruits and bold flowers have won all the glory, it is impossible without healthy and industrious roots and stems. Let's take a look at what each part does and how it can help you turn plants into whole packaging.

Stem: the ultimate support system

The stem is the basic supporting structure of leaves, flowers and fruits. Their vascular system is the highway from the root to the rest of the plant for water and nutrients. The stem can be soft and small, just like the stem on a delicate flower, or it can be as wooden and strong as a tree trunk.

If your garden is hot, dry or windy, please note that strong stems make it unlikely that plants will collapse in strong winds or wither in hot weather. In addition, the taller the stem, the more sunlight the plant can absorb.

Root: anchor required by every plant

You might think that the main function of roots is to absorb nutrients and water from the soil, but there are more things happening under the surface. The roots also help to hold the plant to the ground and keep it stable in bad weather. Moreover, for root vegetables such as beets, carrots and radishes, the root (that is, the part you eat) acts as a storage unit for plants, storing additional food and water for future use.

How to make plant stems stronger

In general, good plant care equals good stem care. However, please pay special attention to the following factors to help extend and strengthen the plant support system.

Provide adequate sunlight. Without proper sunlight, your stems will become long and thin, as they try to grow upward to capture more light. Please check your plant label or seed pack to find out how much sunlight your plant likes.

Don't let the plants get dry. Too dry soil prevents the stem (and therefore the whole plant) from absorbing the nutrients needed for growth.

Give them space. When you overcrowd plants, they will compete for sunlight, the highest will occupy most of the share, while shorter plants will be trapped in the shade.

Be careful in extreme temperatures. Overheating will cause the stems of plants to experience sudden growth, and the speed of stems will exceed that of leaves, becoming thin and weak. In order to keep the stems strong, use floating row covers to protect the plants and provide additional H2O.

Use nitrogen to go further. Nitrogen (its percentage is listed as the first of three figures on a bag of fertilizer) provides the best support for stems and leaves. As the growing season progresses, nitrogen fertilizer is applied by side application (placing fertilizer beside the plant) according to the packaging instructions. But please note that nitrogen may be too good for production. If you overuse, your plant may put too much energy into growing stems and leaves at the expense of fruits and vegetables.

How to strengthen plant roots

Similar to stems, a solid plant care program will greatly contribute to a strong root system. However, if you want to ensure that they are as healthy as possible, follow these tips.

Make sure you have the best soil. Healthy roots need good drainage and adequate nutrition to achieve the best results. Sandy soil will absorb water before the roots absorb it, while heavy clay will lead to waterlogging and root decay. Do you choose the best choice to balance the soil? Compost. Cultivate or rake compost into the top few inches of soil before planting.

Watering is deeper but less frequent. When you water too often, the roots don't have to work hard to absorb water. Think about less frequent watering, such as strength training of roots: it encourages them to grow downward to seek H2O, so that your plants can be more safely fixed on the soil. Of course, you don't want to create Sahara like conditions to make your plants feel stressed - just choose to water once or twice a week instead of daily.

Be careful when weeding. Although every gardener knows that weeding feels like a treatment course, you must pay attention to your roots when dealing with garden invaders. Severe dragging too close to the roots of plants may move, damage or break them, making them unable to complete critical work.

Make a complete fertilizer. A complete fertilizer contains all the nutrients needed for healthy stems and roots of plants, including potassium, to promote root growth and thicker cell walls. Apply in package direction.

Think of roots and stems as the foundation and framework of your house. If any of them is weak, the rest of the plant may not be able to absorb the water and nutrients needed to fully develop its potential. However, with some strategic plant care, you can grow strong stems and vigorous roots to help produce vibrant flowers, juicy agricultural products and dense leaves.