Every Plant Needs a Steward

Keeping urban plants healthy requires committment.

Too often that committment is underestimated.

 

Keeping plants alive, or better yet healthy, in any environment can be a challenge.

In urban environments, where dirty litter, harsh pollutants, heat islands, and poor soil conditions abound, the challenge to maintain plant life--often non-native species--becomes much greater. 

Unfortunately, this challenge is too often unmet. What results, naturally, is an eyesore of burnt-out, dead or dying plants. A symbol of neglect.

Here, then, is my advice to those folks considering plants:

Before you invest the time, effort and money in planting plants, ask yourself if you are prepared to love them.

• Will you water them each day, morning and night?
• Prune their dead branches?
• Aerate their soil?
• Sing to them?

Will you be their urban plant steward?