Gardening in tropical and humid climates such as ours is an ordeal but once you get the hang of it you will see it more as an adventure and less as a chore. Not all plants are suited for indoor cultivation, but you can easily grow outdoor plants such as Hibiscus, Miscanthus cabaret, New Zealand flax, Cardinal lobelia, Canary reed-grass (ground-cover), Kalanchoe (annual plant), Agave (for sandy well-drained soil) in a patch of land overlooking the patio, if you have one. However, many tropical plants require some extra care as they perish quite easily if they do not find the favourable conditions in your garden. The trick is to follow some simple, basic rules. The obvious thing to be careful about is the quality of soil. Tropical plants need well-soaked soil, so make sure that the soil in your garden or flowering pot is capable of retaining moisture for a long time after watering. Another consideration is the choice of fertilizers. For instance, tropical flower plants should not be supplied with too much of nitrogenous fertilizers; it hampers their normal growth. It increases the growth of the leaves, but decreases the blooming of the flowers. Also, apart from nitrogen rich chemicals, fertilizers containing phosphorus and potash are also recommended for tropical plants. You may use these in minimal quantity, so that they do not hamper the growth of the plants. As mentioned earlier, not many of us have an outdoor space in which to indulge our gardening aspirations. As a seasoned gardener says, “Plants in the outdoors get a lot of rainfall in our climate, except in the winter. But when plants are indoors, it is very important to keep them hydrated by watering the pots at least once a day. Also important is to remember that plants should be kept close to a light source, preferably by a window, because as we all know green plants cannot survive without sunlight.”
