The common advice for making compost is that you should use the correct ratio of browns and greens. Why is this important? What is the correct ratio? Are dried green grass clippings, a brown or a green? Good questions that will help you understand how to compost.
When transplanting trees, shrubs, or perennials, you tend to damage the root system. Common advice suggests that you should reduce the amount of top growth to match the root loss. This reduces the ratio of leaves to roots and helps keep the plant in relative balance, making it easier for the plant to recover from transplant shock.
Is this sound advice? Does it apply to all kinds of plants?
When the leaves of a plant wilt it is a sign that the plant needs water, and therefore it is a good time to water–right? Maybe. The plant might need to be watered, but it is also possible that water will harm the plant.
