You have your gear on and ready? Good, because now I will be covering what you need to watch for when growing plants. Contrary to popular belief, you do not just drop a bean in the ground and have a beanstalk the next day. All plants, magical and mundane, need attention and care to grow. 

First off, is pH. This is one of the most important things about growing your plant. Your pH level determines the amount of nutrients in the soil for your plant to ingest, the bugs that are in the soil, and the plant's overall health. If the pH is too high, molybdenum becomes so strong that it poisons the root system. Too low, and you have aluminum in the soil, that can stunt root growth and keep the plant from getting the nutrients it needs to thrive. To check your soil's pH level, you can do a muggle test or cast the spell "Acidious revealious" (ah-sid-EE-us rev-EE-lee-us), which will cause the pH level to appear in a dusty white haze over the soil tested. Below is a chart that shows liquids best associated with the acidity levels. 

Next is your water level. Plants need water just as much as we do. Too little, and the plant dries up and dies. Water it too early in the day, and the sun can make the water boil in the soil and fry your roots. Too late, and the plant won't be able to complete the amount of photosynthesis it needs to in order to survive.Always be sure to know this before you start growing a plant.

Sun is next, but certainly not last. This goes hand in hand with water, and can be the difference between a healthy plant and a dead one. And not all plants are the same. Devil's Snare can't be in the sun at all, and will shy away from it. Dandelions, on the other had, thrive in constant sunlight.

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Now, you may be asking, isn't there anything else I can do to help my plant grow? The answer to this is yes! Many different sources have been found to influence our leafy friends, from music to special fertilizers. Just be wary though, give your plant the wrong helper, and you could actually hinder it. 

For example, Centaur Tears. These are a wonderful way to boost your growing power, and your plant will love you for it. Well, as long as you aren't a salt water-loving plant. Centaur tears are actually quite toxic to those that enjoy the saltier solution. Another thing about centaur tears to note is that you must be certified in order to collect them. Centaurs are sentient beings, and thus have a say in who gets the goods. If you aren't careful, you could wind up either in Azkaban for breaking laws or dealing with the Centauran form of justice.

You can also help your plant with fertilizer. This is usually the excrement of another living creature, but has a wonderful effect on the flora. The most common one to use is Dragon Dung, which contains special acids in it that help to break down compounds in the soil and give more nutrients to the plant. The second, gentler option is Mooncalf Dung. This one is best for more sensitive plantlife. 

Alien Species

When starting your garden, be careful to limit where your plants grow and how far they spread. Some species, when left unchecked, will start to grow outside your garden and destroy part of the local ecosystem. When a plant does this, it will grow untempered and take necessary nutrients away from the other plants. Introducing a new flora can also be deadly to the surrounding fauna. Not knowing what the plant is, wildlife can accidentally eat it and be killed.