Spring is here and everywhere you look, colorful, tempting seed packets surround you. Flowering annuals are starting to show up, as well as perennials, herbs, and cool-weather vegetables. You give in to temptation and buy all sorts of plants, dreaming of the marvelous gardens that will emerge by summer. In reality, by summer, your dream garden is a sorry mess and you have given up. How many of us have experienced this? Don't feel bad — I think most of us have to some extent. Read on to learn about 12 of the most common gardening mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Improperly Spacing Plants No matter what you are planting, it is important to pay attention to the labels on your plants and seeds. The labels will tell you how far apart plants should be spaced. If you plant them too close together, they will choke each other by robbing each other of nutrients and light.
2. Not Testing Your Soil Not all soil is created equal; ideally, you should get your soil tested before planting anything. You can buy soil tests at lawn and garden centers or have soil tested by your local university extension office or soil lab. They test for any deficiencies in your soil so that you will know what exactly you need to add and how much.
3. Ignoring a Plant's Light Requirements Plants that need full sun will put out few flowers in the shade and will usually become leggy and pale. Tomatoes, peppers, and many other fruit-producing plants will fail to produce fruit or produce fruit that never ripens. On the other hand, plants that need shade will fry or wilt in the hot sun. Save yourself time, money, and heartache by obeying the light requirements for the plant that you want.
4. Forgetting About Wildlife If you live in an area with lots of deer, rabbits, chipmunks, and other wildlife, you may as well be laying out a buffet when you plant your garden. Animals like fruits and vegetables as much as we do, if not more. The only way to prevent your vegetables from being eaten is with a fence, although you will see repellents for sale. Ornamental gardens are easier, as you can choose plants that animals will not eat.
5. Planting Invasive Species some plants just go crazy in the garden, and once they are planted, they are very hard to get rid of. Don't worry, you can still have these plants in the garden — just put them in a pot before planting them to keep the roots from spreading. Some plants are prolific re-seeders; for these, you will have to contain the seeds or decide if they are worth the trouble.
6. Over-Watering and Under-Watering Over-watering is a death sentence for both indoor and outdoor plants. It deprives roots of oxygen and causes them to rot. Under-watering is equally fatal. The key is to water plants deeply as needed. If the soil is hard, you need to water. When the soil can be squeezed together to form a loose ball, it is just right. With time and practice, you will get the hang of it.
7. Not Considering a Plant's Full Size Once again, it is very important that you read the label on a plant! The label will tell you the plant's full size. This is very important for shrubs and trees — you don't want to plant a gigantic tree on a small city lot, for example. You also don't want to plant a tall perennial in the front of your garden. Considering a plant's full size will help you to design your garden and determine if you have room for it.
8. Buying a Plant Just for Flowers Flowers are what catch the eye, but it is important to think about a plant's year-round interest. Many perennial plants that form the bones of a garden are in bloom for only a short amount of time. Include plants with interesting foliage, berries, or seed pods. Choose a wide variety of plants so that you will have something in bloom in every season and every area of the garden.
9. Purchasing Sick Plants I remember going plant-shopping with my grandma. When she bought a plant, it got a full-blown physical exam. It is important to check a plant all over for pests like aphids, scale, mealy bugs, and spider mites, just to name a few. Avoid plants with discolored or wilted leaves as well. You may be tempted to take a chance on a plant, but if the disease or pests spread to your other plants, you are in trouble.
10. Over-Fertilizing Adding too much chemical fertilizer can burn your plants and even kill them. This is another reason that it is a good idea to test your soil — you may not even need fertilizer. Applying fertilizer at half strength and seeing how your plants do is a good idea. Using organic compost instead of chemical fertilizers is an even better idea.
11. Not Hardening Off Seedlings If you have managed to successfully start seeds indoors, don't destroy all of your hard work. Delicate seedlings and plants that have been grown indoors need to gradually adjust to the harsher conditions of the outdoors — for example, stronger light and colder temperatures. Sit them outside for a short period, then lengthen the period in small amounts day by day. Watch them to see how they are doing. After a week or two, if they are doing well, then you can plant them.
12. Overusing Pesticides Keeping plants healthy (weeded, properly watered, pruned, etc.) diminishes and sometime eliminates the need for pesticides; it is weak plants that are more susceptible to disease and pest insects. Using pesticides can kill off beneficial insects such as bees and ladybugs. Pesticides are also bad for the environment. Personally, I don't like using pesticides in the home garden unless absolutely necessary. I always plant extra vegetables with the expectation that a few will be lost to pests.
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