Gardening Mistakes
Planting Too Close Together
It’s important to follow the planting directions on seed packets seedlings and plants. Plant spacing is very important for getting the best harvest. Crowded plants will not produce
as well and will have more trouble with disease and pests.
If you don't have a lot of space to plant, plants fewer plants there instead of squeezing them all in.
You plant in too much sun or too much shade.
When you look at your seed packet or plant label for sunlight recommendations, you’ll see one of these recommendations. Here's what they mean:
Shade = the plant will thrive in less than 4 hours of direct sunlight. This is not the same thing as no sunlight; all plants need sunlight to grow. But shade tolerant plants are happy with filtered or indirect sun. Plant these under large trees, a covered patio, or in a sunny room in your house.
Part shade = the plant needs 4-6 hours of sunlight but prefers the cooler morning sunshine or dappled sun of the afternoon. These plants will struggle is they receive the intense afternoon sun every day.
Part sun = the plant will tolerate some shade but needs at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight. Keep in mind what kind of sunlight the plant is getting during those hours. Morning sun is not as intense as afternoon sun so heat-loving plants will do better if they receive the afternoon sun.
Full sun = more than 6 hours of direct sunlight. Many vegetables need to be exposed to several hours of unfiltered sunlight to make fruit. Keep in mind that 6 hours is the bare minimum. For some plants, like tomatoes, 8-10 hours is even better.
Overwatering
Overwatering drowns plants roots, causing them to rot; under watering, on the other hand, can dehydrate it. Irrigation systems with a "smart" controller, meaning that it automatically adjusts watering levels, is a great investment, However can become quite costly. If you can’t afford a system, pay close attention to your soil. When the soil is rock hard, it needs watering.
Ignoring Nature
There’s a good reason the squirrels left the daffodils alone; daffodils contain poisonous crystals. Other rodent-repellent bulbs include snowdrops, winter aconite, and fritillaries. Critters from raccoons to deer to the family dog will inevitably try to eat your produce, and the only failsafe way to protect your precious plants is to install a fence around the garden.
Forgetting to improve soil
Very few of us are lucky enough to have fantastic soil in our back gardens.
In fact, for most of us in England it’s more likely to be clay or rocks as well as compacted soil. Despite this, there are so many of us who still just plant our bulbs in the garden without any work on the soil and hope for the best.
Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy and your plants will benefit if you give the soil a little boost.
Before you begin planting, lay some organic soil onto the existing soil in your garden. About one or two inches will be fine and compost is the best choice as it provides all the nutrients your plants need to prosper.
Poor weeding
Don’t us a hoe to chop the top off of a weed. Many weeds such as dandelions and thistles have a strong root structure under the soil. You must dig as much of the root up as you can, or use a systemic herbicide that will absorb down into the roots and kill them.
Slug invasion
Many people don’t start dealing with slugs until it is too late. Whether you are using copper tape, grit, egg shells, beer traps, or whatever – start in early spring as the sun warms up. Otherwise they will breed and breed, and you will just be holding back the tide. Make sure their numbers don’t get so great in the first place and you will have a much easier summer.
Not Pruning Plants
Regular trimming and pruning of trees and plants is essential to protect plants from diseases. Some fruits and flowers grow best on new growth only. Therefore, you can significantly increase the yield by getting rid of damaged branches. Also, you ought to know the best pruning techniques for desired results.
Another common mistake made by gardeners is hard pruning at the wrong time. Avoid spring plants and shrubs during their flowering season. You should rather prune and trim these plants at the end of spring season. It will give ample time for the growth of flowers and fruits.
