Over the years, I’ve traveled the country to see a lot of gardens both big and small. And over that time I’ve been able to summarize what I believe are the five biggest mistakes that gardeners make and they’re only in gardens. And they also happen to be some of the most common. So, I share with you those five biggest garden mistakes and simple ways to avoid them.
Soil Quality
The first and probably biggest mistake that a lot of home gardeners make is not investing the time or energy into creating healthy soil and I say feed the soil and let the soil feed the plants.
Because the health of everything growing in your garden is tied directly to the quality of your soil. So, by periodically adding either compost or organic material to your garden. The soil throughout the year. You set up your garden for the optimal growing environment.
Poor Water Management
The second biggest gardening mistake is poor water management. More plants die from over-watering than under-watering and that’s a shame because it’s such a waste of a precious resource.
So, when you do water you want water infrequently but deeply. So, the water has a chance to soak in and you want water on target right at the root zone and nowhere else. You don’t want all that extra water to run off and go into an impervious surface where it’s taking with it everything in its path including potentially hazardous chemicals right into an aquifer that’s not good.
Another important consideration is timing. When you water especially with lawn irrigation you want to do that early in the morning during the dew cycle that’s when you minimize the risk of evaporation and get the most bang for your buck and a good way to put all of your water and chores on autopilot with an automatic timer.
Mulch
The third most common mistake that gardeners make is not using mulch or at least not using enough mulch like a two-inch layer over all the exposed surfaces. Because it does wonders for everything growing in your landscape.
Mulch does several things to help. Like it suppresses weed germination, a lot of the weed seeds need sunlight to sprout, and that mulch blocks that light from hitting those seeds. Secondly, it keeps the moisture in the soil longer like an insulating blanket. Third, it also cuts down on the risk of diseases because the mulch is blocked under-watering a lot of the disease spores that live in the soil from splashing up on that foliage.
It also protects the soil surface from crossing over. So, it allows water to soak in rather than runoff. That’s important.
Mulch helps to protect your soil as it breaks down and makes it better and that’s not a bad thing you just have to come back and remember to replenish it. But if you have amazing soil and your plants are thriving through the entire process.
Plants Requirement
Mistake number four is not considering the plant’s cultural requirements. Read the tag that should come with every plant you buy. That gives you the information you’ll need to put the right plant in the right place.
When you do your plants will thrive and have the room they need to spread out and up and do so in the conditions they need to prosper.
Overuse of Fertilizers/Pesticides
Finally, mistake number five is the overuse of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Those pesticides that we use all too often are far more lethal than whatever it is. You’re trying to control but there are many beneficial insects out there.
Just waiting to do that pest control for you. If you’ll just be a little bit patient know that they work wonders in your garden for taking care of that problem. And when it comes to fertilizer, focus on building soil health first. Because, when you have healthy soil there are so many nutrients. Those are available when the plant roots need and want to take them up.
Final Verdict
Make sure to give proper time to your gardens to avoid any gardening mistakes. And work on the soil, water at the proper time, mulch for better results. And do not over-fertilize your lawns and gardens. Make sure to follow all these tips for a beautiful green garden.
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