5 Common Gardening Mistakes to Avoid for Beginners
Gardening is in for 2020, so there are plenty of new gardeners out in their yards getting their hands dirty. Are you one of them?
If so, you’re probably excited to get your flowerbeds planted and your sustainable veggie plots flourishing, but do you have all of the information you need to get the green backyard oasis that you want?
There are plenty of gardening mistakes that first-time growers can make that can take them from green thumb to plant killer overnight. We’ve made those mistakes in the past and we want to help you avoid them.
Keep reading to learn more about some common mistakes that you could be making with your new hobby.
1. Not Checking Plant Compatibility
Not all plants are going to grow well in all areas. We don’t all have temperature-controlled greenhouses in which to keep our favorite fruits and flowers.
When you get excited about a new potential plant, don’t act immediately. Do a bit of research first to make sure that this is something that can actually live in your area.
For example: did you get over-excited about the thought of growing a new avocado from a pit? Sustainable, right?
Well, check and see if that’s actually going to be an option for you. These expensive green edibles are only suitable for tropical areas. If you’re used to the ice and snow, they’re not for you.
2. Under or Over Watering
Plants can be finicky. Some of them love to be dried out, while others want to drown. If you’re growing several very different plants, you can’t just assume that one watering day per week is going to cut it for all of them.
Giving your plants the right amount of water is crucial.
Over-watering is just as harmful as under-watering and is a common mistake amongst first-time gardeners.
Read up on your new plants before you start watering. You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble.
3. Keeping Everything Too Close
While you can get away with a bit of clustering for some more common plants and flowers, the more edible plants nearly always need some room to breathe.
Check the spacing instructions on the plant identification tag, or do some searching on your own if you don’t have one.
Plants that are too close together might not have room to grow efficiently. Help your plants out by giving them some space!
4. Too Many (or Not Enough) Trims
Letting a plant grow wild and free can be fine (after all, nothing is pruned in nature) but you might not get the most successful plant possible.
Pruning a plant can stop heavy leaves or branches from dragging it down. It can improve airflow and the angle of light hitting the leaves.
Some plants need regular pruning, minimal pruning, or pruning during flowering.
Don’t overdo it, though. You’re not making a topiary.
5. Going Overboard
If you’re a new gardener, you might have hit up the local greenhouse for as many seeds as you could carry. You’ve tilled your entire backyard and you’re ready for urban farming, right?
Well, maybe not.
Maintenance for gardens is a lot of work. When you actually devote yourself to getting the highest-quality plant, you’ll find that a backyard garden could take hours out of your day.
Until you understand the workload, start small.
Have You Made These Gardening Mistakes?
Gardening is a fun and popular hobby that can get you outside, active, and growing some awesome and sustainable food. Avoiding these gardening mistakes can set you up for success.
Happy growing!
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