A beautiful garden improves your home’s curb appeal. However, gardening mistakes do happen because of a lack of knowledge and experience.
Some seasoned gardeners overlook a few things at some point, while those who are just starting with their gardens may not find perfection right away. After all, gardening for the first few attempts is a matter of trial and error.
Bad gardening habits prevent your garden to bloom to its full beauty, produce delicious fruits and vegetables, and in the end, fail. Don’t put all your time and efforts to waste.
It is essential to recognize, avoid, and correct gardening mistakes so that you can fully enjoy the best blooms and produce in the coming seasons.
Here are some of the mistakes you possibly didn’t know were harming your garden:
1. Not Watering the Plants Properly
Your garden needs an ample amount of water to grow and thrive. However, it’s a mistake to give the garden too much or too little water as both over-watering and under-watering can be detrimental to the plant’s health.
It is best to water the plants properly by checking out the soil moisture to see how much water they need.
- Under-watering hinders the plant to produce the nutrients it needs for healthy growth. As a result, the plants can wilt and die.
- On the other hand, over-watering can drown the root system, and excessive moisture can lead to rotting.
It is also not advised to use a pressure washer when watering the plants as too much pressure can damage the leaves. It may seem like using the equipment will speed up the task, but avoid these pressure washer mistakes at all costs.
2. Not Testing Soil Quality Occasionally
A successful garden should involve testing the soil quality. It is done to check the nutrient content and pH level of the soil in your garden.
With the right pH, plants can use the nutrients they obtain for the soil. Most ornamentals and vegetables grow well in a soil that is slightly acidic with pH level 6 to 7. DIY kits are available in a nursery or even online.
Testing the quality of the soil in your garden dictates its beauty and lifespan since a healthy soil result in a beautiful garden, which creates a perfect view and activity area during the summer.
Indeed, summer is a fun time for gardening, and you can click here to find more summertime activities for your home and garden.
3. Not Monitoring Soil Moisture
Soil moisture dramatically affects the life of your garden. If you want a beautiful garden, don’t miss checking soil moisture.
It tells the best time to water your plants, most especially your potted plants, which prevents under-watering and over-watering, as well as mold and rot. Neglecting to check the soil moisture can jeopardize the proper growth and development of your plants.
There are many ways to monitor soil moisture such as:
- Visual Inspection and Touch. A dry soil looks tan or light colour, and compact, while a moist soil has a muddy appearance. Stick your forefinger 1 to 2 inches deep into the soil. If the soil falls off your finger or feels dry when you remove it, the soil is dry and needs watering. On the other hand, if the soil sticks to your forefinger, the soil is moist.
- Chopstick Method. You can also use a popsicle stick for this method. Insert the stick into the soil 1 to 2 inches and leave it for 10 minutes. A watermark or darkened stick means that the soil is moist while there’s no colour change on the stick for dry soil.
- Soil Moisture Probe Method. This method is the most accurate way of checking soil moisture. You can purchase a soil moisture probe or meter in a hardware store or gardening shop. Some soil moisture meters also include measuring soil pH and soil temperature. A reading below 5 means that the soil is dry, whereas above 5 means the soil is moist.
4. Skipping the Mulch
Mulching may seem like an added chore, but it’s an essential task for weed control and soil moisture retention.
Skipping the mulch exposes the garden to the invasion of weeds which compete with your plants for nutrients. The soil also easily dries out, exposing it to harmful bacteria and pathogens. Adequate mulching is beneficial for your plants in so many respects, but don’t over and under do it.
5. Not Pruning the Bushes and Trees
Pruning is a seasonal task, and it’s one mistake novice gardeners make. Pruning is done to retain the structure and shape of bushes and trees for ornamental purposes.
Also, the yield of berry bushes and fruit trees highly depends on your meticulous pruning. Unnecessary leaves and branches consume all the energy that should be used to produce flowers and fruits. Learning the basic pruning technique will have a significant impact on the proper growth and development of fruit-bearing trees and your vegetable garden.
Make sure you have the correct tools for the job, using large hedge trimmers might be ok but it will depend on the job. A good set of secateurs is essential
Conclusion
Gardening is such a rewarding experience, especially when you see your plants grow up well and productively.
This could be anything from green house plants with exotic plants and vegetables to something just sitting in a pot on your window ledge.
Making mistakes while gardening is not uncommon; even seasoned gardeners make them every once in a while. You can still grow and nourish a beautiful garden despite these errors if you take each mistake is an opportunity to learn.
Take note of what you did wrong and correct them next gardening season and you’ll become a much better gardener in no time.
And if all else fails, make sure to decorate your garden with quirky garden furniture to make it look visually appealing and take the focus away from any dying plants!