Gardening is a very calming and wonderful hobby to have, but most importantly, it can provide you with fresh and healthy food. Unfortunately, there are many mistakes that beginner gardeners make, which is why this short guide can help you avoid them. Here are the common gardening mistakes you should avoid.
Overwatering
Overwatering is a common gardening mistake, especially among beginner gardeners. Even though it’s been established that new seedlings need more water to grow, this should not continue into the vegetative stage where the plant is already established. This being said, seedlings also need more time for the soil to dry out, making them especially prone to overwatering. The root of the seedlings grows more when the soil around is dryer, which is why the excess amount of water will stunt their growth, and even cause them to rot. Not all plants have the same watering requirements, which is why it’s important to do proper research on each of the plants you plan on having in your garden. This is why it might be a good idea to divide the plants into different parts of the garden depending on their watering needs. Furthermore, you can always collect rainfall to supply your garden.
Improper Spacing
One of the common gardening mistakes that especially new gardeners should avoid is improper spacing. Ignoring or not knowing how to properly space the crops that are planted in your garden is unfortunately pretty common. It is recommended by many experienced green thumbs to read the recommendations on the seed packets because they will give you the best idea on how to plant them properly. The reason why the improper spacing is such a big mistake is that it doesn’t leave the plant with a large enough space, which may limit the yield, or even kill the crop altogether. If you are an urban gardener, this may be an even bigger mistake. According to this website, urban gardening often has limited space which is why it can be quite tempting to try and squeeze in a few extra seeds, but this will ultimately do more harm than good because every plant will need more space above ground to get proper air circulation and proper light. Moreover, the root itself will need the same amount of space underneath the ground as well, and planting too close together can choke the root out and kill the plant.
Planting too deep
In addition to improper plant spacing, planting the crop too deep is another very common gardening mistake. All seeds will need proper contact with moisture in order for them to sprout. Large seeds such as corn, peas, beans need to be planted a bit deeper, so they could maintain the proper moisture levels, so they could sprout. In contrast to this, smaller seeds such as most herbs and lettuce require light to germinate. This is the main reason why these seeds should not be covered, but down into very loosened soil and then pressed in. Similarly to this, some transplants should be planted at the same depth as they originally were to prevent the stumps from rotting. Other plants such as peppers and tomatoes should be planted a bit deeper, so the root can be encouraged to grow. Each plant has its own requirements planting depth-wise, but it should be avoided planting them too deep as they will either not grow or take too long to grow out.
Not maintaining the soil
In addition to improper spacing, depth planting, and improper watering conditions, most tend to forget that the actual soil often gets either overlooked or mistreated. Most people don’t realize that soil can be considered as a living organism as well, which is always evolving and changing. Solid conditions can change with the amount of drainage, soil runoff, and rainfall. In addition to this, different plants deplete certain nutrients in the soil at different rates. Furthermore, heavy rains can wash away compounds you put in to control the pH levels of the soil, which is why it can pay off to check the soil levels and mineral profiles every season. This way you can adjust these parameters in time. Furthermore, you should add plenty of compost and cured manure to gardening beds, especially for vegetable beds. Good solid is especially important for vegetables because they will produce the majority of the food you eat.
These are some of the most common mistakes that gardeners, and especially beginner gardeners make. It doesn’t matter if you’re an urban gardener or not, these should be avoided at all costs.