Every gardener made a lot of mistakes and dumb choices at first. But it’s okay to make mistakes; it’s a part of gardening life. What’s more important is that, you learn from these mistakes.
A beginner’s mistake can be discouraging. There are times that you feel like you don’t want to continue anymore, because it seems like everything’s not going the way you want them to be. What you need to keep in mind is mistakes happen to the best of us. That being said, here is a list of dumb gardening mistakes that gardeners have experienced.
If you see one or two familiar experiences here, welcome to the club!
Growing crops in containers without drainage holes
Plants need soil that has a lot of oxygen. The soil will not get enough oxygen if it is saturated with water. So make sure to check your container or pots if they have drainage holes, before planting.
“I don’t know my zone area!”
Some gardeners don’t know their zone area. Knowing your zone area can be helpful so that you will know which plants will likely grow in your area. There are plants that need cooler or warmer climates. If you don’t know your zone area, you can check it from the USDA’s hardiness map.
Not knowing the plant’s light requirements
Some gardeners plant crops not knowing how much sun or shade their plants need. For example, planting a fruit-bearing vegetable like tomato or cuke in a shaded area when these need full sun. When I grew parsley for the first time, I set it in a particularly sunny spot in the patio and it ended up having scorch marks on its foliage. The good thing about that experience is that I learned to grow parsley in a partly shaded area.
It is important to know how much sun or shade you plants need as well as if they like dry or moist soil.
Not mulching
A lot of beginner gardeners do not mulch. Mulching is one of the most important things when gardening organically. It can reduce evaporation, keeps your garden soil moist, prevent weeds from growing, etc. When the mulch breaks down, it will add organic matter to your garden soil.
Planting the wrong way
You might be planting too deeply. The roots of your plants need air so that they can breathe. The roots can’t breathe in any air when you bury them 6 feet under the soil. When you’re planning to plant a shrub or a tree, you must place the root ball higher than the surrounding soil. Cover the top of the root ball with about one inch of mulch so that the air will not dry out.
Putting in too much fertilizer
Too much fertilizer will make your plants grow faster but they won’t bloom or produce fruits, they will also suffer from fertilizer burn. If your soil contains a lot of organic matter, you don’t have to fertilize your plants too often. As a matter of fact, you don’t have to fertilize your dormant plants or your plants that are suffering from drought.
Not preparing the soil
Preparing your soil before you plant is important. You have to clear your whole garden and make sure that you remove all the weeds and dirt from it. You must also test your soil pH level first before planting, so that you will know the right plants to grow.
Spacing plants incorrectly
Plants need different space requirements for them to be able to grow. Large plants need larger space to grow. Make sure to read the seed packet about the space requirements of your plants to avoid overcrowding.
Spraying the garden without knowing the problem
When you see a pest in the garden you have to identify it first before spraying. Know what you’re dealing with because different sprays affect pests differently. Using the wrong spray could kill your plants or the natural enemies of the pest.
Watering the wrong way
Beginner gardeners tend to water their plants the wrong way, they often drown them or they let their plants dry too much. Although a lot of plants prefer moist soil than soggy and poorly drained soil, overwatering your plants will get them killed. A soggy soil will prevent the roots of your plants from functioning properly.
Your plants may wilt when you overwater them on a sunny day, not because of too little water but because of too much water. For you to be able to avoid overwatering your plants, you have to keep track of the plants that you’ve already watered. Divide your plants; separate your plants that require a lot of water from your plants that requires little amount of water.
To see if the is moist or dry, stick your finger one inch deep into the soil, do this before you water your plants.
You can also use self-watering pots if you are growing in containers. A self-watering container has a water reservoir that you must keep full – and that’s all you have to do. There’s a wicking system in the container which keeps the soil moist but not too water saturated. Most plants will grow well in self-watering pots – tomatoes, cukes, bush beans, pole beans, peas, green leafy veggies, etc. However, herbs might not do well in this kind of container. Basil and rosemary like it better if their soil is allowed to dry a bit between watering. The stress also makes the herbs taste better.