The thought of digging up your backyard might be daunting. If you’re a rookie gardener who isn’t sure where to start, the fear of making a mistake may cause you to give up before you ever begin. However, you should be aware that gardening requires a time of adjustment. And while new gardeners may and should expect to enjoy the rewards of their efforts, everyone goes through some trial and error when they first start. Fortunately, we can learn from the mistakes of others. As a result, we thought to give you a hand, so we put together a list of the biggest mistakes beginner gardeners make. So read on to see how you can cultivate a healthy, fruitful garden that produces gorgeous flowers and tasty crops.
Seeding too early
Cool-season crops can be planted and cultivated in early spring, even before the last frost. However, most edible plants need mild conditions to grow. Therefore, be patient with your seeding since a spring frost can destroy your crops before they even start to grow. Look for the last frost date in your area and arrange to plant your crops appropriately. Also, if you want to start the seeds indoors, germinate them two to three weeks before the final frost.
In addition, remember that you can improve your garden’s productivity by planting two times a year. After harvesting the initial crops, prepare the soil and replant for late summer and fall harvests. Carrots, beets, peas, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and scallions are all excellent vegetables for a second harvest.
Planting seeds at the wrong depth
If you spread your seeds on the soil, they may dry up before they have a chance to sprout. If you plant them too deeply, they might not germinate or might produce poor seedlings. It’s a bit confusing. Therefore, it’s best to read the back of your seed packs or speak with someone at your nursery about precise planting instructions. Larger seeds prefer deeper planting depths and smaller ones at the top. However, this is not always the case. So avoid making one of the biggest mistakes beginner gardeners make and pay attention to the depth at which you plant your seeds. That way, your garden will grow healthy and fruitful, and you will get to enjoy the health benefits of gardening.
Crowding your seeds and your plants
While planting seeds or bulbs, it is easy to overlook the amount of space each will require when in bloom. However, plants need room to breathe. Growing them too close, with minimal air circulation or light exposure, results in sickly, low-producing plants. Or even worse, because plants need plenty of water, sun, and nutrients, they will start competing for them and kill each other.
Therefore, if you just moved to a home with a garden and want to be a successful gardener from your first sowing, take a good look at the back of your seed packet and follow the instructions. Setting up a garden after moving or when starting from scratch, it is essential to follow the advice of those with experience and knowledge, like the seed producers. Even though it appears that they are proposing exaggerated things, such as leaving a lot of space between the seeds, they are not. You will be surprised at how much room your mature plants really need.
Choosing the wrong spot for planting
Some beginner gardeners believe they have the ideal garden location but have not thought about how much sun that spot receives throughout the day. Most veggies thrive in full sunshine all day, so if you have trees and shrubs around, they may prevent the sun from reaching your garden. And even though providing shade throughout the day will help avoid burning, it is unnecessary if you water your plants correctly. Therefore, before deciding on a place for your garden, think about sunshine, as morning sunlight is essential to your plants. Allow a day or two to examine the sun exposure at the intended position and reconsider if it’s unsuitable.
Using water improperly
Seedlings and little plants do not require much water. Instead, they need moisture, but not as much as to sit in puddles. Because their root systems are still small, give them enough but not too much water. Plants will need more water when they mature and have more leaves and fruits. That is the time to enhance irrigation and instead of sprinklers, use soaker hoses to direct water to the soil’s roots.
At the same time, pay attention to the moment of the day when you choose to water your plants. Watering during the warmest part of the day is ineffective since it evaporates. It is a waste of water and goes against eco-friendly gardening. Therefore, water your plants early in the morning or at night to help them retain moisture. And don’t just spray plants with water, as it can’t enter the soil and keep it moist. Saturate the soil thoroughly, paying attention to plants you replanted recently. They are still growing roots, so they need lots of water to develop properly.
Planting the wrong plants
Planting something that does not grow well in their location is one of the biggest mistakes beginner gardeners could make. Therefore, take the time to discover the finest seeds to plant in your particular region. Speak with local gardeners to learn what plants to use since growing anything that isn’t native to your location is a recipe for catastrophe. However, many seeds are modified for the plant to thrive in a given place, so it is best to get your seeds from a local seller. That will result in a better crop and a more enjoyable gardening experience.
Final thoughts
You will gain a lot of gardening knowledge through trial and error. After all, even riding a bicycle comes with a few falls. However, practice will help you improve and discover what you love growing. Just avoid making the biggest mistakes beginner gardeners make that we listed above, and every year will be a better year for your crops.
