Common Gardening Mistakes Part 2

May 15, 2009

Gardening
Planting your plants in the wrong areas - Even when you know for sure the new plant will grow in your garden zone, you may have problems with it if you plant it in the wrong area of your yard. In fact, one of the reasons some of your plants may get too much water while others are getting too little, is because you planted them into the same container or flower bed even though they had different watering requirements.

When you buy new plants, be sure to pay attention to it’s particular requirements. If it needs a lot of sun, don’t choose a shady spot to plant it and vice versa. Sometimes this exercise is more of a trial and error process too though. You may plant something in an area that you feel fits the description of “partial shade”, only to find that there’s too much sun for it.

There are many other common mistakes gardeners can make without knowing it too. Not keeping the weeds under control for instance. Most gardeners are unaware that the weeds can sap water and nutrients from the soil, and this effectively starves your plants and flowers. Some weeds can even grow quite tall and steal sunlight from your plants too. So keeping these under control goes a long way towards making sure your garden is able to thrive.

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Garden Tip...

If one has a fine lawn and desires to keep it so, he should never work upon or mow it when the turf is wet or soggy. The impression made by the feet in walking over the sod while in this state, will leave the surface rough and uneven afterwards. Do not water the grass or plants while the sun is shining hot, as it will scorch the leaves and make them turn yellow. All weeds, such as dandelions, plantain, etc., growing up through the grass, should be carefully and thoroughly dug out by the roots with a knife or pointed spade; if allowed to remain, they will soon become so numerous as eventually to kill out the grass and give to the lawn an appearance of neglect.
~ James Sheehan
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Not deadheading or pruning - Some gardeners are afraid to do anything which they feel may hurt their plants and flowers. So when they see a dead flower or dead branch, they hesitate to snip it off because they worry they’ll hurt the plant somehow, and make it start dying. The truth of the matter is though, that getting rid of dead flowers and branches actually makes your plants and flowers healthier.

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Garden Tip...

Seeds that are exceptionally fine, like those of Lobelias, Petunias, Ferns, and other very tiny seeds, ought never to be covered deeper than the sixteenth of an inch, with very fine soil sifted on them through a fine sieve; the soil should then be lightly patted down with the back of a shovel. This will prevent the seeds from shriveling before they start to germinate.
~ James Sheehan
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In fact, getting rid of live and healthy plants and branches can help make your plants healthier too. And this is why you’re advised to deadhead and prune your plants regularly.

Deadheading is the act of removing dead or dying flowers from your plants. In most cases, new flower buds are trying to develop beneath the old ones. So when you remove the old ones, you’re making it easier for the new flower buds to appear. This causes your plants to bloom much more often and in much more volume.

Pruning your plants is the act of trimming off dead or dying areas - even when it means cutting off whole branches of the plant. Sometimes pruning is also done to help the plant grow better too. So branches are cut even when they’re still alive and healthy.

Pruning off healthy branches of a plant or bush can often help it to grow fuller. If the plant or bush is growing almost straight up, and looks a bit thin, then you can selectively prune areas of it that will force it to start branching outwards, and creating a more filled out look.