Having too many plants
We’ve all been there at some point. You go out to buy groceries and you come back home with a bunch of new plants. Variety is always great, but if you’re just starting out you may find it difficult to care for the individual needs of multiple plants. Start small and build from there.
Ignoring the seasons
With gardening, timing and patience is everything. Spring tulips actually need to be planted in the fall, and the best time to prune roses is during winter. Plant summer tomatoes too early, and a late-night spring frost could take them out. Pay attention to the weather patterns, talk to other gardeners in your area and sign up for gardening newsletters to help you create a growing strategy.
Plant the right plants together
Try not to give your plants a chance to hang out with the wrong group. That implies when you’re combining plants, ensure they have comparable prerequisites so they can both flourish together. Focus on the spacing on your plant labels so they have space to develop and flourish.
Take mint, for instance: It’s a bully in a garden space, growing so quickly and aggressively that it can stifle out different plants. Numerous gardeners really develop mint in compartments and after that sink the holder into the ground, then prune frequently to hold its runners under tight restraints.
See also: Which plants should never be planted together
Not paying attention to your plants’ needs
You can’t grow tomatoes in deep shade (if you can, please tell me your secret) and succulents will wither with too much water. Always check the plant tags. “Full Sun” means your plant needs six or more hours of direct sunlight, and fruiting vegetables like tomatoes and peppers grow best with eight or more hours.
Anything less and you may notice foliage, but no blooms or fruits. Knowing your plants’ water requirements is also vital – with most plants, you want to keep the soil moist but not wet. Don’t let plants sit in standing water and keep an eye on the weather to make sure you don’t water right before a rainstorm.
Know your zone!
The USDA divides the country into 13 different growing regions to help gardeners choose plants that will thrive in their area. The USDA bases their zones on winter hardiness – a Zone 3 grower needs plants that can withstand extreme temperatures as low as -40 to -30 degrees F while winters in Zone 9 fall between 28 to 18 degrees F.
Since the USDA only addresses winter lows, Sunset created its own climate zone map that factors in rainfall, elevation, summer temperatures and other factors. You can also ask the staff at your local garden center, a neighbor with a green thumb or call your local county extension office. Your extension office has people on staff who can help with everything from determining your zone to identifying garden weeds and pests.
