As I take in the sight of my winter gardens, and plan out all the dreams that will (hopefully!) come to fruition this spring season–it can be overwhelming! With so much work still left to do before summertime arrives, it’s hard for me to decide which gardening task is most important. So if you’re like me and getting lost trying to find your way among these plans… Let’s talk about how we can make sure our best laid plans won’t fall apart at the seams due to 15 common mistakes – ones easily avoided with a simple dose of knowledge!
Being too Ambitious
Springtime is a great time to nurture your inner gardener! But dreaming of an ambitious garden can be daunting, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the soil and sun exposure.
So don’t go too big right away – plan out your dreamscape but start small when it comes to planting. Planting in steps helps financially as well as ensuring healthier plants.
If space allows consider larger shrubs or trees for the back area while adding some beautiful annuals up front until later on down the line; then just focus on giving each plant plenty of love & care – that way everyone wins!
Choosing the Wrong Plants
Getting inspiration for your garden is easy with the help of the internet. However, it’s important to research which plants can thrive in your local hardiness zone so that you don’t end up disappointed!
Shopping at a nearby gardening center will help with what works where you live – but if buying online be double-sure those lovelies are actually suitable first.
And just because something may not technically grow year round doesn’t mean all hope is lost – annuals could still work out great too!
Planting Too Early
As winter comes to an end, it’s the perfect time to spruce up your garden! Before you start planting any new beautiful plants in the ground, make sure that the soil is ready – give it some warm sunny days so that temperatures reach 50-60 degrees and all frost has passed. You can check out the soil temperature and last frost date with Green Cast.
If you’re itching for a little spring display while waiting on warmer weather conditions outside, head inside with containers or window boxes filled with annuals such as pansies. You can also add branches of classic blooms like forsythia and pussy willow into these containers – creating a stunning seasonal look even before your outdoor flowers have bloomed!
Not Enough Breathing Room
As any experienced gardener knows, patience is the key when planting a garden. If you must have that hedge or border of one type of plant right away, it can be tempting to make them too close together – but don’t!
Not only will this stunt your plants’ growth and prevent each from reaching its fullest beauty potential; it’s also riskier for disease like fungus to spread throughout your garden as there isn’t enough airflow between the greenery.
So cultivate with care by giving every plant plenty of space – we promise: even if they start small now, their true majesty will come in time!
Skipping Spring Cleaning
It’s time to get your spring cleaning underway! Carefully tend to each of the plants in your garden, removing any debris that has built up over winter. Don’t forget about pruning and trimming too – this is an ideal opportunity for it!
Once all of those leafy details have been seen to, give everything a good rake through so you can clear away years worth of plant litter from your beds. Reuse it by adding it into compost or simply dispose off-site if necessary – either way, cleanliness will be yours soon enough.
Ignoring the Weeds
Spring is a great time to get your garden off to a weed-free start. Weeds may not be very noticeable yet, but they can spread quickly – so having the right plan in place now will make life much easier later on!
Most weeds are easy enough to pull by hand or with tools; however you could also consider pre-emergent control if needed. Just remember that this product kills all germinating plants – both good and bad – so avoid using it where you intend to sow flower/vegetable seeds come planting season!
Mismanaging Your Watering
With springtime here, you may be wondering how much to water yo
ur plants – don’t worry! Your green friends will love a little extra hydration after their winter hiatus. Just remember that less is more and make sure it’s not too cold out; frost heaves can hurt sensitive roots.
Keep in mind that since your plants aren’t as active during the cooler months, they won’t need quite as much H2O than when summer arrives. Give them just enough for happy growth without overdoing it – enjoy watching those beautiful buds burst open soon with joy.
Not Adding Compost
Embrace the fertility of spring by making compost part of your gardening routine! Compost is a great way to give an extra boost to soil nutrition and can be found at garden centers, local farms or landscape supply companies.
Sprinkle it atop your gardens for general enrichment, or around individual plants that could use some picking-up – either way you’re sure to experience green growth with this easy seasonal task!
Not Mulching
Mulching is arguably one of the best decisions you can make for your garden this spring! Not only will it give a boost to its appearance, but there are also some functional benefits that come along with adding mulch. It helps retain moisture in soil for those hot weather months and even acts as an effective weed barrier so plants have room to grow without interference from undesirables.
Plus, if you’ve got small spaces or limited time, grabbing bagged mulches from stores works just fine too – we won’t judge! In addition to looking great and serving us well throughout our growing season, when used correctly – what’s not to love about such a simple gardening task?
Bring Your Potted Plants Out with Care
After caring for your potted plants all through the winter, it’s tempting to get them outdoors quickly. But if you want to make sure those beauties stay healthy and happy, wait until nighttime temperatures are at least 50 degrees before moving them out permanently.
In the meantime, you can help harden off your pots by bringing them outside on sunny days and back inside during cooler evenings – just don’t forget that extra dose of water when they come in from their adventures!
Not Starting Your Seeds
When you’re ready to start growing your own plants from seeds, timing is everything! Be sure to check the packet for suggested planting times – usually an indoor and outdoor sow date. This will give you a good starting point before or after your last frost date in your area (something that’s easy to find online!).
Planting too early could cause them to grow too large; while waiting just a bit longer might mean they don’t reach maturity on schedule. With proper planning, though – watching those dates carefully –you can look forward excitingly as your garden starts blooming with success.
Neglecting Your Tools
Preparing your gardening tools for the upcoming season is an essential task that can sometimes be overlooked. Why not tackle it this spring while you have time, and make sure to use sharpened shears and loppers when tending to your garden?
If you’re unfamiliar with how to sharpen them yourself, reach out – local landscape equipment shops might even recommend a place where they could get some professional help! Your regular hardware store should provide all of the supplies necessary: cleaning agents like steel wool or oil; a sharpening stone so blades stay in top condition; something like sand for protection against rusting between uses.
There’s no better way than starting fresh this season by giving those vital pieces of equipment what they need!
Not Cleaning Containers
With the arrival of spring, don’t forget to give your containers a little TLC! Whether you left them full over winter or cracked and broken from all that enjoyment they gave last season – it’s time for a good clean.
Dump any old soil and plants (and patch up those cracks if needed!), then disinfect with one part bleach to nine parts water. Let sit for at least ten minutes before scrubbing off any build-up, followed by an extra rinse until squeaky clean! Finally let your stylish planters dry out ready for planting again this year.
Forgetting About Your Raised Beds
Preparing your raised bed is an essential part of giving your plants the best chance to thrive! In spring, make sure you clear away any old crop remnants and weeds that may have sprung up. Then get ready for some fun – mix several inches of organic material into the bed to create a super soil base filled with nutrition and minerals.
To finish off strong, lay down mulch around the perimeter; this will help keep pesky weeds from hopping over to take advantage of all those nutrients designed just for YOUR beloved vegetable patches or gorgeous flower gardens.
Forgetting to Prep Water Tools
Preparing your watering tools now can help you make sure that when things start blooming in earnest later on your hoses, cans, and sprinklers are up to par. Inspect all of these items for cracks or clogs; use soap and water if there’s leftover soil or plant debris from last year.
If you’re rolling out a hose reel this season too– stretch the hose all the way out before winding them so they don’t kink anywhere along their length.
And as always – attach the hose to the spigot and test it with some running water beforehand just to be safe. Lastly- lay down any necessary soaker hoses after ensuring all plants have sprouted (so none go thirsty!)
Conclusion
With just a bit of foresight and preparation, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts this spring! Gardening is the perfect opportunity to indulge yourself in some mindful work with amazing returns. You can set up success for an easy-breezy growing season – so don’t miss out on maximizing your garden’s potential by taking time to devote yourself now!
If you would like more information on cleaning your garden tools, check this out: How To Keep Your Garden Tools Clean
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