Five Simple Gardening Mistakes Beginners Make Gardening is a relaxing, enjoyable hobby for many people. It takes time and patience to develop your green thumb, and there are a few things that many beginners tend to overlook as they get started. Avoid the following pitfalls, and you will see your thumb turning green before you know it.
1. Giving your plants too little or too much water. When you choose plants for your garden, make sure that you check whether the plants are drought-tolerant, need a lot of water or have modest water requirements. Your climate also affects watering needs; warmer, drier climates require more watering. For example, many people choose lavender, cacti, succulents and similar plants for desert landscapes because they can live in hot, dry climates with very little water.
2. Not paying attention to the sun or shade requirements for specific plants. Some people like to buy whatever plant strikes their fancy, regardless of the type of environment it needs to help it thrive. If you would like to keep your garden looking healthy and lively, choose plants based on where you plan to locate them. If their label says they need full sun, this means that they should be in full sun for the entire day. Conversely, plants that say they need shade will show burned leaves and stunted growth if planted in full sun.
3. Not understanding what the climate zone is for your area. This is an important detail that helps you understand how to select plants for your garden. Climate zones are based upon the average temperature ranges for your area during each season of the year. This is important because many plants can freeze if it gets too cold at night, or die quickly if they are subjected to too much heat. Additionally, some plants, including certain trees and bulb flowers, require the freezing temperatures of snowy climates to help them go into their dormant phase and then leaf out and bloom in the spring.
4. Ignoring the directions for planting specific plants. Not all plants require the same planting conditions. Some do well in dense, packed soil with a high clay content. Others, such as herbs or succulents, need loose soil that provides good drainage so that the plant roots do not stay in standing water. Certain plants also grow better in soil that has added nutrients. For example, hydrangea blooms change from pink to purple or blue, depending upon how acidic the soil is in which they are grown.
5. Placing plants too shallow in the dirt or too deeply. Each plant has its own type of root system and some plants like to spread their roots widely, just under the ground's surface. Other plants send roots straight down, deep into the soil. Place plants so that their roots are able to grow according to their natural preference, or their growth will become stunted.
Gardening has a learning curve, but you will find that any headaches are far outweighed by the peace and happiness you derive from spending time working the soil and tending your plants. Apply the knowledge here to help you get your garden off the ground, and get ready for many days and weeks of enjoyment ahead. For more information click here