5 things you are doing wrong with your garden.
Photo by Martin Kníže on Unsplash
If you have your own garden, you’ll want to do whatever it takes to keep it thriving throughout each growing season. Even with all your best efforts, you might still be making mistakes in your gardening that negatively affect the growth of your vegetation. Here are five things that you might be guilty of doing wrong when it comes to taking care of your garden.
Doing too much
You may dream of having a large, lavish garden, but being too ambitious with your efforts can be detrimental to your plants and flowers. If you don’t have time to water, fertilize and tend to other responsibilities that are involved in taking care of many types of vegetation, you’ll do better with planting fewer plants and flowers in the beginning. You can always add more to your garden if you believe that you can handle additional responsibilities. Some vegetation types will need more water or sunlight than others, and you’ll have a much more difficult time giving your vegetation the individual care needed with a larger garden. If you plant too much, you’ll also likely find yourself favoring certain plants or flowers when tending to your garden while neglecting others without even realizing it.
Not testing the soil
It’s always best to test the soil before planting anything to determine its pH level. By testing your soil’s pH level, you’ll know how acidic it is so that you can plant vegetation accordingly. Soil that’s too acidic is often deficient in calcium and magnesium, which can be bad for vegetation. Soil often becomes more acidic with excessive rainfall or microbial activity. Using chemical fertilizers can also increase your soil’s acid levels. As SFGate.com explains, one of the best ways to lower your garden soil’s pH level is by placing some eggshells, pine needles, or wood ashes throughout your garden. There are also commercial products on the market that can help balance your soil’s pH levels.
Not providing enough shade
Plants and flowers need sunlight to grow, but too much of it can cause your vegetation to dehydrate and wilt. Certain plants, such as lobelias, ferns, and fuchsias, don’t need a lot of sunlight to thrive, and you’ll want to provide ample shade for these and other types of vegetation that are more prone to the sun’s harsh effects. To give your garden more shade, you can put up shade cloth to block sunlight in a certain section of your garden where shade-loving vegetation is planted. Many of the best covers on the market that provide additional shade are made from a breathable mesh material that allows limited sunlight to shine through while minimizing harsh glare and heat.
Spreading contaminants with gardening tools
You might be spreading contaminants to many of your plants and flowers without realizing it if you’re constantly using the same tools in contaminated soil. It’s often difficult to realize that the soil is contaminated if certain plants aren’t as prone to the negative effects, but you can quickly kill much of the rest of your vegetation if you continue to spread contaminants. To avoid this problem, it’s best to clean your shovels, rakes, and other gardening tools by rinsing them with a hose or dipping them in treated water each time that you finish working in a particular area of your garden. Spraying your garden tools with vinegar is another great way to disinfect them.
Using toxic pesticides
You’ll want to treat your vegetation regularly with pesticides to keep bugs, insects, and other pests away from them, but using the wrong type of pesticides can have a detrimental effect. Some commercially produced pesticides are made with synthetic chemicals that may harm your garden more than good. One of the best ways to avoid this problem is to use all-natural pesticides that are made with eco-friendly, non-toxic ingredients. If you need professional help, don’t hesitate to contact https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/exterminator/florida/.
Certain household items, such as neem oil, peppermint oil, and a citrus spray made from lemon juice, can often work well in keeping pests at bay. Some experts even recommend using coffee grounds in your garden to ward off pests.
By avoiding these mistakes as much as possible, you can cultivate the lush garden of your dreams. Learning the proper gardening methods will help all the plants and flowers in your garden grow healthy and happy.