Gardening Mistakes to Avoid

Gardening is not always a cheap hobby; renovating your garden is an investment of time and money, and mistakes can sometimes be costly. So, if you are new to gardening or are a bit out of practice, it may be worth familiarising yourself with the following common gardening mistakes and how you can avoid making them.

Planting at the wrong time

Many plants are sensitive to cold weather and frost so it is important that you do not plant them too early or late in the year. Check when the ideal month or months for planting are for each of your plants.

Be sure to check your local weather forecast before planting to ensure you are not expecting any frost or particularly low temperatures, as frost will kill your plants.

Overcrowding plants

When planting bulbs , it can be easy to overlook just how much room they will need when they grow.

Be sure to follow the recommendations on the packaging for how much space to leave between each one to ensure they have enough space, and get enough moisture and sunlight to grow sufficiently.

Incorrectly watering plants

Overwatering or underwatering, or watering at the wrong time of day, can have detrimental effects on your plants. To help retain moisture, you should water at the start or end of the day, rather than at the hottest time of day as the water is likely to evaporate.

Make sure you saturate the soil well when you water to ensure the water gets down to the roots, and wait until the soil dries out a bit before watering again, but try not to let it dry up completely between watering. Planters, pots and baskets typically need watering every day when it’s sunny.

Poor weeding

Many people often pull up the visible parts of weeds and assume that means they have been dealt with. However, to truly get rid of a weed, you need to remove the roots. Be sure to dig out as much of a weed as possible to prevent it from regrowing.

Cutting the lawn too much

Be careful not to scalp your lawn. It can be tempting to cut your grass shorter, thinking you will not have to cut it as often, or to cut it often to keep it looking neat and tidy. However, shorter grass will lose its moisture more quickly which will make it more susceptible to yellow or brown patches.

Not cutting your grass too short or too often, and allowing lawn plants such as daisies to grow and flower between cutting, will help to attract pollinators and keep your grass looking green and healthy.

Planting in the wrong place

Do your research on where your plants are most likely to thrive. Do they need to be in full sun or in shaded areas? Would they grow best at the front or back of borders?

Is your garden shaded or does it get a lot of sun? What is the soil like in your garden? Rather than buying plants and then trying to find a spot that suits, buy plants that suit your garden.

For help selecting the best bulbs for your gardening project, contact our knowledgeable team at Boston Bulbs on 01775 769333, or email sales@bostonbulbswholesale.co.uk. We have a wide range of bulbs available, with options to suit both novice and avid gardeners.

The Boston Bulb Company has over 40 years of experience in supplying only the finest quality horticultural products from farmers and growers throughout the UK and Europe.