5 Things You Are Doing Wrong In Your Garden
When it comes to gardening, and with the aid of this digital age, there are many hints, tips and tricks available online to help you become the best gardener you can possibly be… However, sometimes it’s better to not look at ‘What you should be doing right’ but ‘What you are doing wrong’.
You may be aware of some or all of the following “don’ts” but it’s always good to have a quick refresher in case you are making a mistake that is stopping your plants and garden from becoming not just good, but GREAT!
Without further ado, here are: The Top 5 Things You Are Doing Wrong In Your Garden.
1. Bad Watering Technique
A lot of people water at the wrong time of the day. By watering when the day is at its hottest two things will happen: A lot of the moisture will be lost through evaporation straight away, and believe it or not, the water droplets that form on foliage can act as magnifying glasses for the sun, scorching the delicate leaves!
It’s far better practice to water your plants either first thing in the morning or last thing at night to retain the moisture and protect the leaves.
While we are on the subject of watering…
2. Unintentionally Murdering House Plants
Don’t kill by kindness. Being over generous with water is the number one killer of house plants. Never let your plants sit in water continually. A great way to avoid this common mistake is to put an inch of water in your sink (or bath if you have a lot of plants) and place your plants in it. After an hour, once they have absorbed what they want you take them out and put them back on display. This might seem like a lot of effort but you will be rewarded with extreme plant longevity like never before.
3. Below Par Weeding
Okay, this seems super obvious but it has to be said… Don’t just chop the top off of a weed. Most weeds such as dandelions and thistles have extremely strong root structures. You MUST dig as much of the root up as you can. It’s a laborious task we know but in truth it’s a task we are all a little lazy at doing right.
4. When To Mow & Not Too Low
Most people make the mistake of cutting grass far too short, otherwise known as ‘scalping’ the lawn. Make sure you are using the right height on your lawn mower and a little longer is better than too short. Scalping can be a huge problem in a drought or dry spell. If you know a dry spell is on its way, let your grass stay a bit longer. It will help hold moisture longer and remain much much healthier.
5. Know Your Enemy
Don’t start dealing with slugs until it is too late. However you choose to control these pests, do it sooner rather than later – start in early spring as the sun warms up. Otherwise they will breed and breed, and you will spend the whole season just holding back the tide. It’s far better to make sure their numbers don’t get so great in the first place and you will have a much easier summer.
We hope this blog has been helpful yet again. If you avoid all of these common gardening mistakes you can rest easy that you have the very best foundation for growing and maintaining a wonderful garden.
Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for our next Deal Of The Week
Happy gardening,
Lou