Site planting and over-crowding issues can be avoided by reading the plants cultivation requirements listed on the plastic tag attached to the container before purchase. The tag describes the plants’ mature height, light & shade requirements, and soil conditions (courtesy: geekygreenhouse.com).
By John Green: Certified Texas Expert Gardener, Orange, TX
All gardeners make gardening mistakes from time to time, it’s just that some gardeners make mistakes more frequently than others and don’t learn from past transgressions! Learning to garden is a ‘process’ which can be as simple or complex as you make it… it’s your choice to make but either way, gardening is a commitment! Gardeners must decide how much time and energy they can set aside to learn how to garden but also the amount of time available for gardening-specific tasks.
Gardening begins with planning and good bit of reading about specific topics, i.e. soil health & types, soil analysis, garden site preparation, light & shade requirements, plant categories & types, and the list goes on and on! Disregarding any of these topics can and often will lead to cultivation problems, where plants simply will not perform well or worse…succumb! There a several, all too common gardening mistakes which both novice and seasoned gardeners alike make. Some of the most common mistakes are in poor garden planning, misunderstanding & ignoring soil health, plant spacing & proximity, improper watering, pest & disease control, and mulching. SO, let’s “dig” in shall we!
Planning
It is extremely easy to purchase too many plants from a nursery or plant sale only to realize upon arriving home, the new acquisitions also need a considerable space to call home! It literally occurs to us (gardeners) that we didn’t think this through…where do we plant them and that a considerable amount of time is needed to plant the new plants.
And yes, as a seasoned gardener (even to this day) I find myself in similar situations, though not as frequently as years passed! Impulse purchases (specifically Spring annuals) are often staged in a “holding area” but due to time constraints, never get planted…I’m shaking my head as I reflect on the multiple times plants have purchased but never planted! We as gardeners are enticed by blooming plants and meticulously staged ornamentals- plan ahead before making ‘emotional’ purchases which is a guaranteed way to save money.
Soil Health & Preparation
The lack of sufficient soil and site preparation at the time of planting or simply ignoring soil preparation altogether is one of the primary reasons for an unhealthy landscape and easily the most avoidable mistakes gardeners can make. There are no “short cuts” to soil preparation, remember that soil is a “living” environment, filled with organisms which require nurturing. Plants are planted into the ‘living’ soil and this environment becomes home for the plant for a lifetime!
The two main issues that soil preparation must address are nutrients and structure. Nutrients become depleted as plants uptake them over time. Building the soil is an on-going, active process where adding organic matter (soil amendments) such as mulch, composted manure, compost, and leaf mold is continually added to maintain microorganisms- critical to a healthy soil.
Soil structure relates to the soil’s ability to retain water. Our SETX soil is heavy, mostly clay soil though it has exceptional nutrient and water retention properties which can be detrimental to many plants, meaning plants can drown in standing water. Adding organic matter improves clay soil structure by allowing soil to drain adequately, while retaining sufficient moisture. Well-prepared soil contains an abundance of readily available nutrients and microorganisms creating an optimal growing environment that promotes plant health. Remember the journey begins with a soil test!
Spacing & Proximity
Everyone enjoys viewing an aesthetically pleasing, well-established landscape using foundation and border plantings. This is simple to accomplish using small plants and a couple trees closely planted together. Unfortunately, planting close together without consideration of plant dimensions at maturity will lead to significant problems within a few years (ask me how I know this to be true). Plants will begin competing with one another for moisture, nutrients and sunlight…all of which are critical for plant health. Trees planted too close to foundations and structures will destabilize buildings…an expensive undertaking to correct!
Alleviate overcrowding through planning and reading the information tag supplied with the plant, otherwise be prepared to ‘thin’ plants or transplant to a new location…both approaches come at substantial cost, are labor intensive, and plants often don’t survive! Gardeners often want instant ‘garden’ gratification… but if we wait patiently and provide plants with the time and space required to mature, we will be rewarded. In fact, delaying our gratification, we will be significantly rewarded with a healthy, strong, low maintenance landscape.
Watering
Established landscapes and lawns can thrive on an inch of water per week including rainfall. If supplemental watering is required, subtract the amount of rainfall in a week from any supplemental watering program. Infrequent, deep watering techniques encourage plant roots to grow downward in search of moisture. Plants having deep roots can better withstand drought conditions and increase access to nutrients.
The US Environmental Protection Agency website states that approximately half of the water used for irrigation is wasted. Unfortunately, improper watering is one of the most common problems in gardens and landscapes which have enormous implications. There are more plants, trees, and lawns are killed or become diseased by overwatering rather than underwatering. Overwatering plants and landscapes create runoff which pollute ponds, rivers, streams, and watersheds creating toxic environments for wildlife, amphibians, and fish. Algae blooms and water plants populations grow exponentially within waterways due to excessive fertilizer introduced through water runoff. Overhead watering of landscapes is the most practical way to irrigate lawns, spray patterns can be adjusted to keep water on target without water running off occurring.
Pest & Disease Control
Broad-spectrum insecticides, whether organic or synthetic, kill insects indiscriminately and should be used as a last resort! Beneficial insects are required for pollination and to have a healthy ecosystem. And yes, I am an organic gardener- start to finish. As gardeners, we must make informed choices and each of us must understand that incorrect use (organic or non- organic) of all chemicals whether fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, or fungicides will have lasting, detrimental, widespread consequences on our environment. Less is more regarding all chemicals! Use discretion when applying organic or synthetic chemicals. Read the label before using it and make certain it is the right product for the job. Be mindful of the unintended consequences of overuse, overspray, and runoff as well as the influence chemicals have on the
environment.
Often a plant disease or pest problem can be controlled without the use of chemicals, and if
determined a pesticide is needed, utilize selective controls first. Selective controls target specific
vectors while leaving others unharmed. Application (timing) is critical when non-selective
chemicals are used. Waiting until late evening to apply chemicals will aid beneficial insects such
as bees, who retire for the evening. Never spray non-selective controls between morning and
noon, which is the busiest time of day for pollinators.
Mulching
Let me begin by saying…mulch, mulch, mulch…there is no such thing as having too much
mulch! Choosing not to use mulch is a disservice to you, and to plants since mulch warms soil
(winter), cools soil (summer& retains moisture), nourishes and feeds organisms within the soil as
it decomposes, provides nutrient availability to plants, and reduces weed populations. Mulch
such as grass clippings, wood chips, pine straw, leaf mold, shredded leaves, newspaper, or
cardboard are a gardener’s best friend! If organic matter is not continually added to the soil,
nutrients will become deleted, and soil quality will suffer. As mulch decomposes into the soil, it
breaks down quickly replenishing soil nutrients consumed by plants. Additionally, adding
compost and composted manure as mulch is a quick way to provide rapid nourishment to fast-
growing plants.
Allowing clay soil to remain exposed to the sun will become a dried out hard surface, difficult for water to penetrate. Exposed soil surfaces are the main reason for excessive weed growth in gardens. Mulch hinders weed seeds from germinating by denying them sunlight required to sprout.
So long for now fellow gardeners! Let’s go out and grow ourselves a greener, more sustainable
world, one plant at a time! Gardening questions answered: jongreene57@gmail.com.
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