LogiNext_YW August-2018 Dummy

garden
12 wellness
Common Gardening
Mistakes And How
To Avoid Them
Quite often gardening is all
about trial and error, seeing what
works and experimenting with
different ideas. But when things
go wrong it can be frustrating,
particularly if you’ve invested
lots of time or money in different
plants that don’t thrive. So, while
it’s fun to experiment, a little
planning can help avoid costly
mistakes. Here are some of the
most common gardening mistakes
and how to avoid them:
Choosing the wrong
plants
Every garden has its very own
micro-climate. Many different
factors can affect how plants will
grow in your garden from the
temperature to soil conditions
and the amount of shade. Before
you rush out and buy plants, take
the time to analyse your garden
and the soil conditions. This way,
you can choose the plants that
will have the very best chance of
growing well, rather than simply
choosing the ones that look nice.
Also remember to choose
plants that will fit in with your
style of gardening. If you’re a busy
professional who can only spare
a little time each day, it’s best to
choose plants that will look after
themselves rather than ones that
need constant attention.
Planting at the
wrong time
Do your research before
planting seeds or seedlings.
There’s usually a small window of
opportunity for getting the best
results from new plants and it pays
to plant them at the right time.
Check the seed packets or have
a look online to determine which
month is best to plant your seeds.
Failing to water
It’s easy to forget to water your
plants, particularly when you’re
busy. But one sunny afternoon
is all it takes to kill off young
seedlings or small plants. Try to
build watering into your daily
routine or invest in automatic
watering systems to help when you
can’t get into the garden.
Remember, different plants have
different needs when it comes to
watering so make sure you know
which plants need more and which
need less. Plants are as likely to
suffer as a result of over-watering
as under-watering.
Underestimating
pests
Slugs, snails, flies and other
pests are the enemies of gardeners
everywhere and you need a good
plan to keep a step ahead of the
nasties. Have a supply of pest
repellents in your shed ready to
use – choose natural products or
homemade remedies wherever
possible to protect the eco-system
in your garden.
Forgetting to harvest
When all the hard work is done,
there is nothing better than seeing
a wonderful crop of fresh fruit or
vegetables ready to pick. When
your plants get to this stage, it’s
important to check them daily and
pick any ripe fruits and veggies.
Left too long, they can quickly
rot, putting all your hard work to
waste.
Taking on too much
Many first-time gardeners
underestimate how much work
is involved in keeping on top of a
productive garden. In your first
year, it’s a good idea to start small
and build up rather than trying to
do too much in one go.
yourwellness.com • Volume VII • Issue III • August 2018