The Sunday Leader Herald published an interesting article in early April that was written by Dean Fosdick of the Associated Press. I thought this was well worth sharing with you all and it is entitled 10 common gardening mistakes.
Gardening is a forgiving hobby. You can always right any wrongs next growing season. The best way to prevent problems though, is with good planning. “Designing from the top of your head may work, but things most likely will work better if you write it down and do a simple drawing” said Jack McKinnon, a garden coach from San Francisco. “Think before you plant”. Most gardening failures result from simple things, he said. “like people who don’t fertilize, or if they do, put on to much. The same goes for people who don’t understand watering or add too much. Many tend to do their pruning with power tools and then overdo it”. Here are ten common gardening mistakes and ways to avoid them.
One: neglecting soil preparation. Test plant beds before you begin and again every few years to see if soil conditioners are needed. Add sand or peat moss to compacted, poorly drained ground to improve its
structure and encourage root growth.
Two: Overplanting. Design with the size of mature plants in mind. Try succession planting in which early, cool-weather crops are harvested before later, less hardy plants reach maturity.
Four: Improper watering. Too much water can be just as damaging as too little. Do a finger in the ground test to ensure the soil around the roots is most. Vegetables need about an inch and a half of water a week.
Six: Improper pest control. Don’t kill the good bugs, like pollinators, in an effort to eliminate the bad. “one thing we hear a lot is an attitude of ‘All I have to do is spray and that will cure it” said Mary Ann Ryan, master gardening coordinator with Penn State, Cooperative Extension in Adams County, Pa.
Eight: Over pruning. As a rule, don’t remove more than 30 percent of the foliage from shrubs in one cutting. And don’t ‘top’ trees to control their height. ‘That reduces their life span rather than improves their health”, Ryan said.
Ten: Failing to start over. “Oftentimes, people let diseased things grow that should be pulled out, and it affects the health of the entire crop”, McKinnon said. Start with a small plot so you can correct mistakes more easily, the experts say. And look to your county extension office for support if you run into trouble. Garden coaches also can diagnose problems and suggest remedies, as can master gardeners and landscape designers.
Our next meeting is on Thursday, May 5 when Bonnie Preston will discuss what makes a good design and will talk about how to handle those small and awkward spaces that pop up in our gardens.
As always if you have questions drop us a line at POBox 675, Northville, NY 12134.
