A beautiful and thriving garden is a dream come true for all lovers of foliage. There’s nothing like waking up to vegetable and fruit plants bearing harvest, vibrant greeneries and flowers blossoming all around.

The reality is gardening takes time and effort. However, the benefits are boundless. For one, pandemic gardens have given people their very own ray of sunshine and the much needed mental nutrients to cope, deal and grow.

Part of growing a prosperous garden is avoiding and learning from rookie mistakes. This will help you develop your green thumb much faster and make you a more instinctive and strategic grower. Here are some gardening mistakes to steer clear from.

Planting Without a Plan

Whether you consider yourself a hobbyist or looking to grow a full-fledged garden, planning is key. It’s common to want a million things for yours. We get it, being excited is all part of it. However, it’s crucial to have a vision of what you want your garden to be. Moreover, there are plenty of factors to keep in mind beyond what to plant.

Think about the space you have. Consider the amount of sunlight and the weather where you live. Most importantly, be honest about how much time you can truly dedicate to it.

Not Digging Deep and Wide Enough

Most of us start by digging a hole we think is deep enough for what we plant. However, this rookie gardening mistake is what keeps your plants from truly maximizing themselves.

Always dig twice as wide as the pot that your plant came in and twice as deep. Then be careful and caring towards the soil you will plant them in. Add enough compost, mulch when needed and always remember to fill in the sides with dug up soil and compost. This ensures that your plants will grow as bountifully as they can.

Putting Everything Under the Sun

It’s what we all grew up to learn: Plants need sunlight. Many beginner gardeners make the mistake of planting everything under the sun, forgetting that too much of it could compromise your garden.

Start by having a better understanding of how hot it can get where you live during certain times of the year. From there, learn to work with shade and sun. An idea is to make use of planter boxes and raised beds, so you have better control.

Disregarding Proper Spacing and Companion Planting

Plants are quite sociable. It’s too often that many beginner gardeners forget that. That’s why they end up making the mistake of planting too far apart or forgetting about companion planting altogether.

Planting too far apart is noticeable particularly with flowers. When they start growing, instead of a singularly harmonious blossoming garden, what you have are patches of distant and awkward-looking flowers. Take the time to research about proper spacing when it comes to plants.

On the other hand, companion planting is about knowing which plants are best situated beside each other. This way, they can thrive and help each other be their most abundant versions.

The Thing with Watering..

Watering has always been many gardeners’ gaping ache. It can get tricky learning the best possible time and amount of water your plants need.

One tip veteran gardeners swear by is the finger test. Dip your finger into the soil. If it’s dry, water your plants. If it’s still moist, then leave it alone. That’s a general rule of thumb. However, always remember that every plant is different. Learn more about what you’re growing so you get your timing and amount just right.

Ditch the black thumb and learn to avoid these rookie gardening mistakes. Before you know it, you’ll be looking at a garden that smiles back at you every day of the year.