I’m here to give you all my gardening mistakes, so that you can avoid making them yourself! We’re not experts, so we always recommend talking to the pros for the best advice. This post contains affiliate links, which may lead to a small commission if purchased. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thanks!
Gardening Mistakes We All Make
I’ve certainly learned a thing or two from all the garden mistakes I made since I started gardening 5 years ago. They say that good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement. Well, I’m here to give you all of the most common gardening mistakes I’ve made over the years, so hopefully you don’t have to make them too!
25 Gardening Mistakes to Avoid
- Eyes bigger than your garden
- Too cool for gloves
- Incompatible plantings
- Inadequate space between seedlings
- Neglecting the soil
- Waiting too long to harvest
- Disorganized seeds
- Skipping fencing
- Ignoring the weeds
- Not planting for your climate
- Starting seeds too early
- Transplanting outside too early
- Planting what you won’t eat
- Starting the wrong plants from seed
- Not watering
- Over watering
- Procrastinating on fruit trees & berries
- Planting before knowing your yard
- Ignoring disease & pests
- Skipping flowers
- Planting invasive species
- Procrastinating on the trellis
- Refusing to thin/pinch
- Overestimating the indoors
- Incorrect amount of sun
Gardening Tips In More Detail
Let’s break down each of these gardening mistakes a bit more, below.
Eyes Bigger Than Your Garden
Every. Single. Year. I order way more seeds and varieties than my backyard garden could ever comfortably fit. I have to constantly remind myself to dial it back!
Too Cool For Gloves
When I first started gardening, I thought you weren’t a “real” gardener unless you gardened without gardening gloves. Now that I’ve been doing it for 5 years, gloves are a must. I’m not a “pretty nail” girl, but dirt absolutely destroyed my nails beyond even what I could handle. And dangerous bacteria that cause conditions like toxoplasmosis and rotting flesh aren’t worth the risk. No thanks!
Incompatible Plantings
Companion planting is an extensive topic that will take years to master, but I’ve learned to at least research which plants shouldn’t be planted together, as they inhibit each others’ growth. There are many that should not be planted together!
Inadequate Space Between Seedlings
Even for those somehow able to rein in the desire to over-buy plants, many still fall victim to planting seedlings too close together. This is one of the most common gardening mistakes. This past year, any and every summer squash plant I put in the ground totally choked out the others around it. I can never believe how huge they get!
Neglecting The Soil
When the weather warms and it’s time to plant seedlings, amending the soil is usually the last thing on everyone’s want-to-do list. However, it should never be neglected. Amending the soil with fertilizer to appropriately feed and house each crop is paramount for a successful harvest.
Waiting Too Long To Harvest
One of the most surprising gardening mistakes is waiting too long to harvest. Anyone who has grown zucchinis or beans knows how much loss can be caused, by skipping even one day of harvesting. Staying on top of harvesting each day is so important for continuing crops!
Disorganized Seeds
Taking a few minutes to organize seeds will save a bunch of time, headache, and money in the long run. This year, I’m using this these photo sleeves and this binder to organize my seeds alphabetically. Maybe it will be the first year I actually get them all in the ground!
Skipping Fencing
There’s nothing more discouraging than doing everything right, nurturing a plant to near-harvest, and then finding your spoils have been stolen by a rabbit, chicken, dog, or bird. Fencing off the garden is well worth the time and investment, for those who can get it done. I like to use wire fencing like this.
Ignoring The Weeds
“How harmful can they be, really? I mean, they’re only about the width of a fingernail right now.” And then, before you know it, the weeds have completely taken over the garden. These are textbook gardening mistakes, right here. Weeding is a full-time job, and staying on top of mother nature is the only way to win the game.
Not Planting For Your Climate
We all get a bit of garden envy when we see what other growers are able to harvest in climates nothing like ours. Inevitably, this causes us to try growing things that were never, ever meant to grow here. Go for the stuff that will thrive in your climate, naturally, instead.
Starting Seeds Too Early
My first year gardening, I kid you not, I was at the local Home Depot shopping for seed starting supplies in early February. Now, there are some plants that will need to be started this early. But no matter how badly the cabin fever is feeling, starting tomatoes/peppers/squash 12 weeks before transplanting is rarely a good idea.
Transplanting Outside Too Early
Inevitably, nurseries will start selling beautiful plant starts well right as the weather starts warming, but well before it’s safe to plant the seedlings outside. I swear (though I don’t have any proof of this) that they do this on purpose, so we all have to come back 4 weeks later when frost has killed everything, and buy them all over again. Resist the temptation to transplant outside before it’s time!
Planting What You Won’t Eat
Eggplant are easy to grow, and they sure do look pretty in a garden. But… do you really eat eggplant? Even when you grow it? Or fennel, kohlrabi… or even kale, for that matter? I find that I’m much more likely to take good care of the garden if I’m devoting my time and resources to crops I will actually eat.
Starting The Wrong Plants From Seed
Some plants just take so long to grow from seed, that they’re well-worth the cost of nursery starts, instead. Rosemary, thyme, and lavender are a few great examples. One of the more common gardening mistakes is thinking that buying nursery starts is “cheating”. Don’t fall for this mentality!
Not Watering Enough
When the mid-season lazy starts to set in, not watering enough is one of the first gardening mistakes I make. It’s so important to stay on top of the watering schedule!
Overwatering
In the same way that too little water can ruin a garden, overwatering is just as common of a gardening mistake. Overwatering can be more easily prevented in containers and soil with good drainage, but it’s not impossible!
Procrastinating on Fruit Trees and Berries
One of the saddest gardening mistakes is procrastinating on fruit trees and berries. If we had planted fruit trees and berries our first year moving to our current property, we would have so many to harvest by now! That thinking can lead to a defeatist attitude which prevents planting fruit trees and berries for years. But the time will pass before you know it — get them in the ground!
Planting Before Knowing Your Yard
While it’s important not to procrastinate on planting the plants that will need a few years to mature, it’s equally important not to shove any plants in the ground before you’re sure the spot is appropriate. Many gardeners suggest waiting at least one season before planting perennials, so that you have a good understanding of your yard’s sun exposure, drainage, and more.
Ignoring Disease & Pests
It’s so tempting to hope the problem will just “go away”, especially when it’s small. But combating disease and pests will be so much easier if done early on. Don’t delay! These are among gardening mistakes well-worth avoiding.
Skipping Flowers
For years, I thought growing anything inedible was a “waste of space”. My, how wrong I was! Growing flowers is usually not only easier than growing veggies, but also contributes to pollination by attracting pollinators to your yard. This leads to a better harvest, too!
Planting Invasive Species
Too many gardeners make the mistake of planting invasive species in their yard. Mint is the perfect example of a seemingly harmless nursery start that can quickly take over your entire yard — and even your neighbors, too! Make sure to research every plant before putting it in the ground, to make sure it isn’t considered invasive in your area. For plants that are considered invasive, such as mint, I prefer to grow them in containers on patios — or even better yet, completely indoors!
Procrastinating On The Trellis
I’m so guilty of planting climbing plant seeds, and telling myself I’ll get to the trellis in a day or two. Before I know it, two weeks have passed, and the little seedlings are a mess! A good rule of thumb is to have the trellis ready when the seeds go in the ground. Or better yet, even before!
Refusing To Thin/Pinch
One of the most common beginner gardening mistakes is fear of pinching or thinning seedlings. Thinning and pinching are very important for robust plant growth. Even though it may feel criminal to cut off seedlings right after sprouting, it will pay off greatly in the long run!
Overestimating The Indoors
For those of us with limited outdoor gardening space (if any) it can be tempting to try to grow all the dream crops indoors. Sadly, I’ve found that most outdoor crops won’t thrive enough indoors to make it to harvest. If at all possible, make use of every square inch outdoors first!
Incorrect Amount Of Sun
Vegetable garden plants can struggle with the incorrect amount of sun — whether it be too much sunlight, or too little. Make sure to plant the full-sun plants in one grouping, and the plants that prefer part-sun — or even shade — in a different area of the yard.
Don’t Fall For These Gardening Blunders
It can be incredibly difficult to keep up with gardening once the growing season takes off. We’re all guilty of the garden mistakes listed above, and of course, many others, as well. However, each growing season offers another layer of experience, and we should never beat ourselves up for what we learn along the way. I hope these warnings of gardening mistakes help you avoid a few this upcoming season, but most of all, I hope you have a wonderful time with whatever process you take!