Florist in Aledo Texas

The 6 Most Common Flower Gardening Mistakes And How To Fix Them

Anyone who engages in gardening will tell you that it's one of the most wonderful pursuits in their lives!

After all, is there anything better than putting your hands in the soil and seeing life flourish right in your yard?

But if your beloved buds aren't growing into lush blooms, then you might be neglecting a few crucial factors that are vital to growing a full, stunning garden.

Don't worry; even the most skillful gardeners slip up in ways they don't even recognize.

Let's explore six of the most common missteps people make in flower gardening. But we won't stop at the issues. We'll look into six easy fixes you can do to solve them!

Interested in a formal course? Want to get authorized as a gardening pro? Look into institutions offering classes in gardening and floristry.

Out-of-season planting

Many flower lovers take the value of seasons for granted. For example, it's easy to get excited planting spring flowers early right as winter starts to clear.

But if you don't have a greenhouse, there's a good chance they'll be laid open to frost from spring thaw. This could ruin-- or worse, even kill-- those tender buds.

On the flip side, planting spring flowers too late leaves them open to rising heat. This could inhibit their growth and keep them from blossoming.

How to fix it

Follow a flower calendar that corresponds to your area. Stick to it and plant flowers at the recommended times.

Don't hesitate to ask fellow gardeners about the right time to plant distinct blooms in your area. You can also contact your local extension service for inquiries about weather issues and gardening tips.

Too much or too little watering

Most gardeners love to water their plants. It's a regular routine that helps you feel connected to your plants. It also presents the opportunity for you to assess if they have any issues or diseases.

But your act of love can be harmful to them! Over-watering your plants keeps them from being able to access oxygen, which in basic terms means they're drowning. It also brings about root rot, stunted growth, and other health issues.

Under-watering can also be a huge problem! Certain blooms need moisture that go down deep into the roots. Signs of under-watering include slow growth, and shedding leaves or flowers.

How to fix it

Look up the specific watering needs of every plant you have. Flowers like yarrows, lavenders, lantanas, and russian sages don't need a great deal of water. By comparison, cannas, elephant's ears, callas, and turtleheads, definitely love wet feet.

To make things much easier for you, group the plants with the same needs together. This also reduces your chances of over- or under-watering your plants.

If you only have a small garden or a few plants, hand watering is definitely the way to go. But if you have plants that need a lot of water, an irrigation system could be a huge help for watering deeper! This would encourage better growth with a lot less headache for you.

Not paying enough attention to soil issues

Every gardener's motto should be: care for your soil! It's the base of any plant's health and growth, so it also calls for a lot of attention and care.

When soil is rocky and poor in quality, it can have critical consequences on how successfully your flowers grow. One other factor to regard is whether the soil in your garden is suited for the type of blooms you want to grow.

How to fix it

Testing your soil is the first step. Soil tests will give you vital information on its pH level and nutritional structure. It helps you find nutrient deficiencies. It also lets you determine whether your soil is compatible with the flower types of your choice.

You can do this by reaching out to your local nursery or sending it over to a lab. There are also home kits for soil testing.

The next step is to get your soil healthy. One of the easiest ways to do this is by composting!

Compost is organic material that produces healthy soil by enhancing its texture and enriching it with nutrients.

You can buy compost, but it's easy to make at home! Compost is usually made up of leaves, clippings, manure, hay, straw, and other organic matter. Make note of the proper composting methods and soil-to-compost ratios for particular buds.

Planting in the wrong place

Much like in real estate, "location, location, location" is the secret to flower gardening! Your flowers' growth, health, and vitality depend a lot on where you put them.

Providing too much or too little sunlight can cause infestations, heat damage, health problems, and other nasty effects.

Another problem is falling in love with an out-of-state plant and getting it, only to discover that it just won't grow in your home town's environment!

How to fix it

If you're unsure about how much light your plant needs, head to your neighborhood nursery and see where it's positioned. Sun-loving plants could be in much brighter spots than those that prefer shade.

Find out how much light your plant needs and, when possible, how much light your home is facing. It can help you put your plants in the best possible area where they'll get the right amount of light they need.

As tempting as it is, try to refrain from buying plants that aren't within your area. Consult with local gardening professionals about the blooms that grow best in your area. You can also look around your local botanical gardens for inspiration on what other plants you can grow.

Wrong pruning techniques

Pruning is one of the most important things your blossoming buds need. They keep flowers free from dead or diseased wood and encourage them to bloom healthily and wonderfully.

But this gardening task can be tricky. This is why some gardeners often adopt the wrong techniques!

The first is pruning too much. Some flowering plants develop flowers on old branches or have inactive buds that bloom much later. Cutting all old branches off won't allow them to bloom well.

Next is pruning too early. Flowering plants that blossom late in their growing season should be pruned when they go into dormancy. If you prune too early, they may produce new shoots that are vulnerable to frost damage.

Last on the list is not pruning enough. It's important to prune dead branches. They take up all the energy from your plant, which can influence its health and bloom production.

How to fix it

Study the blooming pattern of your plant and create a pruning calendar based on what you study. If you have various blooming plants or shrubs, this schedule will very likely vary according to their specific needs.

Take time to learn about and use the correct pruning strategies for each plant you have!

Giving up easily

There may be days when you'll consider if it's time to nip your gardening dreams in the bud. When you keep seeing lifeless or wilting flowers in your browning backyard, it can get quite discouraging.

How to fix it

Remember what draws you to gardening to begin with. Whether it's the physical activity, the peace of mind, the stress relief, or all the above, there's a reason you keep doing it. Going back to square one is part of the process that gives you those wonderful experiences.

Keep trying and keep learning! It doesn't always go right, but when it does, it'll be worth it! With patience, commitment, and care, you can achieve the garden of your dreams over time.