Florist in Mountain View CA

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

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

Think about it, is there anything better than placing your hands in the soil and seeing life thrive right in your backyard?

But if your cherished buds aren't growing into lush blooms, then you may be overlooking a few essential factors that are needed to growing a full, stunning garden.

Don't worry; even the most skillful gardeners go wrong 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 challenges. We'll look at six easy fixes you can do to remedy them!

Interested in a formal course? Want to get certified as a gardening expert? Look into associations offering classes in gardening and floristry, like:

• National Gardening Organization

• American Floral Endowment

• American Horticultural Society

Out-of-season planting

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

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

On the other 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 location. Stick to it and plant flowers at the suggested times

Don't hesitate to ask fellow gardeners about the right time to plant particular flowers in your area. You can also contact your local extension service for questions 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 chance for you to check if they have any issues or diseases.

But your act of love could 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 causes root rot, stunted growth, and other health issues.

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

How to fix it

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

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

If you only have a tiny 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 may be a huge help for watering deeper! This would encourage better growth with a lot less trouble for you.

Not paying enough attention to soil issues

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

When soil is rough and low in quality, it can have major repercussions on how well your flowers grow. One other factor to consider is whether the soil in your garden is suited for the kind of blooms you want to grow.

How to fix it

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

You can do this by getting in touch with 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 in good shape. One of the easiest ways to do this is 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 typically made up of leaves, clippings, manure, hay, straw, and other organic matter. Take note of the right composting methods and soil-to-compost ratios for particular buds.

Planting in the wrong place

Just like in real estate, "location, location, location" is key to flower gardening! Your flowers' growth, health, and bloom depend a lot on where you place them.

Giving them too much or too little light can bring about pest infestations, heat damage, health problems, and other unpleasant effects.

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

How to fix it

If you're unsure about how much light your plant needs, visit your nearby nursery and see where it's placed. Sun-loving plants might be in much brighter sections than those that favor shade.

Figure out how much light your plant needs and, ideally, how much light your home is facing. It can help you set your plants in the best possible area where they'll get the correct amount of light they need.

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

Wrong pruning techniques

Pruning is among the most vital things your blossoming buds need. They keep flowers free from dead or diseased branches and encourage them to bloom healthily and perfectly.

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

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

Next is pruning too early. Flowering plants that open late in their growing season should be trimmed 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 crucial to prune dead branches. They suck up all the energy from your plant, which can influence its health and bloom production.

How to fix it

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

Take time to learn about and apply the proper pruning methods for each plant you have!

Giving up easily

There may be moments when you'll ask yourself if it's time to nip your gardening dreams in the bud. When you keep finding lifeless or wilting flowers in your browning backyard, it can get pretty frustrating.

How to fix it

Remember what entices 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 comes with the process that gives you those great experiences.

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

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