15 Gardening ‘Tips’ That Are Secretly Killing Your Plants

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Gardening can be a great hobby, but some of the advice that is floating around isn’t as helpful as it might sound. Lots of very well-intentioned tips for lush gardens and healthy plants turn out to really be working against you. The tricky thing is a lot of these “tips” are actually coming from popular sources, which makes it pretty hard to see it’s doing more harm than good.

If your plants don’t seem to be thriving nearly as well as they should, it might not be bad luck. It might just be some gardening tips silently sabotaging your efforts. Here are some common gardening practices that may be harming your plants and what to do instead.

Watering Plants Everyday

a person watering plants with a watering can
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When you first start ‘gardenin’, ‘watering every day is many new gardeners’ first instinct. Who needs water, after all, plants? However, in all actuality, this habit can flush your plants. If you water constantly, the soil never has the opportunity to dry out, which suffocates the roots and encourages root rot. Check the moisture of the soil before you water, but not water until the top 1/2 inch or so is dry.

Using Too Many Chemical Fertilizers

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Although fertilizers can seem like a magic potion for plant growth, too much of it can burn your plant’s roots and leave your soil unbalanced; a mistake that many people make is over-fertilizing, which leads to nutrient overload and harm to your eventual plants in the long run. It is best to use natural compost and not to go with chemical boosters too often.

Relying Solely on Sunlight

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Sunlight is important but so are some of the plants that require a break from the sun’s powerful rays. Allowing your plants to stay out in the full sun all day can cause them to wilt, or even burn. Some plants will require sun shade such as in the middle of the day. Don’t assume that all plants will prosper in constant sunshine though, read up on exactly how much light each plant needs.

Planting Too Closely Together

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When we’re excited to fill our garden with as many plants as we can fit into it, it’s tempting to squeeze them all in. But overcrowded plants will fight for space, water, light, and nutrients. It slows growth down and can heighten the risk of disease. One of the easiest ways to avoid making your indoor plant sick is to give each plant enough space between each other so that they can breathe.

Pruning at the Wrong Time

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Pruning your plants will help keep them nice and tidy and help promote new growth, but when to do this depends on the plant and, if done at the wrong time, can actually weaken them. For instance, if you prune your plants during their growing season, then they are stressed, mainly if the current environmental conditions are already causing stress. You’ll want to be sure about what time to prune by knowing what sort of plant you have and the seasonal needs of it.

Not Contemplating Your Soil Kind

Person Digging on Soil Using Garden Shovel

There is always the type of soil you work with and one of the most overlooked aspects of gardening. Simultaneously, different plants thrive in different types of soil, so if your soil isn’t a match, your plants may ultimately have a rough time with any amount of your care. Learn how to test your soil’s pH level and texture, and pick out plants that prefer the same or adjust your soil where necessary.

Disregard to Local Climate Conditions.

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A lot of gardening tips come from places that have very different climates to your own. Complying with suggested soil plant dates for another region can easily spell death for your garden if your conditions are greatly varied. Never modify your gardening method to your region’s local climate.

Using Too Much Pesticide

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Although spraying your garden with pesticide to protect it from the bugs might appear to be a good idea, according to Wikipedia, overuse of pesticide can adversely affect your plants and the natural ecosystem. In addition, pesticides will kill beneficial insects that can help protect your plants from more harmful pests. Organic or natural pest control methods are preferable instead.

Using Too much Mulch

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Piling on mulch too thickly will suffocate your plants, but mulch is awesome at keeping down weeds and retaining moisture. If your plants do not get enough air to their roots, they may rot or find it difficult to grow. Just a light layer of mulch is required; two to three inches is all you need so your roots don’t grow strangled from lack of air.

Overwatering Indoor Plants

Watering Indoor Plants    

It’s hard to tell when the soil has gotten too moist, which is why indoor plants are extra prone to overwatering. However, if the water isn’t drained properly, it can stagnate causing root rot and fungal issues. Use pots with drainage holes and never let your indoor plants sit in water, allow the soil to dry out between waterings.

Neglecting Pest Control

Allowing Pests to Thrive
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You don’t have to launch an assault on every bug in your garden, but you can’t ignore the pests entirely or face big problems. There are certain pests that are quick to destroy your plants before you even know they exist. And watch your plants closely, so if you notice any damage or you spot any signs of infestation, act fast, but remember that some insects can be good for your garden, like ladybugs.

Cleaning Tools Infrequently

An often overlooked cause of plant disease is dirty gardening tools. Pathogens in your garden can spread from one plant to another because tools that are not cleaned transfer those pathogens from one plant to another. Clean your tools after use, and especially after using them when gardening with sick plants, so you don’t accidentally sabotage your garden.

Planting Too Deep

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Plants planted deep in the soil smother them before they even know what hit them. Most seeds should be covered very lightly with soil, and transplanting should be done carefully so the roots are in right depth. It’s best to follow planting depth instruction that’s specific to each type of plant.

Skipping Crop Rotation

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When growing vegetables, skipping rotation will deplete the soil of required nutrients and cause an accumulation of bugs and diseases among crops. Rotating crops out is a way to maintain soil health and keep pests guessing. Make sure you rotate your crops yearly so your soil gets a recovery period, and your veggies stay healthier.

Not Rotating Container Plants

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To make sure plants on container are growing evenly, it needs regular rotation. The problem with buyers is if you leave them in the same position for too long, they start to get lopsided from the stretching toward the light. Plants will grow straight and balanced if you rotate them weekly or biweekly.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

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