My Simple Garden; Here are the top 10 most common mistakes new gardeners make.
1. Don't try to dig up too much for your garden. Going too big when starting out for the first time or moving a garden to a new location is a big job. Keep plots to 6x8 foot or 8x10 foot in size. You can always add more to expand them gradually each year.
2. Start out with easy to grow plants and seeds. Do a little research in seed catalogs and garden books. There are many things like beans, cucumber, squash and tomato that are easy to start. Pick something simple and try new ones each year.
3. Take care of the soil. Rotate vegetable crops to a new location each year so your site is used for a different plant and will eliminate fungal disease problems. Keep track of where plants are placed by making a map. Plan out your garden each winter for the next year by using last years map as a quick reference. Spread well rotted manure or compost in early April before planting. Make your own compost. Also if the soil is heavy wet clay add peat moss and sand to keep it loose and for better drainage.
4. Planting too early or too late. Wait until the day time temperatures are warm (15C) and night temperature stays around 10C. Start some seeds indoors in April or mid May. There are a few seeds like Peppers and Tomatoes that need extra time to germinate and grow into seedlings to be ready to take out at the end of May. They need to be started indoors in February.
5. Thin out baby plants in order to allow them to grow and mature. Carrots and beets need to be spaced like this so their roots have plenty of room.
6. Keep up with weeds each week so they don't take over. Work a small amount of time on a daily basis to keep them under control. Adding a weed barrier, hay or bark as a mulch in between the rows cuts down on weeds. Old carpet or cardboard also works and is recycled material.
7. Watch your plants to check for bugs. Look for signs of holes in leaves or webs. Also check the back of leaves for eggs as some bugs hide them.
8. Plant 1 or 2 rows of a crop and wait two weeks to sow more. This will mean the whole crop will not grow and be ready to pick at the same time so that you can have fresh vegetables all through the season.
NOTE: Cucumber, Zucchini and Pumpkins are very easy to grow from seed. Be sure to plant them far enough apart in small hills and allow at least 4 to 6 feet around for them to grow. Some Pumpkin require 10 to 15 feet for their vines to crawl.
9. Try not to plant seedlings too close. Read the seed package and do a little research for each crop so you allow room. Over crowding breeds fungal problems as well as the plants root systems will not develop or mature as needed.
10. Choose an ideal location for your veggie garden. Sunny and open is best with at least six hours of full sun. Never plant under a tree because seeds and seedlings require light and rain to grow. TIP. Keep track of the soil and seeds you plant in a journal. Record all seed planting days so you can count ahead and know when crops will be ready to pick
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