5. Don’t Leave Tools Lying about

I once lost a rake for an entire summer. It wasn’t until I was cleaning the garden out during the fall that I unearthed the lost rake. Make sure to pick up all your tools and place them back where they belong. Trowels are notorious for getting lost among the plants too. I’ve attached a leather strip to the handle of mine so I can hang it on the fence post when I’m not using it.

4. Don’t Plant Too Early

I sometimes become anxious to get started gardening the first warm day in the spring. No matter how nice the early part of spring is, be sure the last hard frost has hit before setting out the garden plants. You could easily lose an entire garden to frost, just because you didn’t wait an extra week.

3. Don’t Choose Plants That Aren’t Suitable for Your Region

Common garden plants such as tomatoes, peppers, peas, and onions can be planted in just about any climate. Some trees, shrubs, and flowers will only grow successfully in certain regions. If you pick out a plant that isn’t suitable for your area, it may be frustrating watching it struggle and then suddenly die.

2. Don’t Place Plants Too Close Together

A few varieties of plants are able to still grow properly, even when they are planted in clusters. Plants that send out vines, such as watermelons, zucchini, and cucumbers need to have spaces between the seeds as well as the rows. Tangled vines block out sunlight from each other and steal each other’s nutrients. You’ll either have stunted produce or dead plants.

1. Don’t Forget to Mark Where You Planted Seeds

I’ve had difficulty remembering what flower seeds I planted where and have pulled up young ones thinking they are weeds. When I’m familiar with the flowers I planted, I recognize the seedlings. However if I plant a new variety and think I will remember where and what I planted, this isn’t usually the case.

After reading this list, I’m sure you can recall a few gardening faux pas you did in the past. It’s always fun to remember what a newbie I used to be. I love passing on new gardening information to others. Do you have any other tips on what not to do in the garden that you can share with others?

Top Photo Credit: programwitch