How to Avoid Becoming a Plant Killer: Top 5 Gardening Mistakes to Avoid

Even with all of the gardening experience that I earned growing up on my grandparent's farm, I have still managed to kill my fair share of plants while gardening. I hope you will have a "greener thumb" after reading about my mistakes.

Pruning Fruit Trees

In order to have fruit trees with a strong central trunk and firm branches that can support fruit, it is important to prune your trees correctly and at the right time. Over pruning discourages fruit production and under pruning will cause your trees to be too weak. The best time to prune fruit trees is late in the winter season, just before spring. Tempted by the bare branches, I pruned my trees one fall. My pruning caused the sap to rise just as freezing temperatures hit. When spring came, it was heartbreaking to see the barren, shriveled branches of the tree stretching towards the sky in a silent scream when everything else was green, budding with new life. It was also expensive and time consuming to dig them up and replace them.

Tomato Plants

When my grandfather planted tomatoes, I always wondered why he dug such a wide, deep hole. When I had my first garden, I dug shallow holes that were just barely large enough to accept the plant. At first, my tomato plants grew taller, but the summer heat made them thin and spindly. Some of them shriveled and died. The few that did produce a tomato bent over and broke after the first rainfall. Lesson learned, plant tomatoes deep, with holes that will accept two-thirds of the plant to encourage strong roots and robust vine and fruit growth.

Melons and Gourds

In my first garden, I knew that I would need space for my zucchini, squash and cucumber vines to spread out. I picked a place near the pine tree border of my property. At first the vines grew rapidly, but as it rained, my plants turned yellow and began to rot. I couldn't figure out why. It turns out that pine tree run-off isn't good for gourds or melons, so now I plant them on the other side of my yard.

Planting too Late

After my spinach, lettuce and broccoli all bolted and then turned brown in the heat of the summer sun, I learned that it is important to plant "cool weather" crops such as these in, well, cooler weather, very early in the season.

Planting too Early

I have also learned, after having wasted time, effort and seed, that certain crops, such as beans and corn, require a certain temperature to germinate. If you plant too early, the seeds will simply rot in the ground.