Planting a new flower bed, vegetable patch, or managing the lawn can be quite daunting for the complete novice to gardening.
Putting in the hard work and time is easy.
But, it is necessary to have the proper knowledge and know-how to ensure the garden grows and prospers for the long-term.
Here are some of the common mistakes to avoid when it comes to garden maintenance: Avoid fertilizing the landscape plants, shrubs, or trees at the end of the summer.
This is especially important for those living in areas that are likely to experience sudden freezes that could start as early as September.
By fertilizing so late in the season, the plants will start to produce new growth which is highly susceptible to frost damage.
This is certain to impact the health of the plant.
Also, most of the plants are starting to get prepared for the winter dormancy period and will need rest after a busy growing season.
Don't scalp the lawn when cutting the grass.
Scalping the lawn is certain to leave it weak and stressed.
This means it is more open to disease and weed growth because the sun is able to reach the exposed soil.
Aim to leave the entire surface of the lawn at least two or three inches in length.
Try to avoid using a pre-emergent herbicide on the lawn if planning to lay fresh grass seeds.
Give the new seeds at least two or three weeks to start to develop before applying any weed killing solution.
Even if there are a lot of weeds on the lawn, it is still best to stop using the herbicides for this short period of time.
Avoid using stakes for trees.
Staking is rarely a necessity for planting new trees.
In fact, in many situations this can result in the weaker growing tree.
By leaving the non-staked tree trunk to bend and sway in the wind, it has the potential to become a much stronger and more resilient tree.
Make sure to limit the walking on the flower or vegetable beds.
Walking on the soil is certain to leave it compact.
This makes it more difficult for the plants to grow and thrive.
Compact soil can impact the ability for the root structure to spread.
Also, it can reduce the amount of air and moisture that can penetrate the soil.
When it is necessary to walking on the garden beds, it benefits to use a large platform or board to help with distributing the body weight while working.