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You've probably looked at pictures in gardening magazines - or online - and you have a pretty good idea of how your garden should look with it's in full production. However, many people make gardening mistakes that prevent their gardens from really thriving as they should. Some of the common errors that can impact your garden include your watering routine, the location you choose, and your selection of plants. With this article, we hope to save you the trouble of making some of the commonplace errors that new gardeners tend to make.



If you want productive plants, you need to make sure you give them enough room to grow. Determine the amount of area each type of plant you are interested in actually needs and do this before you even begin to plant - or decide on which plants to include in your garden. Don't let the small size of your plants fool you when you buy them. Find out exactly how much room each plant needs. Problems can then occur later on as the roots spread, and two or more different species start to get tangled up. Don't try to cram a bunch of different plants into your garden if your space is restricted. Plant just a few varieties or research container gardening if you want more plants. Strawberries and herbs, for example, flourish well in containers. Any seed packet or plant that you buy will tell you how much space is required, and you should always follow these recommendations.



Water is one of the most basic requirements of all plants and, while everyone knows this, people still often make mistakes in this area. What most gardeners don't realize is that some plants require more or less water than other plants. So, keep your plants divided accordingly. How often you water your plants will also depend on your local climate, and how much rain you get in any given season. You can make determining how often to water your plants simple by buying a soil tester. It will tell you the moisture level of your soil This makes it a very simple matter to know if it's time to give your plants more water. Most plants are healthiest when the soil is moist, but not too wet. You can water too much and this can be as damaging to your plants as not watering enough.



Make sure you learn about plants that can grow fast and spread - thus strangling your other plants. These plants can really hamper the production of other plants. Many plants exist that become invasive and aggressive in their growth and can have a serious impact on your other garden plants.



Goldenrod is another invasive plant. Even though it can be beautiful and colorful, if you don't keep it under control it can spread fast. If you order seeds from a catalog, there will usually be a warning that the plant is aggressive or prolific. Do you still want to grow mint for your tea and other reasons? If so, don't plant it in the garden. Instead, buy a half-barrel or other container and plant the mint there. Once you recognize them, most bloopers in the garden are fairly easy to steer clear of. Typically, when amateur gardeners make a mistake,

it is because they started planting without really knowing what they were doing. Quite often, you can find instructions for seeds on the back of the packet. You will not mess up to much, as long as you seek information when you need it.

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