by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
There will always be mistakes that will have to be remedied and there will always be new lessons to be learned out in the garden. However, here is a list of some common errors that you can easily avoid with some slight adjustments in the way that you go about your daily gardening activities:
Stocking up on weed seeds: It's bad enough to deal with your own weeds without inviting outsiders into the mix. But many gardeners do just that by leaving their soil bare, allowing weeds to grow unchecked within range of the garden, and by importing compost or mushroom soil from weedy sources.
Stressing over bugs: Rather than focus on trying to eliminate every bug in sight, keep in mind that most insects are there to help out in the garden. Pollinators and predatory insects should be welcomed and protected for all the good that they do. Also encourage insect eating birds.
Growing an orderly garden: There is absolutely no need whatsoever to line everything up in neat rows or in practicing monoculture with all of your varieties grouped together. Mix things up to make life more enjoyable for your plants and confusing for destructive insects.
Feeding plants instead of the soil: Healthy soil is just as alive as the plants that grow in it. Nourish the fungi, bacteria, and other micro-organisms by increasing organic matter and decreasing chemical use and all that soil life will go to work at freeing up nutrients to feed the garden's plant life.
Plant foods, aka chemical fertilizers do not increase the productivity of the soil. On the contrary; they destroy beneficial bacteria and other good influences.
Wasting water and wasting time: Many gardeners waste time and water by irrigating the garden shallowly every day when watering less frequently would be better. Shoot for less frequent and deeper soakings that saturate the root zone and are much more efficient than shallow surface watering.
Poorly timed plantings: You will get the best production from plants that can grow unchecked from the time they germinate until they mature and bear fruit. Avoid starting or setting plants out before conditions are just right for the crops you're growing.
On the other hand, starting seeds indoors or in the greenhouse can put you weeks ahead of others that sow into the soil direct.
With the right protections you can grow outside before and after the official time as well.
Tilling, tilling, and yet more tilling: Nothing good comes from over tilling the soil, unless, that is, you want excessive weed growth, compacted soil, a ruined soil structure, and disruption of the valuable soil life we looked at earlier in the section on feeding plants and soil. Consider implementing raised beds instead, or lasagne gardening in containers and give the rototiller some time off.
Tilling or digging again and again will also release valuable soil carbon which will add to the CO2 already in the atmosphere and thus adding to the grief caused. The same is true for agriculture where too much plowing is being practiced.
© 2010
