THE most common gardening mistakes include leaving weeds for too long, under and over watering, and ignoring fallen leaves.
A poll of 2,000 green-fingered adults revealed the top 20 mishaps, with planting in areas with insufficient sunlight, forgetting to water hanging baskets, and pruning incorrectly also featuring.
Gardening expert Jane Moore shared her top tips and the common mistakes to avoid[/caption]
Jane explained that even seasoned gardeners can be guilty of making the occasional mistake[/caption]
Other mistakes include planting at the wrong time of the year, neglecting soil pH balance, and under-fertilising.
Only 13% claim they are knowledgeable – or even an expert – when it comes to gardening, while 48% feel they only have basic awareness.
But 64% shared they would like to have more knowledge about their green space.
The research was commissioned by STIHL, which has teamed up with head gardener and award-winning writer and broadcaster Jane Moore.
“We all make mistakes from time to time, even seasoned gardeners – that’s how we learn,” Jane said.
“Hitting that sweet spot so you don’t over or under water is tricky, but for plants in the ground, any excess water will just drain away naturally, so don’t worry about watering too much.
“Most plants need watering for far longer than you might expect; trees and shrubs, especially, will need some extra watering, even two or three years after planting.
“Mowing too soon, too short or too hard is a classic mistake and it can take a while for a lawn to recover.”
She broke down the correct way to cut your grass for a luscious looking lawn.
“Take the top off the grass, with the mower set high for that first cut, then lower the height of the cut gradually each time you mow until it’s the desired height,” the expert advised.
“Having a mower which is easy to adjust is a must-have.”
The research also found men are most confident in not making mishaps, with 19% claiming to have gardening expertise, compared to just 9% of women.
Despite this, 22% of males are guilty of mowing the lawn too short, compared to 12% of females.
But 43% of women are likely to under or over water plants, compared to 34% of men.
And 34% of all those polled have grand plans for their garden – despite feeling too inexperienced to get the job done.
Top 20 most common gardening mistakes
- Leaving weeds too long
- Underwatering
- Overwatering
- Spacing plants too closely
- Ignoring fallen leaves on the lawn
- Planting in areas with insufficient sunlight
- Pruning incorrectly or at the wrong time
- Forgetting to water hanging baskets
- Neglecting to stake tall plants
- Forgetting to clean and maintain gardening tools
- Planting at the wrong time of year
- Ignoring signs of plant diseases
- Not edging lawn correctly
- Mowing too short
- Neglecting soil pH balance
- Trimming a hedge badly
- Under-fertilizing
- Planting in areas with too much sunlight
- Using the wrong type of soil
- Planting too close to buildings
Those surveyed via OnePoll said barriers to making the most of their outdoor space were poor weather at 32%, lack of money at 31%, and limited knowledge at 30%.
Many feel they are missing the tools they need to help them become a fully capable gardener, including a soil tester or pH meter (19%) and long-reach hedge trimmer (18%).
Others would like to own a shredder (16%), pressure washer (14%) and leaf blower (13%).
But positives gained from gardening included appreciation for nature at 52% and physical fitness benefits at 34%.
“It’s great to see people want to improve their gardening skills and knowledge,” said Paul Hicks, product manager at STIHL.
“As well as lacking confidence in knowing what to do, people also lack the tools they need to effectively get a job done.
Jane’s top tips to avoid gardening mistakes
- Read the label – Always be guided by the plant label when it comes to placing them and stick to its recommendations.
- Sharpen and clean tools – Whether it’s a pair of secateurs or a hedge trimmer, always make sure they’re clean, sharpened, and well-oiled before use, whatever the tool.
- Preparation is key – Before planting, loosen the soil, add organic matter, and plant firmly and at the right depth.
- Water new plants – All plants – in pots and in the ground – need thorough watering throughout the summer months.
- Invest in quality tools – Whether battery, petrol powered or hand operated, they’ll be easier to use, give a better finish, and last as long as you look after them.
“We hope Jane’s tips and advice helps decrease the number of mishaps made, be it under or over watering, or incorrectly pruning, planting or trimming.”
Jane also shared her expert advice when it comes to hedge trimming.
“Knowing the right time to cut and using the correct tool is essential to do a good job,” she said.
“Shears are perfect for regular trims of your box topiary in summer, but you need a powered hedge trimmer for your beech hedge in autumn.
“Clearing weeds and leaves quickly is important too, leaving them for too long means they can flower, set seed, and scatter that seed all over the garden in no time at all.
“And a lovely green lawn can very quickly turn yellow and develop bare patches if fallen leaves are left to lie on it for even a short time.
“A few moments with a blower or rake can help keep the lawn in good condition.”
The green-fingered expert recommended raking up fallen leaves as soon as possible to maintain a healthy green lawn[/caption]
Jane explained that gardeners need to find ‘the sweet spot’ between underwatering and overwatering[/caption]
