Even though gardening is a wonderful and rewarding hobby, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. There are many challenges a gardener will face during this adventure, and many problems they will have to solve. This shouldn’t discourage you from living out your dream of having the perfect garden, it should just help you stay realistic. There are many ways you can prepare and avoid these problems, but first, you’ll have to know what they are. This helpful guide will show you the most common things to watch out for when gardening and how you can conquer them.
1. Pets keep digging up your garden
If you have pets, it’s common for them to want to explore the backyard and dig their paws into everything that piques their curiosity. In most cases, they dig their pas into your garden. If firm discipline didn’t work and your puppy is just being a puppy, you can take other measures. Securing your garden might be the perfect solution.
You can build a fence around your plants and keep them safe from the curious snout of your loved furry friend. Building a fence also provides the perfect opportunity to design your garden a little differently. Some people view fencing as closing up your garden and making it a prison, but in reality, it makes it more beautiful and keeps it safe from any curious paws or hands. If you have small children, a fence can help keep them out of your garden, too.
2. Limited space
This is a problem for most modern houses as they offer little space in the backyard. This means that you won’t be able to grow your garden freely and that you’ll need to get creative. Having a plan before you start planting should always be your top priority when starting your own garden. This is because you’ll be able to deal with problems such as limited space much more easily.
Modern solutions include window boxes as popular options, as well as live walls. These options can create a unique and interesting appearance in your garden and set you aside from the traditional gardening designs. Another thing you can try is potting your plants and creating a small indoor garden. Whatever you decide, limited space shouldn’t stop you from having the garden of your dreams. Most plants are perfectly content growing indoors as long as they have enough light and humidity, so that shouldn’t worry you.
3. Bug infestations
Bug infestations are also a fairly common gardening problem. It’s evident that bugs like plants for they offer food and shelter. Of course, they’re pests and can spread disease and eat your plants, thus completely destroying your garden. To try to prevent this problem entirely, make sure your plants have enough space between each other. This will create a drafty environment that bugs will stay away from as they won’t see it as shelter. Also, make sure to check your plants regularly. The leaves are the most important part to pay attention to.
If you’ve already got garden pests on your hands, you can take several steps to get rid of them. You might be tempted to use insecticides first, but this may end up killing your plants along with the bugs. Instead, you can try to use natural bug repellents as they’ll do the job without harming your garden. Finally, you can introduce toad houses or birdbaths and attract these creatures to your garden. This way, they’ll do the job for you and get rid of your bug problem. A bonus is that you’ll now be even more part of nature as you’ll have cute little toads and birds to see every time you visit your backyard oasis.
4. Too much or not enough water
Though it may seem like a good idea to dose your plants in water, it’s actually counterproductive. Too much water will just end up drowning your gardening and not help it grow or become strong. Each type of plant will need a different amount of water for it to stay fresh, rejuvenated, healthy, and strong. Your safest bet is to check with gardening experts when you’re buying. Simply put, your plants won’t be able to absorb the excess of water and will, therefore, suffer from it.
The opposite problem is not watering your plants enough. This usually happens when novice gardeners realize they’ve been watering their plants too much so they try to counter their mistake. In reality, it creates more problems. Your plants will become dry and will soon wilt and crack, which is something you definitely want to avoid. To get it just right, you can take your reliable garden hose pipe and water your plants each morning. This way they’ll have the whole day to absorb the water, making them resilient to the sun, but also to the dampness of the night.
5. Too much fertilizer
Fertilizer is good for the plants and there’s no reason why you can apply excessive amounts, right? Wrong. Too much fertilizer can be as damaging to your garden as not enough of it. It doesn’t matter if you’re using organic or store-bought fertilizer, too much can kill your plants. This is one problem you can stop from occurring entirely if you’re responsible and informed.
Although plants benefit from some amounts of fertilizer, too much can make them weak and thirsty. The thirst means you’re going to have to water them much more often, meaning they won’t be able to survive without your help. Plants that can’t make it through the day without excessive amounts of water are not healthy plants. As soon as you’re not there they won’t be able to withstand the sun and heat. You should ease up on the fertilizer for your own good. The same applies to those who like fertilizing their lawn. It might make your grass greener, but not for long.
Conclusion
As you can see, having an ideal garden is not impossible. All you have to do is stay one step ahead and be prepared for any future turmoil. We’re confident your garden will be stunning and healthy as well as that you’ll be able to solve any problem that arises. Even if something does manage to better you, you shouldn’t let it stop you from trying again and growing stronger.
