Common Gardening Problems + Simple Solutions

It can be very rewarding when you start to see your first blooms! However, getting there may be a little challenging, especially if you are new to the planting game. You water your plants often, so why are they not growing? Some vital aspects to consider when gardening would be the amount of water being used, the type of soil and your garden zone. Here is a list of common gardening problems and quick fixes you can try!

Seeds Won’t Germinate

There is nothing more frustrating than planting your seeds and waiting just to find out that they are not growing at all! If this is one of the common gardening problems you are experiencing there are a few things that could be the culprit. Check if the soil is too cold. The temperature of the soil effects how quickly plants take up the nutrients and water. To avoid this problem make sure you are not trying to plant your seeds while it is too cold outside. Try starting them in a small pot and keeping them indoors until the weather is warm enough to plant in ground!

If the temperature is perfect, look into the condition of the soil. If the soil is too wet, you risk drowning the seeds. But don’t worry! There may still be hope! Try changing out the soil and replanting, make sure you clean the pot well before replanting. Dry soil is another culprit. Don’t be afraid to touch the soil to test it. If it is too dry, simply water it. For new seedlings it is essential to keep the soil moist. We recommend using a small spray bottle to lightly mist the soil so they are not being over watered. Also, make sure the container has good drainage, so water is not just piling up. Watering newly planted seeds once daily or every other day should be good as long as the soil never gets too dry. If none of these seem to be the problem, you may just have a bad seed on your hands. Try getting new seeds and planting them to see if they grow!

Slow Growth

There are many common gardening problems that could be affecting the speed of your plants grow. To name a few, the temperature, light exposure and nutrients are essential and can affect the health of your plants! Some plants require full light exposure, meaning they need a good six to eight hours of sunlight. Others require adequate shade. You can find the necessary light exposure for your plant by reading the back of the seed packet. This will help you when deciding where to plant.

A few more common gardening problems many do not think to consider is the amount of nutrients your plants are getting. Plants obtain nutrients from the roots, if the soil you are using is not healthy and lacking nutrients then the plants will mirror that. Similar to the way we need nutrients to grow and be healthy, your plants do as well! A soil’s pH level can also have an affect on your plants growth. A lower pH level means your soil is too acidic and it slows down the rate at which plants absorb nutrients from the soil. For most plants an ideal pH level range is 5.5 to 7.0. Try testing your soil with a simple home testing kit to know if it has the necessary pH levels and nutrients. You can also try a root stimulator to help encourage plant growth. Pellet 3-IA and Aqua 3-IA are great products for use during all stages of the plant’s life cycle and can increase root mass by up to 30 percent in most plant types!

Yellowing or Brown, Wilted Leaves

Leaves can tell a lot about a plant’s condition. Overwatering plants is one of the most common gardening problems new gardeners make. If you begin to see your plant’s leaves become wilted and yellow or brown in color then it is possible you are watering them too much! Watering your plants in the morning is an optimal time because it’s still cool and usually not windy. This will give the plants a chance to slowly absorb the water and nutrients throughout the day.

Depending on the stage of your plant it is not necessary to water it daily. For more developed plants, watering two to three times a week should be enough. Make sure to only water the base of the plants. If in a pot, make sure it has enough drainage so the water is not just sitting in the pot growing algae. Try placing some gravel or plant mesh at the base of the pot to give the plant enough room and the water to drain throughout the day.

Pesky Gardening Problems

We all know the feeling of working hard all season to maintain and enjoy the bountiful garden of your dreams. But those pesky garden pests are persistent! They will leave your plants spotted and chewed up, undoing all of your hard work!

To fix this common gardening problem, you need to identify what type of garden pest is plaguing your garden. You can do this by analyzing the leaf damage and matching them to this garden pest and disease directory.

It is important to note that not all garden pests are bad and many are necessary for protecting your plants. For that reason, it is more beneficial to use natural methods to get rid of the specific culprits and attract the good ones! For instance, planting cilantro, caraway or dill will help to attract ladybugs, who get rid of harmful aphids, white flies and mites. Permaculture News offers a great guide for finding out which plants will attract the good insects.

Invasive Weeds

Weeds are very resilient and if not taken care of on a regular basis, can wind up taking all of your plant’s nutrients. They grow faster than plants and compete for water, nutrients and space, ultimately affecting your plant’s growth! This is one of the most common gardening problems that have many solutions!

While there are many chemicals that can do the job with no sweat, it is important to be mindful of what these chemicals can do to those helpful insects we are trying to attract. The best and most natural way to get rid of these bothersome garden killers would be to throw on some garden gloves and yank them out by the roots! This approach works best when the weeds are still small and young. A great DIY preventative measure would be to lay old roof shingles around your plants to prevent new weeds from sprouting.

Gardening can be really fun and therapeutic so don’t forget to enjoy the process. Leave a comment below on the common gardening problems are you experiencing!