[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ailure is part of the life of being a gardener. But each time we uproot a fern that’s been fried in the sun, or an olive tree that’s looking sad in partial shade… we learn something. Below is a list of gardening mistakes based on many years of my experiences, and my observations of others around me.
(Full confession: as a plant collector with little sun, I tend to repeat numbers 2, 3 and 9 at my own house more than I would like to admit!)
1. Unfamiliarity with your soil type.
Our land is divided by the Balcones Escarpment, a line conveniently marked by I-35. Put simply – if you live east of the interstate your soil is clay, and to the west it’s rock and caliche.
There are however pockets on both sides that will have rock, clay, caliche or some unholy combination of all three, just to confuse things! We mostly have alkaline soil and water. It’s critical that you know what you’re dealing with, before you buy a bunch of trees and can’t chip out a hole for them; or if you put in xeric plants that require good drainage and you then have to watch them rot in your un-amended clay soil.
2. Planting for the incorrect part of the state.
If a plant flourishes in Houston, this does not mean it’s going to be happy in the Hays Co. area. Between our soil, and with rain averaging 25 to 30 inches a year, mid-level humidity with temps in the 100s in summer, and a tendency to freeze when your least expecting it, Austin is a bit more temperamental than Dallas or San Antonio. Do the research and stick with plants that are known to do well here.
3. Overplanting and overcrowding.
It’s hard to remember when you plant a new rosemary bush that it could grow to be 6’ wide. Plants with proper spacing and airflow can fend off disease, are less stressed and compete less for water. To fill in those holes, consider annual color that can be replaced seasonally.
4. Incorrect pruning techniques.
Any time you prune a plant, you are sending a signal that new growth should begin. New growth is more sensitive to cold and heat than normal, so if you prune too soon in spring or too late in the fall you could lose what would normally be a hardy plant just because the timing of your pruning was off.
It is also a mistake to over-prune shrubs and trees. Regrettably some gardeners go for a hard prune on the unfortunate crape myrtles. Known to some as ‘crape murder,’ this is where the tree is constantly topped, causing smaller and weaker branches to grow out of the top of the tree each spring giving the tree a sort of craggy pom-pom look. Be kind to your crapes!
5. Underestimation of maintenance time for a new garden look.
Removing all grass and going heavily xeric with granite and native plants is an effective water-saving idea. However it can take more time to look after and maintain than mowing your yard once a week. Know what you’re jumping into before you make a hard turn to a new style of landscaping.
6. Planting the wrong variety.
One example is buying a peach tree that may not have the right chilling hours (number of hours below 45 degrees) for the Hays county area. Your phone is a good tool for researching on the go.
7. Use of poor quality potting soil and fertilizers.
The right materials will make your job as a gardener seem almost easy. If you aren’t sure about a new product, set up an experiment with a few inexpensive annual plants in pots using your old routine as the control and see which works best.
8. Thinking we live in the Mediterranean.
This one got us this year. We tend to get used to the warmer winters and forget that we get walloped every 7-10 years. We then lose many of those plants we take for granted, like Pride of Barbados and Meyer lemon trees. Know which plants you have that are ‘on the fence’ and be prepared to take extra precautions, such as Christmas lights and frost cover. I realize this advice is ‘too little too late’ this year so it’s here to file away for later.
9. Giving plants the wrong amounts of shade or sun.
I sometimes make this mistake, trying to force a plant to grow where I want it at my house rather than where it would do best.
10. Believing we are guaranteed success with all of our plant choices.
This goes back to the subject of failure, and the idea that we are a trial and error landscaping region. Too many variables from yard to yard and gardener to gardener create situations where new transplants and new gardeners give up too fast when something fails. Hang in there gardeners, and learn from your mistakes. Happy gardeningeveryone!
If you have a question for Chris, send it via email to [email protected]. Or mail a postcard to It’s About Thyme: 11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78748 www.itsaboutthyme.com
