What are your biggest gardening mistakes....

You know.... the "slap yourself up the side of the head" kinda mistakes that other folk can learn from. I've got enough to write a book if I wanted and by the time I've got this "grow your own food" under control I'm pretty sure I'll have enough material to write sequels.

 

I have never had a garden ( will soon in these)
I need to listen to you all very closely, I do not want to fail!
Im getting this because of the chem trails and the crap that is seen on all the plants and tree's and grass lately. I want these so I can keep the vegetables covered. I plan on getting 2 of these little green houses

The Grow Camp system is a solution and is truly the ‘Ultimate Vegetable Grower’ for more reasons than one might expect. In addition to the fact that it is very easy to assemble, fits nicely in practically any home surroundings and adds to the look of your yard, porch or deck, it accomplishes things a standard garden cannot. The elevated growing surface and covering system are the keys to its magic.

The best and most nutritious vegetables come from the warmest, richest, weed and pest free soil. The Grow Camp’s elevated growing surface of 20” is always substantially warmer in the spring than the ground level under it. Also, as you fill the Grow Camp with rich soil and pure compost, you are maximizing the organic nutrients needed for perfect vegetables. If you’re careful, this soil will be weed free from the beginning, and stay that way. Imagine a vegetable garden with no slugs or snails, grubs or weeds. Imagine no need for chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Only Grow Camp makes this possible. Gardening is easy and fun while sitting on a stool or bench.

The UV protected netting and heavy plastic covering trap the sun’s warmth and keep insects out, while allowing as much airflow as your plants desire. Your vegetables will also be protected from too much rain, wind, pets and any other animal roaming nearby.

• Optimum enclosed organic growing environment for vegetables & flowers
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I did tomatoes in buckets last year, I forgot to put holes in the bottom, my tomatoes did not fair well. I did get lots from them, but really the plants were not healthy. I am going to buckets on my front inclosed porch this year, I hope to get a bumper crop to freeze dry !

 

Not start gardening sooner!

 

Not planting soon enough, planting too soon are both mistakes.
Letting the weed take over.
Planting in soil that dried out too much in hot weather, without having a way to keep the plants watered.
Planting stuff I don't like.
Planting too much - not planting enough.

I double planted sweet corn one year, ended up so thick (all came up) that it got knocked down by a wind storm, then the coons got in it. Didn't get much corn that year, did clean up on coon.

You name it, I've probably done it - right or wrong. At least we have plenty of space to plant and except some mistakes as a learning experience.

 

Here's one big "takes the cake" type mistake I made..... I started a boatload of tomatoes from seed. I think I was at Home Depot or some place like that.... doesn't really matter whether we buy them at WalMart or Ace Hardware since tomato plants pretty much all come from the same 2-3 growers.... anywho, I spotted some "heirloom" tomatoes I wanted so bad I could taste it so I bought 3 of them. Those 3 tomato plants looked like the epitome of health but they weren't. They were contaminated and there was no way to stop the fungus from attacking all the rest of my seed grown plants without resorting to buying some heavy duty fungicides which.... I won't use.
These industrialized grow facilities are all down south. They ship seedlings all over the US and they have NOT been able to rid themselves of the tomato viruses that are mutating. I've got a big mess on my hands because my soil is contaminated which means if I plant back in the same area.... there's a high probability last year's 3 lil "impulse-buy indiscretions" will infect this coming year's tomato plants.
Folk in the north have a chance if the temps dip low enough for long enough to be able to replant a new crop of tomatoes in the same area where infected tomatoes were grown the previous year but that's iffie since it's dependent on a lot of different variables. I'm wasting all the soil from the containers I'd grown some tomatoes in last year then disinfecting them and planting resistant crops where the other tomato plants were grown last year.
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Candy>

It helps a lot swapping "slap yourself up the side of the head stories" but.... there's still a lot of trial and error.
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Wild Trapper> I've done everything you screwed up on except.... planting too much.

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Nature can not be "trusted", it hailed twice and destroyed everything here!
Then we in Arizona have that wonderful heat! I bought sunscreen and put it up on frames to protect my entire back yard garden, all well and good. But,... NO ONE TOLD ME: you have to leave quite a bit of space of air above the plants between them and the screen..... I cooked all of my plants!
Like at least 8 feet of space. I was only 6 feet off the ground...DOH!

 

Planting too early and have a late cold snap kill all of the plants off.
Not watering enoug. Watering too much. Having no real top soil so i went and bought some and some peat moss to mix in with the tiller. Still ended up with bite sized water mellons and cantalope. I need to stock up on miracle grow. Cases of it! Actually the things that i did best with were green beans and jalipeno peppers. So when shtf drop by my house for some spicy green bean casserole!

 

The first year at this place, ( southern Missouri) I trashed the transmission in a new tiller. Cost me 200$ to fix. Learned it (virgin soil) couldn't be tilled. Got it plowed and harrowed by tractor and removed many cu. yd. of rock. Put the rock in my horse stables and covered it with wood chips. Nice dry, well drained horse stable now. I can also till the garden now. Could not believe the amount of rock I removed, rock won't grow anything.

Planting too early has got to rate right up there. especially for tomatoes. I've had the frost get them , even in the second week of May in southern Missouri. Usually not, but it has happened to me.

Another problem I"ve had is tight soil with potatoes, seems ideal, plenty of humus material, beautiful upper growth starts, rain comes along and it sets up like cement. I've learned to add several yards of sand to my tater patch to loosen the soil. Much better results now.

Japanese beetles gave me a hard time with green beans, black berry bushes, and peach trees this last year. Southern Missouri. Tried tobasco sauce, thinned and sprayed on with poor results. Then tried safers soap, I believe it was too late by then. How do I safely (non toxic) treat the beetle problem?

I've taken care of poor soil, (souther Missouri rock garden) with trailer loads of horse manure.Early in the year, Put it on 2 foot deep , harrowed and tilled it in. By the time planting season rolls around it has composted down to six inches. I am fortunate enough to live near a large stable, I get all the composted 1-3 year old manure wood chip mix that I need.

I don't use it now, but in years past I've had excellent results with manure from poultry farms. Smelly stuff, but excellent results. Usually free if you have a means to haul it.

You speak of an elevated garden. Have never tried it myself but an considering it this season for tomatoes, beans, peppers etc... 1/3 or less garden space to tend to, fertilizes, water, compact by walking on etc.

 

I take gardening serious, wonder how it is I planted too much? I got a 5' rota-tiller that goes on the back of my tractor. I also use tons of organic matter, mostly in the form of straw, but also chicken, sheep, and pig manure. Oh yeah, almost forgot, also horse manure when I can get it.

Many years when we've gotten all our freezer space, and canning jars filled we will announce to friends that if they want some of whatever, to come pick - few do - ant and grasshopper thing I guess. Several are just plain too lazy to do anything to help themselves. We used to pick it for them, not anymore. What do you suppose chickens and pigs get fed these day? Right, they get what lazy people could have if they had the brains of a chicken or a pig.

Another big mistake, letting people come into the strawberry patch to pick. Can you see smashed berries and plants where ever they decide to step? Throw 'em to the chickens or let 'em rot on the plants. Well, guess I'm done ranting for now...

 

My biggest mistake was in adding a lot of cow dung. The grass seeds in the cow poop ran wild all summer long. I could not keep up with the weeds.

 

Here’s another stupid is as stupid does one that I did thinking all veggie seedlings were tough. I used my well water on them. That’s fine once they’re up and going but…. not so fine out the gate. Better to use rain water on seedlings. Don’t use tap water or well-water on young seedlings unless you’ve identified from personal experiences which ones can take your water….. chlorine and minerals can do all kinds of nasty numbers on them.
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mija> Is this your pest for sure, http://www.northrup.org/picture/xl/japanese-beetle/japanese-beetles-fornicating.jpg and http://www.gardengrapevine.com/JapaneseBeetlesRxBC-K7342.jpg?
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Seacowboys> Horse manure does it to me every time but…. I did nail myself with garlic mustard and a few other highly invasive species buying “top soil” on sale from WalMart. I got what I paid for I guess and I found out they had a unique definition of top soil. Maybe try composting the manure in a hot pile or making compost tea out of the manure? I’ve got a really good set up for making compost tea and all I do is go to a petting zoo with buckets and gather up an assortment of goodies…. goat/rabbit/sheep/turkey/etc. I’m very popular there…. less poopies workers have to clean up.