Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. ~ Winston Churchill~
Have you been down the garden path before and felt discouraged when it didn’t thrive or when some of your plants died or went straight to seed? Did the pests eat your harvest and birds take more than their fair share? Do you want to scale back and have an easier system to manage?
Don’t give up! Let’s work through a few common issues that gardeners have and how we can encourage you to give it another grow!
- Snails, slugs and other pests
Did you get a cold this winter? Were you run down? The garden is the same. When the soil isn’t in its best health, it is susceptible to bugs just like we are. When was the last time you added worm tea, compost or liquid fertiliser? Have you fed the soil lately? Care for the soil and it will look after you. The garden needs food and water, sunlight and air to survive just like us.
2. The plants are yellow and discoloured
Did you take your vitamins today? Sometimes we are feeling a little low. Plants show their lack of nutrients through their leaves, with colour and patterns. Have a look and see what ‘vitamins’ you might need. A good dose of healthy compost tea goes a long way.
- Birds and Possums shared your harvest
Have you had a loss of trees and change in the natural environment in your neighbourhood lately? The birds and possums are hungry and they are helping themselves to your harvest because it is fast food to them. Consider plants some plants that are more their natural diet to deter them. If all else fails, build a strong cage or netting around your garden and trees. Don’t forget to check it to make sure no one gets caught.
4. The dog ate it!
True story! My Labrador is my biggest pest! I have had to guard my harvest ever since he was fed a snowpea from my garden, he is addicted. I tried planting dog’s bane to deter him, but he just jumped over it. I have had to fully fence off my gardens to save my harvest. You might need to consider the same, or plant out the front yard like I am!
- My plants either went to seed or just died
Plant bolt when it is not their season, weather is too hot for them or they were pot bound when you bought them and it was just their time.
Plants die when they are hungry and thirsty. If you don’t have time to check on the plants every day, make sure they are watered deeply once a week and fed fortnightly. There are irrigation systems you can do yourself and you can even set up worm towers inside the garden to feed the soil naturally.
When in doubt and not sure what to do, call it in. DirtMum is available to guide your garden to success.
View profile at the bottom of this page for how you can gain more wisdom and support.
Happy Gardening!
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