While preparing your garden for winter, it’s a good time to reflect on what worked well this year and what you might improve upon next year for a more successful and enjoyable gardening experience.
Here are some of the most common mistakes made by Colorado gardeners.
Watering: Overwatering is the most common mistake. Once a good root system has been established, only water when the plant needs it. Overwatering will lead to poor health and decrease the yields of some vegetables. For example, it is a common cause of blossom end rot on tomatoes.
Climate conditions affect your soil moisture. Hot, windy conditions dry soil through evaporative water loss so non-drought tolerant plants may need more frequent irrigation. Check the soil moisture by inserting your finger into the soil a couple of inches. Water when the top two inches of the soil is dry.
When to water depends on your type of soil. Sandy, loamy, and clay soils retain moisture differently. A soil test will help you determine the best watering practices. Find out how at agsci.colostate.edu.
Hand watering with a hose typically waters foliage, resulting in little soil penetration. Plants benefit from deep watering, which encourages roots to grow deeper. Lawns thrive with infrequent deep watering. Plants watered too often may develop shallow roots, resulting in excessive wilting. Watering deeply and infrequently leads to healthier, happier plants and conserves water.
Mulching gardens can help soil retain moisture. Additional information on mulching can be found at planttalk.colostate.edu.
Poor soil: Approximately 80% of all plant problems are soil related. Soil test results will include guidance on how best to improve on the soil tilth. Native and drought tolerant plants frequently will thrive in very lean soil. If you are growing crops, such as vegetables, that require rich soil, compost enriches soil, helps maintain moisture, and encourages growth of beneficial bacteria and fungi. The result is the production of humus, the dark organic matter in soil that is formed by the decomposition of plant and animal matter.
Wrong plants/wrong place: Selecting plants that aren’t suited for the region’s climate zone, sun exposure or soil type leads to struggling plants. Determine your climate zone and then choose plants that are good for your climate and soil. See cec.org. An excellent source of information about plants is Plant Select, a 501c(3) nonprofit collaboration among Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens and professional horticulturists whose mission is to seek out and distribute the best adapted plants for landscapes and gardens from the intermountain region to the high plains. For your best options, go to plantselect.org.
Keep these common mistakes in mind as you plan next year’s garden.
Submit gardening questions via ask.extension.org or call 719-520-7684. The in-person help desk is closed for the season. Questions submitted via Ask Extension will be answered remotely, and phone messages will be answered biweekly.
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