12 Beginner Gardening Mistakes to Avoid This Summer

Striking the perfect balance of garden management is confusing as a beginner. Are you overwatering or underwatering? Overfertilizing or underfeeding? Are your crops spaced too close together or too far apart?

These simple decisions can cause the difference between abundant yields or disappointing harvests. Thankfully, most plants are very forgiving. Every gardener has made mistakes and these mistakes make us better growers (as long as we learn from them!)

Let’s dig into the 12 most common beginner errors and what to do instead!

What Are the Biggest Mistakes Made by Beginner Gardeners?

Many beginner growers bite off more than they can chew and plant large gardens that are difficult to manage. Similarly, beginners often plant too many vegetables and fruits in a small space, leading to overcrowding, pest issues, and poor yields. A lack of planning and soil preparation can cause even more problems. When this is coupled with watering issues or fertilizer imbalances, things can get pretty messy. 

Don’t expect to get everything “perfect” in your first season. Instead, avoid the biggest mistakes to ensure quality yields that keep you excited about growing (and eating!) fresh produce from your garden! 

12 Gardening Mistakes to Avoid + What to Do Instead

Summer brings a frenzy of growth, but hopefully, it’s the desirable kind. Instead of growing aggressive weeds and pests, regular garden maintenance ensures you grow an abundance of your favorite plants!

Nobody wants to waste their precious time and money growing a garden that doesn’t produce quality veggies, fruit, and flowers. Here’s how to avoid 12 common mistakes so you can enjoy the maximum fruits of your labor.

Mistake: Planting Too Much

Don’t bite off more than you can chew—this adage applies in the garden too. If you plant a giant space with hundreds of different varieties, you may end up overwhelmed by the different needs of all of them. 

It is a major mistake to treat all your crops the same because different crops require different watering, fertilizing, and maintenance methods. Reduce your mental burden by dialing back your plantings in the first few years. Gardening should be stress-relieving, not stressful! You can always add more later.

What To Do Instead

Diversity is crucial for organic growers and foodies alike. However, too much diversity can be overwhelming. It’s helpful to get to know each plant on an individual basis. Nobody can maintain a hundred deep friendships at once. Instead, focus on five to ten types that you want to master this season. The others can remain acquaintances until next year.

Prioritize crops that are your favorite to eat. If you absolutely love tomatoes, focus your energy on understanding this species and plant other beds with low-maintenance growers like lettuce, marigolds, basil, or wildflowers.

Mistake: Leaving Soil Bare

If you want to focus your efforts on a few varieties, this usually requires that you leave some beds without crops. Believe it or not, it’s OK to leave areas of your garden or yard unplanted! Even the best gardeners and farmers do it! The key is to be strategic.

In order to preserve the quality of those beds to prepare for next year, you must ensure that the soil is not left bare. This is a major beginner mistake. Vacant soil can be a recipe for disaster and lost money. When the soil is bare, it is vulnerable to erosion from wind and rain. It also becomes ripe ground for weeds to overgrow. 

What To Do Instead

Nature strives to keep the soil covered at all times, so you should do the same. Instead of leaving unused areas barren, scatter cover crops, wildflowers, or mulch over the soil. You can also use a tarp to suppress weeds and warm the soil. Tarps are a great placeholder to preserve the quality of your garden soil when you don’t have time to plant or tend it.

Mistake: Letting the Weeds Go to Seed

Summer sunshine and warmth make everything grow faster, including weeds. Many beginners avoid weeding because they’ve heard how agonizing it is. But weeding doesn’t have to be a miserable activity. If you go outside for just 10-15 minutes every few days, you can prevent weedy takeovers.

The secret to successful weed control is to never let weeds go to seed. Instead, pull them while they are young. The “bean thread” stage is ideal because the weeds are small, thin, and juvenile. Their roots aren’t yet formed, and it is easy to yank the whole plant from the ground. Many weeds—like dandelions, bindweed, thistle, and quackgrass—can regrow from root chunks left in the soil. Pulling young seedlings is an easy way to start getting ahead.

As weeds stay in the garden for longer, their threats become even more looming. This is due to the lifecycle of most weedy plants. They have evolved to reproduce rapidly. They can produce several sets of flowers and seeds in just one season. For example, a single dandelion plant can repeatedly produce flowers all summer, ultimately spreading over 20,000 seeds annually. Purslane, bindweed, and many grasses work in similar ways.

Where do all those seeds go? Well, they typically fly into your garden beds. 

What To Do Instead

A weed with flowers and seed heads is sort of like an ant. If you see one, there are probably many more! Most of those seeds land on the soil and contribute to your garden’s weed seed bank. 

The weed seed bank is all of the weeds that rest dormant in your garden. In this case, you don’t want your bank account to be big. Every seed added to the bank is a potential new weed sprout that you have to pull! But you can reduce the overall weed seed bank by pulling weeds while young and preventing new seeds from germinating. Tarping, cover crops, and mulching are other great strategies! In summary, never let weeds set seed in your garden! Your future self will thank you.

Mistake: Overcrowding

Many beginner gardeners forget to thin their gardens. If you seeded a lot of spring and summer crops or transplanted your favorite seedlings from the nursery, you may have planted too close. As plants grow larger, it’s important to check that they have enough space to reach their fullest potential.

This is particularly important for larger crops like squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and rhubarb. Lack of thinning is also common in directly seeded crops like baby greens and carrots. If you don’t thin out all those little seedlings, you may end up with wimpy greens or spindly toothpick carrot roots.

Basically, overcrowded plants are like people crammed into a subway: grumpy and unable to thrive! Every plant has its own spatial needs. Vining tomatoes can take up one to two feet if they are properly trellised, while small head lettuce only requires 8-10 inches of space. 

Knowing your crops’ spacing requirements is crucial because overcrowding causes major issues, including:

What To Do Instead

Always research your crop spacing needs before planting! All of our Epic grow guides include spacing recommendations for different crops and varieties. Sometimes, dwarf varieties can tolerate smaller spaces. But this does not mean that you should cram a dozen peppers in a tiny raised bed. It’s still vital to measure the spacing based on the estimated full crop size.

The best time to space crops is at the time of germination or when transplanting. The second best time is now! If you forgot to thin your crops, you want to cut out the extras ASAP to ensure strong harvests later this summer.

Coincidentally, fewer plants can often yield more fruits! Overcrowded crops often fail to produce at all because they cannot properly develop their roots and leaves. They are also more susceptible to diseases like powdery mildew and botrytis, which thrive in humid, low-airflow conditions.

For example, four broccoli in a small 3-foot by 3-foot space may yield pathetically small broccoli heads, or they may fail to form heads altogether. However, just two broccoli plants, each with two feet of space, could yield giant heads with three times as many florets compared to the four overcrowded ones.

Lesson learned: Give those plants some space!

Mistake: Lack of Sunlight

All plants need sun, but light requirements vary drastically between species. Corn, peppers, and pumpkins demand full sunlight to thrive, but lettuce, cilantro, and scallions don’t mind a little bit of shade. Still, the best place for a vegetable garden (in the Northern Hemisphere) is always the most south-facing area of your property. South-facing gardens receive maximum sunlight throughout the day.

It is a common mistake to build a garden in north-facing or east-facing areas. This mistake can be worsened if your home or a large tree casts a shadow over the garden. The lack of sunlight will make it very difficult for plants to thrive, including shade-tolerant ones. Most vegetables need at least four to six hours of light per day. Typically, only ornamentals like ferns and coral bells will tolerate full shade (less than four hours of light).

What To Do Instead

Learn the difference between full sun, partial sun, and shade. Plants are typically labeled with one of these sunlight requirements:

Once you know your plant’s requirements, be sure it is planted in the proper area of your garden. You need to use your observation skills to know where the sun hits your yard at different times of day. Since summer usually has the most sunlight, it will be easy to notice the shady areas. 

If plants are failing to thrive, consider if low lighting is a factor. Transplant them or prune back shrubs and trees that may be casting a big shadow.

Mistake: Only Planting in the Spring

Many beginners believe that spring is the only time to start a garden. This is far from the truth! Succession planting is the art of growing multiple flushes throughout the season. Farmers use this practice to ensure they always have new crops of greens, root crops, tomatoes, and herbs. You can do the same in your garden to prolong the harvests of your favorite crops.

What To Do Instead

Stagger your plantings throughout the season so you can harvest your favorite crops at different times. For example, you don’t have to reserve your favorite carrots just once per year. Instead, you can seed carrots every two to three weeks to ensure a continuous supply. 

Similarly, you may want to grow multiple successions of sauce tomatoes. Determinate varieties tend to yield all of their fruit in one big burst. If you love canning but are sometimes short on time, you can separate your plantings by timing an early and a later season crop.

Green beans, basil, lettuce, kale, cucumbers, zucchini, cabbage, potatoes, and onions are other great crops to practice succession planting.

Mistake: Planting Too Late

If you live in a northern climate, it may be too late to plant some summer crops in your garden. Planting too late can cause major disappointments because the crop may not have time to reach its fullest potential and yield fruits before the first fall frost sets in. This is particularly a problem with long-season, slow-growing species, such as:

If you don’t start these crops by mid-summer, it may not be worth it to plant them this year. The timing varies based on crop variety and your estimated first fall frost date.

What To Do Instead

Crop planning is the quickest way to garden success! Start with a list of your favorite vegetables, determine what can grow in your climate, and then choose seed varieties. Every seed packet comes with an estimated days to maturity (DTM). This describes how long the plant takes from seed (or transplant) until harvest. 

Some crops, like tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini, produce a continuous harvest until first frosts. Others, like cabbage, carrots, beets, and winter squash, are planted and harvested once. Longer-season plants take a long time to get established before they can fruit, so it’s best to get them in the ground as early as you can.

If your harvest dates are cutting it close, you can always consider season extensions like low tunnels or row fabric to add extra warmth later in the year. 

In summary, zone 6 growers may not want to seed peppers in July because they won’t have enough time to yield many fruits before frosts arrive. But zone 8 growers can reliably plant more zucchini or tomatoes in mid-summer because there is plenty of time for the crop to yield.

Mistake: Overwatering

Lots of heat and sunshine usually mean plants need more water. However, overwatering is a major beginner mistake that can tremendously reduce plant health and yields. Too much water essentially suffocates plant roots. As the soil becomes soggy and waterlogged, the roots cannot “breathe.” Ironically enough, this makes plants wilt because they cannot uptake water. This symptom is often confusing to beginners because it looks like the plant needs water.

If you water the plant more, its roots can become colonized by root rot fungi. At this point, the damage may be irreversible. Root rot affects a wide range of species, but many annual vegetables and Mediterranean herbs are particularly susceptible. It’s very important to refrain from loving your plants too much. 

What To Do Instead

Always check the soil moisture before watering. Avoid watering on a set schedule (ie. spray with a hose every 2 days). Instead, remember that plant moisture needs vary with the weather and growth stage. For example, on cooler days, water evaporates slowly and the soil stays moist for longer. In mid-to-late summer, plants with heavy fruit sets may need more water to sustain their growth.

Checking the soil is very simple. Put your finger a few inches in the ground next to your plant’s roots. If the soil sticks to your skin and feels soggy or brownie-batter-like, it is far too wet. The soil needs to dry out immediately. But if the ground feels chalky or dry, the plant is likely very thirsty. The ideal moisture level for most plants is similar to a wrung-out sponge. The soil should feel loamy and fluffy without any muckiness or soggy texture.

Keep in mind that some types, like pumpkins and cucumbers, have ultra-large leaves that naturally wilt in the hot afternoon regardless of moisture level. Usually, they perk back up in the cooler temperatures of the evening. Before you panic and water them, check that the soil is actually dry.

Mistake: Underwatering

Drought is obviously a major issue in most summer gardens. While some gardeners tend to overwater, others forget to water altogether. Wilting is the most clear symptom of drought, but thirsty plants can also tell you they need water with these symptoms:

Underwatered plants can suffer from major setbacks and sometimes die in hot weather. It’s important to check your garden several times per week to ensure everything has the moisture it needs. In hot weather, you may need to increase watering. If you grow in smaller containers, the watering frequency will also increase.

What To Do Instead 

The most important way to prevent drought stress is to use mulch. Mulch covers the soil in a protective layer. This prevents water from evaporating, which means it can stay in the root zone longer. Straw and leaf mulch are the most popular for vegetables. They hold in moisture and prevent weeds while simultaneously enriching the soil with organic matter.

Soil quality is also vital. Higher amounts of compost and decomposed organic matter lead to more water retention. If the soil is very sandy or poor, water will drain through too quickly, and roots may struggle to uptake it.

Drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and ollas (clay pot irrigation) are the most popular ways to water a garden. All of these methods prevent water waste but ensure sufficient moisture delivery straight to where the plants need it.

Mistake: Ignoring Pests and Diseases

Summer growers must be on high alert. Proliferating plants can also mean rapidly growing pests or diseases. Some infestations can practically explode overnight, so regular scouting is essential. If you ignore pest or disease issues, they can quickly get out of hand. But if you catch them early, you can easily prevent the spread and usually avoid using harsh chemicals. 

Prevention is very important for organic growers who want to keep the garden natural. However, ignoring early signs of infestations often leaves no space for preventative methods. Sometimes, you have to destroy entire plants. To make matters worse, unchecked pest and disease issues can remain in your garden for many seasons to come.

What To Do Instead

Every time you go in the garden to weed or harvest, do a quick pest-scouting activity. This is especially fun for kids. 

In just 5-10 minutes, you can usually spot if there are any issues. Instead of getting upset, remember that finding the problem is a win! Even the best gardeners deal with pests and diseases. Identifying problems early is the easiest way to get ahead of anything trying to attack your garden. This makes it easy to apply a solution to a smaller area before it becomes a widespread infestation.

Preventative methods like companion planting, insectaries, biocontrol, insect netting, and row cover are very useful for designing a garden that naturally controls pests without as much human intervention.

Mistake: Letting Pets in the Garden

Summer means more time outside with your family and pets! But dogs and cats are not great guests for your vegetable garden. Their safety can be at risk, and they can severely damage your crops and flowerbeds. 

Many garden plants are poisonous to pets. Lilies, daffodils, sweet peas (the flowers), and castor beans can cause major health issues, while green tomatoes or mint only cause digestive upset. The severity depends on the type of plant. 

Moreover, dogs and cats can trample or munch on your plants to the point of damage. This simple mistake is easy to prevent, and it can save you from a lot of stress and worry.

What To Do Instead

Install fencing, barriers, or protective structures around your vegetable and fruit gardens. Consider growing in raised beds that are more difficult for pets to access. If possible, keep your grass lawn and pet area completely separate from your garden.

Mistake: Fertilizing With Nitrogen

Nitrogen is essential for all plant growth, but applying it in the summer is not ideal for most crops. Many beginner growers mistakenly think more nitrogen will mean bigger harvests. But most fruiting crops (like tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, melons, etc.) use the bulk of their nitrogen in the early stages. Applying nitrogen in midsummer can actually hinder fruiting.

The vegetative (leafy) growth stage of a temperate vegetable garden usually occurs in spring and early summer. Nitrogen fuels lots of new leaf and stem growth. Once the plants begin producing flowers, they shift into reproductive growth. At this point, they shift their nutrient needs. Phosphorus and potassium become more important in the reproductive (fruiting) stage.

If you apply nitrogen in the summer, it can often stimulate an overgrowth of leaves at the expense of fruits. Most of us don’t grow tomatoes and melons just for the foliage. Slow down on nitrogen fertilization and allow slow-release nutrient reserves in the soil to aid the plant. 

What To Do Instead

Generally, it is best to switch to slow-release or all-purpose fertilizers with higher ratios of phosphorus and potassium. P and K are the most vital for flower and fruit production. Feeding with these nutrients communicates to the plant to focus its energy on reproduction rather than vegetative growth.

It is usually best for beginners to use organic fertilizers because they are gentler and slow-release. There is less risk of fertilizer burn from overfertilizing. They also provide a longer-lasting nutrient supply to feed the plant through the rest of the season.