Factors That Can Affect Your Garden’s Quality

Sometimes it feels as though no matter how much time and effort we put into your garden, it never looks the way we want it to. If your plants aren’t flourishing as expected, don’t worry; it’s probably not because of your broken green thumb. There can be several factors that are affecting your garden’s quality.

Soil Quality

Your garden’s soil condition could be one of the hidden factors that are affecting your garden’s quality and hindering your plants from flourishing. Good-quality soil will have different sizes of clumps and keep its form when put under light pressure. Soil that’s rich in organic matter will also be porous, which makes for a more effortless movement of water and oxygen. If you don’t see any bugs making your soil their habitat, this is cause for concern, as rich soil will host a large variety of soil organisms; be on the lookout for earthworms, beetles, and more.

Your Watering System

As you likely know, different plants require different amounts of hydration, so you might need to adjust your watering techniques. What’s more, if your watering system is out of date, it may not be making the best use of your water flow, so you might want to check the quality of your hose and sprinkler nozzles. Additionally, your irrigation system might require an update depending on your gardening goals. For example, if you want to grow produce, installing a drip system will be helpful; this pinpoints your watering exactly where it needs to be.

Your Plants’ Roots

Double-check the plants growing in your garden, as you might have unintentionally planted an invasive species. An invasive species’ roots often overtake the soil and hinder other plants from rooting deeper, inhibiting growth. Moreover, the same effect could be happening if you have underground piping. If you notice a specific area in your garden where no plant seems to grow, this might be why. You don’t have to give up on your garden space; consider adding plants with shallow roots, as they’ll flourish in these areas.

Your Sun Situation

Planting your plants during a certain time of day can give the illusion of how much sun a plant will actually receive throughout the entire day. An overall assessment can be a huge help. With a compass, stand with your back to your house’s wall so see which direction the yard faces. South-facing yards will get the most sun, and north-facing yards will get the least. Assess your plant’s need for sun and observe the area for a day or two before to make sure you’re not getting too much or too little throughout the day. Additionally, be aware of frost pockets, as Spring frosts can actually be pretty deadly for certain plants. Luckily, there are things we can do to remove some of the effects of Spring frost. Hedges, walls, valleys, and hollows can all cause frost to get worse, as they keep cold air from circulating and well, leaving your garden. Reduce effects of frost by thinning your hedge or bushes, leaving the door to the garden open on cold nights, and using a trellis instead of a wall or other form of solid barrier. Additionally, you can spot treat by covering certain plants sensitive to the cold during a cold spell.