I am still learning about how to be an expert hobbyist part-time obsessive-compulsive gardener. As such, I am making a lot of mistakes along the way. This post will likely have many additions as spring turns into summer and fall approaches.
Gardening: What Not to Do
Use At-Home Pest Control with Too Much Gusto
I read on several blogs that the best way to rid plants of pests is with hand soap, chili pepper, and garlic mixed in a warm water solution. Spray on the leaves of your plants and VOILA! No more bugs! This is true - the bugs are gone. So are the leaves. Either I used too much soap or the wrong kind, but it basically turned my green bean plants into black leaf plants. Luckily, I had the foresight to test it out on a few plants first before applying to the rest of my garden.
Overplant
My yard is tiny, therefore my garden plot is tiny. However, what is not tiny is my desire. Because of this, I have planted and planted and planted to the point that all the plants are very likely to suffocate themselves when and if they manage to grow.
Tempt a Dog with Eggshells
I dried the eggshells just as I was supposed to do and I buried them as best I could in the soil. Still, they attracted my dog and I lost the one plant that I was experimenting with on the first day. Also, I learned to test all forms of organic pest control on the dog first. As it turns out, he really enjoys garlic and will go through the garden to get to it. Chili pepper? Not so much.
Water Overhead
I learned this lesson last year, but I didn't know about it until this year, if that makes sense. I couldn't figure out last summer why all of my plants had white spots on their leaves, but I now know that this is a mold that is due largely to watering overhead. I exclusively used this method to water my garden last year - now I am mostly using the drip method.
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