The fear of making mistakes is sometimes as bad as actually making them. Be cautious by all means, but don’t lose out on an opportunity, so don’t let it stop you from trying.

There are several things that maybe we have all been guilty of in gardening endeavours, and there are one or two things you might want to consider.

Not everything is what they say it is

You might get dragged into thinking a product could be natural if the label says if it says ‘all natural’ or ‘eco-friendly’. For instance, you might be plagued by mosquitoes, and a product may say it is a natural insecticide, but it might not be specific for mosquitoes alone, so the killing impact could be much broader than the manufacturer has revealed. A broad-spectrum insecticide, even though natural and organic, might be killing the beneficial insects that are necessary to a healthy ecosystem while they are killing mosquitoes, ticks and garden pests.

Neem oil and insecticidal soap are two examples of organic products that are nonselective insect controllers, meaning they may harm or kill whatever insects they come in contact with, good or bad.

I didn’t know this, but vinegar (acetic acid) is a natural product that is often recommended as an herbicide alternative to the most common non-organic option, Glyphosate, (which incidentally Portugal prohibits the use of in public areas), but even this becomes a problem when over applied or when the concentration is too strong, with the ‘run-off’ being harmful to lizards and frogs as well as other amphibious creatures. Remember, it is an acid and can blind you when highly concentrated, so be careful if you use it, as it could be a danger to yourself.

Credits: Unsplash;

Read the labels

All chemicals, whether organic or synthetic, must be applied with discretion. Read the label before using the product, make sure it is the right product for the job, and don’t use more than you need.

Don’t miss an opportunity to repurpose and propagate

Plants that you might have given up on might end up in the compost bin, but you can take great cuttings from this so called ‘rubbish’ and turn them into valuable free plants for yourself or for give aways to friends who might be into gardening too.

Checking your Gardening Containers

Neglecting to check the plants in your containers is a common problem. After all the rain, it is easy to ignore plants that are being watered naturally, but I have pots that are brimming with unseen water where I haven’t realised that the plant’s roots are sitting in a puddle of wet soil and can’t absorb all that moisture, which makes them more susceptible to root rot.

Watering the Leaves

Looking forward towards summer, it is so easy to walk around the garden with a watering can or hose and absently sprinkle water from your hose while admiring your display or crop, but overhead watering isn't ideal for a number of reasons. There is the initial risk wasting water, but too-wet leaves can become a breeding ground for fungi, bacteria, and other disease-causing microbes. A drip irrigation system or soaker hose might be something to consider - where your plants will get the moisture they need from the soil directly at the roots, where they need it most. And by slowly delivering water only to plant root zones, you'll cut a lot of water waste from runoff. Schedule your watering in the early morning hours before it gets too hot and evaporation speeds up.

Composting

Don’t neglect your soil - healthy soil is the key to healthy plants, and compost is one of the best ways to give your soil a boost. Don’t expect to dig up that dead plant and plant another in its place without replenishing the nutrients the original plant used up while growing. Compost also helps your soil to hold onto moisture better, while at the same time improving drainage. If you haven’t made your own compost, there’s nothing wrong with buying a bag of it from the garden centre and digging it in.

Author

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan