Putting a garden in the wrong spot.
A vegetable garden needs at least 6 hours of sunlight each day.  Take into account the surrounding trees: when they leaf out will they block your garden?  Don't think you have to hide your garden in a corner of your yard, place it front and center where you can see it, monitor it and keep it healthy.

Not preparing the soil
Healthy plants grow in healthy soil.  Always amend your garden soil before planting.  Choose from organic compost, peat moss, humus and aged manure to improve your soil texture.  Take it easy on the manure because it contains a high amount of salt.  Plant-based compost is the best thing you can add to your soil.  Compost will help aerate the soil and provide nutrients for plants as it slowly breaks down.  A soil test is the only way to know for sure the pH and nutrient content of your soil.  We have CSU soil test kits available at Bath Nursery. Just grab a kit

Overwatering
Roots need both water and oxygen to grow healthy.  Overwatering drowns plants roots and starves them for oxygen.  You want the soil to be moist, but not soaked.  Grab a handful of soil and squeeze it in your hand.  It should clump together momentarily, then crumble apart.  Your vegetable garden needs on average 1 inch of water each week, and probably more in the middle of summer.  If you're unsure whether or not to water, dig a small hole about 8 inches deep.  If the soil is wet at this depth, your plants do not need to be watered that day.  Some plants will wilt in late afternoon in the intense heat, but don't always rely on the foliage as an indicator.  Always check the soil before watering.

Not taking wildlife into account
Pets, rabbits, squirrels, birds and deer will like to dig in your garden and munch on your plants.  Fish emulsion, bone and blood meal are great organic fertilizers, but their smell will invite curious animals.  Ask our nursery staff for rabbit and deer resistant varieties.  Keep in mind resistant does not mean an animal absolutely will not eat it.  As a last resort, deer and rabbits will munch on just about anything green.  We have organic sprays that will create a barrier and deter wildlife.

Not giving plants enough sun
Most plants will tolerate a couple hours of shade, but a plant intended for full sun wants 6-8 hours of sunlight each day.  Some varieties prefer morning sun and afternoon shade (and vice versa.)  Observe the sunlight patterns in your yard throughout the day before you begin your landscape projects.  A spot that is full of sunshine in the morning may not receive any direct sunlight by noon.

Sowing too many seeds and not thinning
Follow the instructions on the seed packet.  Some seeds need to be sown closely, then thinned out to allow them to mature without crowding.  

Using too much fertilizer
Many synthetic fertilizers are made of nutrient forms that are immediately available to plants.  These fertilizer formulas promote quick, weak growth that is inviting to insects.  Too much fertilizer can burn plants.  We suggest organic fertilizers that feed plants slowly and consistently.  A high nitrogen formula can cause plants to be green, bushy and beautiful with no flowers.  When plants are setting flowers, switch to a high phosphorous bloom-enhancing fertilizer.  These will have a ratio similar to 5-10-5.

Planting too close together
They look small in the containers, but plants will spread to the size indicated on the tag.  Plants that do not have adequate room to grow will overwhelm each other and compete for water and nutrients.  The tight growth allows for poor air circulation and can lead to diseases like powdery mildew.

Turkish Veronica is one of our favorite perennial groundcovers and it adapts to poor soil.
See 10 of our favorite perennials.




We have several new plant varieties this year, from lilacs to hydrangeas.  Check them out!
New plants in the nursery