Common Gardening Mistakes: Mistake Number 3:

This is the third in a series of artis on common gardening mistakes.

A third mistake is beging y gardening project w enough on ab pla. In this arti, I'll give you a list of things you need to k ab them, and help you find that o.

As I wrote in my last arti on gardening mistakes, gardening sld be pleasant and satisfying. Much of the satisfacn cs from succ. W it, you'd probably give up. So would I. So we need to k as much ab craft as possible. We don't need to be experts, eer. Just a little
on is enough to start. But I bet that the more you learn, the more you'll want to learn.

Life Cy

One of the first things you'll need to k when selecting pla is their life cy. A life cy describes how long it takes for a plant to g, flower, produce seed and die. Imagine how disappointed you would be to plant a flower expecting years of pleasure, only to have it die win a season. King the life cy of any plant will help you cho one for its intended use and avoid disappointm.

There are three types of life cys: annual, bieal, and pereal. An annual plant is one that gs, flowers, seeds and dies win a single ging season. Examples include marigolds, tomatoes, and zias. A bieal plant is one that gs during the first season, then produces flowers, seeds and dies the second season. Examples include cabbage, carrots, foxglove, money plant and parsley. A pereal plant is one that requires at least three years to complete its life cy. Examples include chrysanthemums, daylilys, hostas, rs, woody shrubs and trees.

Tgh it may confuse matters a bit, there are s bieals and pereals that produce flowers during the first ging season. If t are too tender to live through the winter, gardeners may use them as annuals, enjoying them for a single year and planting them again the next year.

Habit

This refers to the characteristic appearance of the plant. There are common and sciific terms that are used to describe plant appearances. I won't go into them here. But it is important for you to k the habit of pla you might cho for y landscape. K that looks can be deceiving, especly when the plant is young, so a little research is necary. Imagine y dismay if you purchase a plant thinking it has a low, mounding habit because it looked that way at the nursery only to discover that it has an upright, ascending one.

Size

Certainly, pla sld be chn w purp in mind. Size is a factor in whether a plant suits a purp, so it's important to k its pot or ultim size. Let's consider foundan planting around a se. Tgh certain shrubs may be just the right size for a few years, t can g their usefuln. And I'm not inclined to spend weekends pruning them to maintain an appropri size. So I plant w pot or ultim size in mind.

Gth R

Gth r is nearly as important a factor as plant size. Because we tend to be impati, we want pla that g fast so t will look mature or fulfill their purp in short order. But the problem is that pla which g quickly may not stop ging when you think t sld. If you want a large plant, my advice is to buy one.

Hardin - cold and heat

Pla can't migr when summer or winter approach, so t must be chn w cold-hardin and heat-tolerance in mind. The fact that you find a plant for sale at y local big-box is no indican that it is appropri for y area. Again, a little basic research is necary.

And while you're at it, learn the following characteristics of any plant: moisture requirem, nutri requireme, pH requirem and sun exposure preference. If you have a deer problem, research that, too. W this on, you'll be able to cho pla approprily according to what you've already learned ab y planting site. For "how-to" on on that, see my last blog post.

I promised that I'd help you find plant on. Here are s places to look:

Check the plant listings at goGardenNow.com. You'll find s basic facts such as plant hardin, sun exposure, moisture and pH requireme.

Read artis here and in my blog at goGardenNow.blogspot.com. You'll find ply of on , and there's more to c.

Consult books. W so much on on the internet, it's fair to ask whether books are even necary. I think so for a few reasons:

• If you own them you usually k where to find them, provided you haven't loaned them ;
• T seem easier on the eye;
• T don't burn y lap when you're reading in bed;
• T may bec collectible.

Y local public library is a treasure trove of on. Not only may you bor books, but you may be able to buy s cheap. Libraries often have periodic book sales. S even devote part of their space to pen book sales, so you may be able to purchase great mr for a couple of dollars.

As I write this, I'm scang the shelves around my desk. The vast majority of my books on pla were published by Timber Pr. You sld check their online catalog. The Nanal Arboretum Book Of Outstanding Garden Pla by Jacqueleine Heriteau w Dr. Marc Cat, published by Simon and Schuster, is worth owning.

If you insist on bsing the internet, a quick search will turn up lots of on on practically any plant that cs to mind.

To learn more go to goGardenNow.com and goGardenNow.blogspot.com.