Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Planting in Spring
Spring is an exciting time for gardeners — the sun is shining, the soil is warming up, and it's tempting to rush outside and start planting everything in sight. But even seasoned gardeners can make a few common mistakes during the spring rush. If you want your garden to thrive from the start, here are the top five mistakes to avoid when planting in spring.
1. Planting Too Early
As soon as the first warm day hits, it’s hard not to grab a trowel and go wild. But planting too early, before the soil and air temperatures are consistently warm, can shock plants or stunt their growth. Some seeds will rot in cold soil, and tender seedlings can die from a late frost.
What to do instead:
Check your local frost dates and soil temperature guidelines before planting. When in doubt, wait a little longer — your plants will catch up fast once conditions are right.
2. Ignoring the Soil
Good soil is the foundation of a healthy garden. Skipping soil preparation is a mistake that can haunt you all season long. If your soil is compacted, poor in nutrients, or too wet, your plants will struggle.
What to do instead:
Take time to loosen the soil, remove weeds, and mix in compost or other organic matter. A simple soil test kit can help you understand what amendments your garden might need.
3. Overcrowding Plants
It's tempting to pack plants closely together when they’re small, but they'll quickly outgrow their space, leading to poor air circulation, competition for nutrients, and higher risk of disease.
What to do instead:
Follow spacing recommendations on seed packets or plant tags. It might look sparse at first, but your garden will fill out beautifully — and healthier — over time.
4. Forgetting to Harden Off Seedlings
If you've started seeds indoors (or bought young plants from a nursery), they need time to adjust to the outdoor environment. Directly planting them outside without acclimating them can cause transplant shock.
What to do instead:
Spend about a week gradually exposing seedlings to outdoor conditions. Start with a few hours a day in a sheltered spot and slowly increase their time outside.
5. Watering the Wrong Way
Both overwatering and underwatering are common spring planting mistakes. Spring weather can be unpredictable — a heavy rain might be followed by a dry spell, and young plants are sensitive to both extremes.
What to do instead:
Water deeply but less frequently to encourage strong root growth. Always check the soil moisture a few inches down before deciding to water again.
