In the previous two parts of this three-part series, I discussed the benefits of gardening and how to get started. While gardening is a fun activity that yields a delicious harvest, many problems can arise.
Today I will discuss how to best prevent common gardening problems from ruining your experience.
Chicken wire keeps unwelcome guests out.
Prevent Droopy Plants
If your plants aren't getting enough water, you will notice that some of them are droopy. If they’re getting too much water, you’ll see yellow or rotting leaves.
If either of these start to happen, make sure to spend extra care on your watering.
Another thing you might notice is that your plants are sprawling on the ground, but look fine. One way that you can solve this is by putting up a trellis, or support, for the plant to climb on.
You usually need to make a trellis for cucumbers, beans, and peas. They should perk right up!
Fighting pests is not so simple.
How to Stop Pests
One problem that you might encounter is pests. Deer, rabbits, and birds can be nice in nature, but they are not very nice when it comes to free food—in your garden.
One way to stop pests is to fence in your garden with four-foot high chicken wire, or any deer fencing product you can find at the store. This wiry stuff can be hard on your hands; plan to wear gardening gloves.
Stake the fencing at the sides to make it strong, so deer can't jump over it.
Watch out for holes in the fence. Holes and gaps between the fence and the ground could let in rabbits.
Prevent rabbits from entering your garden by digging a small trench and burying the bottom of the fence in it.
Collect vegetable food scraps by placing a bucket—with a lid—in your kitchen...
