Secret formula

Keys to concocting a healthy garden

Betsy Lehndorff, Rocky Mountain News

Published April 13, 2007 at midnight

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Do your freshly planted flowers wilt and turn brown the moment you put them in the ground?

You're not alone. Like many gardeners, you're probably committing some common mistakes, says Alison Stoven, Colorado State University Extension horticulturist for Larimer County.

"People need to know that gardening is appealing, because you can't ever master it," she says. "You just have to keep trying and eventually you'll get it."

The secret is to start with foolproof plants and build confidence from there. Even then, be prepared for challenges.

"I had a cactus that everyone around me could grow," Stoven says. "One day it was fine, the next it was flopped over and dead, and I have years of school and experience."

If you're new to Colorado, you have even more frustrations to face, she says.

"People try to garden the way they did in states where there's more water. They don't realize how dry the air is here in Colorado."

Another secret to gardening is to learn techniques that will have you giving your garden a green thumbs up. Below are five common mistakes you'll want to avoid, and solutions that help you succeed.Garden expert Carol O'Meara contributed to this report.

The mistakes

1 You're in a hurry.

Between work, housecleaning and taking your kids to soccer, you've dashed into a couple garden centers to buy plants. You grab any plants, so you can cover those bare spots in your yard.

Results: You have a whole bunch of flowers roasting in your hot car, and you don't know what to do with them. Maybe you can get the kid down the block to put them in the ground for you.

Solution: Slow down. Gardening takes time and patience; it's better if you relax a little. Besides, new plants do better after the danger of frost is over, around Mother's Day.

2 Wrong plant, wrong place.

You've stuck plants all over the place, in the sun, in the shade, figuring a plant is a plant.

Results: You've probably set shade-loving hostas in the sun, and sun-loving daisies in the shade. Neither will do well in those spots.

Solution: Make yourself a cool glass of lemonade and settle down to read tags tucked into each pot or flat of plants you purchased. They contain directions on how much light, soil preparation and watering each of your purchases needs. Follow these directions.

3 Neglecting the soil.

You think dirt is dirt. Dig a hole, pop in a plant and you're done.

Results: Your black thumb becomes a prominent digit; everything dies.

Solution: On a day when your soil is dry and crumbly, spread an inch of compost over your planting area and work it at least 12 inches into your soil. Use a spade or long-handled gardening fork to break up clumps and turn the dirt over until it is light and fluffy. Water will be able to saturate the soil and drain through; roots will be nourished and spread.

4 If a little is good, a lot is better.

In hopes of speeding things up, you spray weed killer everywhere and spread fertilizer by the gallon.

Results: You soon discover you've got large, dead patches of lawn, and twisted, yellowed or dead plants in your garden.

Solution: Read and follow package directions on sprays and fertilizers before you apply the product.

5 Too little or too much watering.

You douse your new plantings with buckets of water the first day and then let them go for a week.

Result: Your investment in new plants has dies, and you are convinced you'll never learn to garden.

Solution: When planting annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees, water them gently and thoroughly immediately after you've placed them in the ground. Follow this with watering every one to two days, until your plants have rooted and are thriving. Check before you water; push your finger into the ground around the roots. If it's dry 2 inches down, your plant is thirsty.If your garden begins to thrive, and you're eager to learn more, check out classes at your local garden center or visit the CSU extension Web site at www.ext.colostate.edu.

Garden expert Carol O'Meara contributed to this report.

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