I’m a gardening expert… People make five common mistakes and why cutting the lawn too short can be really disastrous

A GARDEN genius has uncovered the five most common mistakes people make when it comes to tending to their lawns.

With Brits now enjoying a potentially hot Spanish summer with four more heatwaves to come, most are enjoying their days outdoors working in their gardens.

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But as you rush to prep your lawn for guests stopping by for a boozy BBQ, you may actually be making a few small mistakes, The Express reported.

Offering a helping hand to guide you through all the dos and don’ts of gardening, the gurus at Sutton Manor Nursery have published the list of the most common mistakes to avoid.

over and under

Speaking of gardening, the experts revealed that over- and under-watering is “the most common mistake people make.”

This is because most plants have different watering requirements and people are not always aware of this – underwatering one plant could mean overwatering another.

Signs of an overwatered plant include: yellowed leaves, brown tips, wilting, but with wet soil and root rot.

Signs of a submerged plant include: dry leaves, brown tips, leaf curling, and leaf shedding.

Here it is important to remember not to water plants too often – even on warmer days.

Try watering less frequently, but if you do, make sure the soil is fully saturated.

Cut lawn too short

“This can create a chain reaction of problems for your weed that can be really disastrous,” the gardening pros revealed.

While many may not know this, mowing lawns too short also deprives the grass of its food supply – and during the warmer days of summer, the grass relies on this food to survive and thrive.

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This in turn causes the grass to have to work harder to produce new food, which subsequently impairs root development.

Without healthy roots, the lawn can neither store water nor absorb nutrients from the soil – and this cycle could end with the death of the grass.

Don’t weed

Removing weeds – something you can do with this effective method that costs absolutely nothing – is a tedious and arduous task that no one looks forward to.

However, if you’re one of those who avoid weeding like the plague, be warned that nuisance weeds compete with plants for nutrients and water in the soil.

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Position plants in the wrong place

Many may not be aware of this, but positioning plants in the right spot is key to plant health.

Because some plants need direct sunlight and others love more shade, different plants have different needs.

It’s also important to remember that plants don’t like being cramped or crowded, so don’t place them too close together.

This is because they need air to circulate around them and space for their branches and roots to grow.

Not cutting properly

Although, as avid gardeners already know, pruning is an essential aspect of the hobby, it’s easy to overdo it.

But again, just like overwatering, anything too much, including pruning, can damage the plant, stunting its growth and making it more susceptible to disease.

Including, as we recently learned, Xyella, which the British should be warned about.

When pruning, make sure that there are enough leaves on the plant in the summer months so that the plant can form food and provide shade.

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