5 Spring Gardening Mistakes That Ruin Your Plants

Planting too early Most people plant after the first warm weekend, but cold soil and freezing nights stress plants. Wait until soil is at least 60°F and nights stay above 50°F.

Overwatering Spring rains are usually enough. Stick your finger an inch into the soil — if it’s damp, don’t water. Most seedlings die from oxygen starvation, not thirst.

Ignoring frost dates Check your local frost dates, not the calendar. A warm day in April doesn’t mean the danger of frost has passed.

Planting without hardening off Seedlings grown indoors need gradual exposure to outdoor conditions. Skip this step and they’ll get sunburned or wind-damaged.

Using too much fertilizer Young plants don’t need heavy feeding. Too much nitrogen produces weak, leafy growth instead of strong roots.