Exploring The Real Reason Why Plants In Your Yard Are On A Fast-Track To Failure

Whether you’re a keen gardener or not, the idea of filling your yard with thriving, thrilling plants is undeniably tempting. Unfortunately, though, this isn’t a dream that every homeowner can easily achieve.

Sadly for some of us, even our best growing efforts result in drooping stems and yellowing flowers. This is frustrating if it happens once, but, if everything you plant fails to thrive, you may start falling into despair. And, in this instance, you are right to worry – if everything in your yard is dying, then there’s probably a reason for it.

Luckily, identifying that reason could be all it takes to get plant growth back on track. That’s why we’ve put together a list of potential causes for you to start addressing as soon as you’ve finished this article!

#1 - Soil-Based Setbacks

If plants won’t take in your garden, it’s always worth looking at your soil first. You’ll especially want to look out for a high soil PH level, which can make it incredibly difficult for most plant species to survive. You can determine this issue with a simple at-home testing kit, and taking steps such as adding organic materials like peat moss could result in improvements.

Alternatively, if your soil PH isn’t a problem, consider whether setbacks like poor drainage are at fault. After all, waterlogged soil can lead to root rot that makes it impossible for plants to survive. Again, applying organic materials can help with this, as can using a specialist aerator, or simply building raised beds with proper drainage systems.

# 2 - Too Much Competition

While plants might seem peaceful, it’s actually a dog-eat-dog world down there in the soil. If invading forces like weeds or tree roots are continually stealing the nutrients your plants need to grow, then ongoing failures are inevitable. In some instances, tree roots can even release toxins that will quite literally stop plant growth in its tracks!

To overcome this problem, you need to ensure that soil nutrients are fully freed up for the plants of your choosing. Regular deweeding and mulching is key to this. Sometimes, you may also need to take more extreme action, such as tree removal if roots on your property are causing a problem. Once you’ve eliminated the competition in these key ways, your plants should stand a much better chance of winning the growth race!

# 3 - Does it Come Down to Care?

We’re not here to point fingers, and you’ll notice that we’ve left this point until last, but it is worth stating that sometimes, problems can come back to the yard care you're providing. Unfortunately, even your best efforts can still result in care-based issues, including overwatering, applying too much fertilizer, and so on.

If all other attempts to improve the situation have failed, it’s therefore worth adjusting certain elements of your care routine and seeing if that helps. Sometimes, even the smallest shifts in your approach can finally result in the improved growth you’ve been missing!