Slow-growing vegetables are usually the first roadblock a newbie gardener will face when trying to create a thriving garden. Understanding why this is the case as well as what you can do to fix it will make a big difference in the overall growth of your garden. This is why I’ve written this blog post detailing exactly why your vegetables are growing so slowly.
The main reason that your vegetables are growing slowly is likely because they are not getting the right amount of sunlight to support their growth. The average plant needs at least eight hours of sunlight per day or it might see slower growth rates or worse, stop growing completely.
However, this is likely not the only factor impacting the growth of your vegetables. There are also a lot of other things that you need to be aware of to ensure that your vegetables are seeing optimal growth.
5 Reasons Why Your Garden Is Growing Slowly
Poor Sunlight
Without the right amount of sunlight, few vegetables will be able to reach their full potential. It is recommended that gardeners provide at least eight hours of sunlight each day to their plants to see their best growth. Different vegetables have different sunlight requirements, so proper research on the type of vegetables you’re growing is also important.
You should ensure that your vegetables are placed in the sunniest location in your garden. But some gardeners may find that they just can’t provide a lot of sunlight to their plants (perhaps due to lack of space).
When this happens, consider cutting down the number of plants you’re growing. Focus on maximizing the amount of sunlight you can provide to a select few plants.
Alternatively, consider growing plants that require less sunlight than normal. For example, vegetables such as tomatoes and melons (also known as warm-weather vegetables) tend to grow best when they get as much sunlight as possible. These might not be the best choice if your garden typically sees less sunlight than usual.
Unsuitable Temperature
The biggest mistake a gardener can make is assuming that your plants are growing at the right temperature just because they’re getting tons of sunlight.
Yes, sunlight also provides warmth to your vegetables and soil. But that is often not enough, especially in colder seasons. Cold soils that take a long time to heat up can prevent your seeds from germinating and can even cause them to rot in some cases. Also, some types of soils heat up faster than others, so it all depends on what you’re currently using for your garden.
Poor Quality Soil
Poor quality soil another reason why most gardens see slow growth. When it comes to soil management, beginner gardeners will often fall into two common traps. These are:
a) Growing their plants in natural soil.
b) Assuming that vegetables are fine with the same sort of soil they use for other plants in their garden, like flowers.
Firstly, natural soil is unlikely to provide all the essential nutrients your plants need to grow as quickly as they can. This is why many gardeners will take steps to amend their soil for best performance.
I’ll talk more about amendments later on.
Secondly, don’t assume that vegetables will grow just as well using the same type of soil typically used for smaller plants like flowers. Vegetables tend to produce large leaves as well as a ton of fruits during their lifetime. And as a result, they require more nutrients than most other plants.
Poor Watering Practices
Vegetables require a consistent supply of water to maintain optimal growth. This might sound obvious even to non-gardeners. But in practice, even veterans can fail to maintain the sort of consistent watering practices required for a healthy garden.
This is especially true for gardeners with large allotments that find it difficult to keep track of which plants and soil are well watered and which aren’t.
Maintaining proper soil moisture levels is a delicate process. The soil must be watered as often as needed to keep it moist but not so often that it gets soggy.
Beginners usually make the mistake of overwatering their plants which can have the reverse effect of slowing down growth as well as increase the chances of diseases spreading amongst the crops.
Too Many Weeds And Pests
Weeds and pests can very quickly undo all the hard work you’ve put into your garden if you give them the time to grow. You need to be spending at least an hour or two per week getting rid of all the weeds in your garden.
Make this a consistent habit, and don’t give in to the temptation to take a day off as weeds and pests can spread extremely fast when given the chance.
How Can I Speed Up My Vegetable Growth?
Amend Your Soil
Whilst good soil is the foundation of a flourishing garden, very few allotments will come with the type of soil that is naturally ideal for growing plants.
Most gardeners will find that they have to physically add in the right type of soil so that their plants can get all the essential nutrients they need to grow.
These are known as soil amendments.
Try amending your soil annually with some compost. This will not only provide the nitrogen that is so crucial to vegetable growth but also improve the texture of the soil, making sure that all your vegetables get sufficient oxygen for growth.
Keep Your Plants And Soil Warm
Depending on the season and the type of soil you’re using, you may find that your soil takes too long to warm up.
Without warm soil, your vegetables are going to find it hard to germinate and grow, especially if they’re the type that is reliant on temperature to grow.
A simple soil thermometer can help you keep track of your soil temperatures.
When not in use, covering the soil with a layer of polythene can help keep them warm as well as keep out any rain or snow. Cloches are also often used to cover newly sown plants. These are protective structures that work to trap the air inside, warming it during the day and transferring this heat to the soil.
Better Pest And Disease Control
Whilst many insects can be dealt with using just your hands, knowing what type of pest is common to your garden and using the appropriate insecticide can save you a lot of time.
Also, if you spot a plant suffering from a disease, do get rid of it immediately before it spreads.
Some gardeners get understandably attached to their vegetables and will try to treat the plant to see if it can be saved. But more often than not, the disease ends up spreading and infecting other plants in the same garden.
Smarter Water Practices
The smart gardener relies less on instincts and memory and instead uses a variety of tools like moisture meters to help him see when his plants and soil require water.
Moisture meters are inexpensive and can alert you to the presence of dry soil long before it starts to have an impact on your plants. being able to accurately judge how dry the soil lets you provide just enough water to fuel optimum growth in your vegetables without the risk of overwatering.
They also have the added side-benefit of saving you water which can reduce gardening costs in the long run.
Conclusion
Poor vegetable growth is a common problem that most gardeners end up facing when trying to create a flourishing garden for their crops. However, many of these issues tend to be due to simple beginner mistakes that can be easily fixed as long as one knows what he is doing.
A basic understanding of why your vegetables are growing slowly and what measures you can take to stop this can have a massive impact on the overall growth of your garden and make your gardening experience that much more enjoyable.
