At a Glance
- Beginners often kill plants due to overwatering, lack of light, or unnoticed pests.
- Stick to moist (not soggy) soil and ensure proper drainage.
- Match each crop to the right light level to avoid stunted growth or bolting.
- Check leaves and stems regularly to spot pests early
- Start with hardy, “unkillable” crops like potatoes, onions, garlic, and salad leaves.
How to Not Kill Your Allotment Crops
If you’re a first-time grower, it’s natural to worry about keeping your plants alive, but don’t let that stop you from renting an allotment or starting a small garden at home.
If you’re keen to find out how to not kill plants, you’ve come to the right place. We’re sharing our top tips to take care of plants, vetted by our growing community at Allotment Online. Avoiding small mistakes will allow you to take care of plants like an expert, so you can successfully harvest your own produce.
Sometimes, even with the best intentions, you might still end up with dead plants. In these cases, you might find it safer to get started with the plants you can’t kill (as in, the more resistant and forgiving ones), like radishes or lettuce.
Want to learn exactly how to not kill plants? Read this guide to the end and explore our website for plant-specific growing tips.
Overwatering
Whether you're trying your hand at growing an indoor plant or planting outdoors, one common mistake you might make as a newbie grower is overwatering. Most growers think that simply watering their vegetables or fruits enough will be enough to keep them alive, but this might be where you’re going wrong!
Unless you’re raising an aquatic plant, your crops won’t need lots of water. A moist, but not waterlogged, soil is ideal for most plants. It’s important to check the weather, and if you haven’t had rain in a few days, water during early morning or late afternoon.
Plants grown in containers need even less water, and those kept indoors require water every couple of days. Whether you’re growing in a container or outdoors, make sure you have a proper drainage system. Digging the soil and adding mulch helps with water retention and prevents waterlogging. Your containers should have tiny holes, and we recommend mixing manure in with the soil to allow for proper drainage.
The easiest way to check if your soil needs watering is to test the top few centimetres with your finger. If it still feels moist, you can hold off on watering. An important tip is to never pour water directly over a young seedling or plant.
Inadequate Light
Plants create their own food through photosynthesis, and sunlight plays a major role in this process. Some vegetables need more light than others, and being mindful of this enables us to properly take care of plants without killing them.
Leafy greens such as bok choy, cabbage, lettuce, kale, spinach, and swiss chard benefit from shade. Root vegetables like beetroot, carrots, and turnips can do well in 4-6 hours of partial sun. Most herbs, including chives, sage, thyme, cilantro and parsley, and microgreens, can be grown indoors or on a sunny windowsill.
However, some plants need 6-8 hours of full sunlight, including tomatoes, sweetcorn, potatoes, cucumbers, and aubergines. Depending on what vegetables or herbs you’re growing, sow your seeds or transplant your plug plants accordingly. Too much light or too little can lead to bolting, stunted growth, and, in worst cases, the death of the plant.
One of the best ways to take care of plants is by making plans for companion planting and crop rotation during January and February. Allocate space for different vegetables and fruits in your allotment or kitchen garden, depending on how much light the area gets.
Spot the Pests
If you’ve killed more plants than you’d care to admit, you’re not alone. And sometimes, it’s not even your fault.
Pests and diseases also play a key role in plant deaths. One of the best tips to take care of plants includes early identification of pests and diseases.
Make it a habit to conduct regular inspections, especially when your plants are young. Check the entire plant from the soil to the tips of the leaves. Some common signs to look out for include black, brown or yellow spots on leaves, discolouration, wilting or drooping (despite watering), holes or chew marks on leaves, and stunted growth.
While some pests can be seen with the naked eye, others, like fungal or bacterial infections, remain hidden. Being diligent will allow for early detection. Some common garden pests include:
- Aphids and slugs
- White fly
- Cabbage root fly
- Vine weevil
- Mealy bug
- Leaf miners
Pests often favour certain plants. Being aware of the pests that are interested in your crops will enable you to better take care of your plants. Crop rotation and companion planting are two good techniques to break the cycle of pest infestation.
Predators like pigeons, rodents, and squirrels often target young seedlings. Keep your plants covered with nets or install scarecrows to keep these pests away.
Find Unkillable Plants
Sometimes, despite your best intentions and efforts, you’ll still end up with a poor harvest. It can feel very disheartening, especially if you’re just getting started. In this case, we recommend beginning with plants you can’t kill.
Some beginner-friendly vegetables include potatoes, onions, garlic, salad leaves, and herbs. If you feel more confident, try growing broad beans and strawberries before moving on to the more temperamental and high-maintenance plants.
Follow Allotment Online for Plant Care Tips
At Allotment Online, we teach you how to take care of plants and maintain a thriving allotment garden. We have detailed growing guides for every vegetable and fruit that can be grown in the UK. Our community-driven platform features anecdotes, tips, and advice on plant care.
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