If you live in Sydney and have ever tried to keep a garden alive—let alone thriving—you probably know it’s not as simple as just mowing the lawn and hoping for rain. The climate's moody. The soil changes street to street. And don't get me started on how fast weeds grow after a summer storm.

A lot of locals I know (myself included, once upon a time) fall into the trap of treating their yards like set-and-forget spaces. That’s where trouble starts, especially when you're relying on “quick fixes” instead of learning how to actually look after the thing.

Whether you’re managing it yourself or getting gardening services to help, these are the mistakes I see again and again, most of which are totally avoidable.

Watering at the wrong time? That’ll do it

Ask ten people when they water, and you’ll get ten different answers. I used to water after dinner, mainly because that’s when I remembered. Thought I was doing the right thing. Turns out, I wasn’t.

In Sydney, watering late in the day messes with the moisture levels. Plants stay wet overnight. You get rot. Mildew. A few too many blackened leaves.

The trick? Mornings. Early ones. Just before sun-up, if you can swing it. That’s when plants can actually take in the water without inviting fungus to the party.

Overfeeding your plants like they’re gym junkies

I’ve watched neighbours dump half a bucket of high-nitro feed on a patch of struggling agapanthus and then scratch their heads when it all turns floppy a week later.

Here’s the deal: more isn’t always better. Too much nitrogen gives you leafy greens—but no flowers, and certainly no fruit. Worse, it scorches the roots if the soil's dry.

If you want growth and blooms, get a balanced blend. And for Aussie natives? Ease off altogether. Most of them evolved to survive in nutrient-poor soils anyway.

Soil’s a mess—but no one checks

I was guilty of this for years. Spent time pruning, replanting, even chucking down fresh mulch. But the soil underneath? Dry, cracked, sour-smelling. No worms in sight.

That’s your first sign that something’s off.

A good garden starts down low. If your soil’s compacted, sandy, or dead-looking, fix that before you touch anything else. Compost, gypsum, worm castings—whatever the fix, do it first.

And if you’re still not sure what’s going on underground, give your local nursery a ring or grab a soil pH kit. It’s basic, but bloody useful. Or check out this official resource on plant health care, it’s surprisingly readable.

Pruning like it’s a haircut

This one always gets me. People go mad with the secateurs—middle of summer, midday sun—hacking everything back because “it looks untidy”.

The truth? You can stress a plant out doing that. Especially hedges and fruit trees. Prune too hard, too soon, and it either shuts down or grows back scrappy.

I’ve had to learn this with the hardier natives, too. Banksia and grevillea don’t like aggressive cuts. Wait until after flowering. Go light. Trust that new growth will fill in.

Killing good bugs with the bad

The first time I saw aphids on my new tomatoes, I panicked. Sprayed everything with this harsh chemical I found in the garage. Next week? No bees. No hoverflies. No tomatoes either.

What I didn’t get then—and what more people need to know—is that pests are part of the system. You don’t always need to nuke them. Sometimes you just need balance.

Marigolds help. So does basil planted near capsicums. Let nature do the job when it can. And if you have to spray, go light. Use eco-oil. And time it—early morning or evening—so you’re not hurting pollinators.

Doing the same thing in every season

This was a big one for me. I used to water, feed, and mulch the same way year-round. Didn’t really think about what the plants actually needed. No wonder I lost half a garden bed to heat stress one February.

Sydney’s weather demands flexibility. It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing the right things at the right time. So…

• In autumn, prep the soil and mulch heavily

• Winter? Prune and clean up

• Spring is for new growth and light feeding

• Summer = water management, shade, pest control

If that feels like a lot, I’d recommend keeping a simple calendar. Better yet, bookmark a blog on seasonal garden tasks and follow along monthly. It’s like cheat notes for your yard.

Neglecting the basics (then wondering what went wrong)

I’ve done it. Left the hose on. Let the compost bin dry out. Ignored the weeds creeping up under the lemon tree. Life gets busy. But your garden doesn’t care.

The small stuff—checking drippers, deadheading flowers, topping up mulch—it adds up. And skipping it doesn’t save time in the long run. It just delays the fallout.

If you’re forgetful (like me), set aside one morning a month. Put it in your phone. Make it a habit.

If you’re really time-poor? Grab a decent garden maintenance checklist online and stick it to your shed wall. Old-school but effective.

Thinking you’ve failed because it’s hard

This one’s more emotional, but still worth saying.

Gardening in Sydney isn’t easy. The weather swings. The soil varies. You might do everything right and still lose a plant. That doesn’t mean you’re bad at it.

I’ve had entire herb beds fail, citrus trees that refused to fruit, and kangaroo paws that turned brown no matter what I tried. Sometimes it’s the microclimate. Sometimes the wrong spot. Sometimes, just plain bad luck.

But it’s worth sticking with. Because when things do take—when the jacaranda you planted three years ago finally blooms, or the rosemary survives a harsh July frost—it feels earned.

And that’s what makes it satisfying.

Last word: Get help if you need it

If your garden’s beyond a weekend clean-up or just not working the way you’d hoped, that’s okay. There’s no shame in bringing in expert gardening services . Honestly, sometimes it’s the smartest move.

They’ll see problems you don’t. Save you hours. Maybe even revive a space you’d given up on.

And you’ll still be the one enjoying it.