Welcome back to Can You Dig It?, your monthly look at reducing your food bill by all means necessary, and kick-starting your most prolific end of civilization ideas with solid farming advice. While we wait for the next chapter of humanity, let’s look at an often neglected aspect of growing food: failure.
Some of the best opportunities for growth occur with mistakes, and while the purpose of this all-too-brief column mostly deals with positive advice and encouragement, today we are going to learn what mistakes can have a negative impact on season 2026. Let’s jump into it.

Planting warm-season crops too early
Many gardeners rush to plant tomatoes, peppers, squash, and beans after a few warm days, but even in May, frosts or cold soil can stunt growth or kill seedlings. This leads to weak, unproductive plants or the need to replant which can be challenging further into the season.
Neglecting to harden off transplants
Moving seedlings directly from indoors to the garden causes sunscald, wind damage, and transplant shock. Stressed plants may take weeks to recover, setting back fruiting and harvest by several weeks.
Over-mulching too early
Applying thick mulch in early May keeps the soil cool and wet, delaying warming for heat-loving crops. It can also rot crowns and encourage slugs. Wait until the soil has thoroughly warmed (usually late May or June).
Ignoring weed seedlings
Small, fast-growing spring weeds, like lamb’s quarters, pigweed, and crabgrass, are easy to remove in May. Allowing them to establish means competing for water and nutrients all summer, leading to reduced yields and much harder weeding later.
Pruning or staking too late
Tomatoes, peas, beans, and cucumbers need support early. Waiting until plants are sprawling leads to broken stems, disease from ground contact, and tangled growth that reduces air circulation and sunlight exposure, lowering fruit quality.
Overwatering or underwatering young plants
In May, the weather swings from cool and rainy to hot and dry. Keeping track of weather patterns becomes crucial for plants sensitive to weather and watering swings. Overwatering can cause root rot and fungal diseases while underwatering stresses seedlings. Both lead to poor root development, making plants more vulnerable to summer heat and drought.
Failing to thin seedlings
Crowded carrots, lettuce, beets, and greens compete for light and nutrients, resulting in spindly, low-yielding plants. If thinning is skipped in May, the season’s harvest from those beds will be significantly reduced, with many plants failing to mature properly.
Thank you for your time, and as always, to share or ask any farm or gardening questions, please reach out to: canyoudigit413@gmail.com. ■