AS SPRING approaches and buds begin appearing, we start itching to get out into the garden.

But before you whip out your trowel, be aware of what you shouldn’t do.

Novice gardeners looking to make the most of their outdoor space this spring have been warned about six mistakes they should never make.

Experts from online company GardenBuildingsDirect have urged green-fingered Brits to consider their garden’s soil type and do their research before they plant anything.

Getting to grips with basic plant types will help to ensure outdoor spaces look as good as they can without being overrun with weeds such as buttercups. And researching plant types will also help make it easier when it comes to under, or over-watering certain species, and will ensure they’re placed in the correct area of the garden.

A spokesperson said: “Looking after a garden and seeing your plants grow and thrive is very rewarding and can even help improve your mental health.

“But before you leap into anything, you must make sure you do your research and prepare your garden, otherwise you’ll likely fall at the first hurdle.

“Deciding on colour schemes and how you eventually want your outdoor space to look will help make all the time spent preparing worthwhile.”

These are six things garden novices should avoid:

1. Overwatering

It’s very easy when you’re a first-time plant parent to water your bulbs and plants as much as possible to ensure they don’t get thirsty, but this also presents the problem of drowning them. You should also ensure that you water the roots of the plants, not the leaves or flowers.

2. Space

All plants need space to grow and planting them on top of each will not help anything. They are in constant competition with one another for sunlight, water and food, so buy planting more flowers on top of each other you’re reducing the amount they’ll get. It will end up as the survival of the fittest.

3. Where

Although you might decide you want a certain plant in a certain place in your garden, it’s important to consider the conditions the plant type needs to survive. Some varieties, such as Primroses’ will thrive in shaded areas, while others, like Marigolds looking best in the sun.

4. Soil

Ensuring the soil is right for the plants and that it’s been well fertilised, will help them grow better. Soil can sometimes vary even within a garden, so it’s important to find out which nutrients are missing, and try and replace them as much as possible.

5. Weeding - or not

When you first start looking after your garden, it can be tempting to pull up everything in sight. You should first educate yourself on what is and what isn’t a weed. Pretty flowers, such as forget-me-nots are in fact a weed and could soon take over your garden.

6. Weather

The weather has as much as an effect on your garden as you do. If it’s been raining all week you won’t need to water your plants as much, whereas if there’s been some strong sun and heat you should give them more water.