Planting too early is the biggest spring gardening mistake.

It really is — and overwatering runs a close second.

Most people get antsy after the first warm weekend and shove tomatoes or peppers into the ground. The soil is still cold, the nights are still freezing, and your plants just sit there stressed out. They don’t grow, they may rot, and you’ve wasted a month of head start. Wait until the soil is at least 60°F and nights are reliably above 50°F. Check your local frost dates, not the calendar.

Overwatering is the other classic. Spring rains are usually enough. But you see a little wilting, panic, and drown the roots. Most seedlings die from oxygen starvation, not thirst. Stick your finger an inch into the soil. If it’s damp, walk away.

Let the soil warm up and the rain do its job.