Why Won’t Anything Grow in My Garden?
- Tammy Johnson
- Aug 2
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 6
Written by Tammy Johnson Aug 2026
Qualified Horticulturist • Author of Barefoot in the Backyard
“Why won’t anything grow in my garden, I’ve tried everything.”
“I fertilise, water all the time, I even talk nicely to them. But every time I plant new plants a few weeks later, they start to look sick, go limp and they die. What am I doing wrong?!😩”Sound familiar?
Most of us have been taught to garden from the top down.
Buy the plant.
Plant the plant.
Feed the plant.
Water the plant.
Admire the plant.
But Mother Nature has never worked that way, she’s always gardened from the ground up.
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The world’s best gardeners don’t actually grow plants… they grow soil.
It sounds strange but think about it.
When you build a house, you don’t start with the roof, and when you bake a cake, you don’t start with the icing, you mix the ingredients first.
When mother nature grows a magnificent old gum tree… she doesn’t start with the leaves, she starts beneath the ground.
Soil is the foundation of absolutely everything that happens above it.
Healthy soil.
Healthy roots.
Healthy plants.
It’s really that simple.
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Your soil is alive… it’s a living thing.
(This is my part, the bit I LOVE!)
Most people look at soil and simply see… dirt.
But in actual fact, your soil is an entire bustling little underground city!
Millions of tiny micro-organisms, earthworms tunnelling through the soil, beneficial fungi stretching like underground highways, and microscopic bacteria all quietly going about their day’s work together.
They’re the real gardeners, and we’re basically just their assistants. So, it stands to reason, if we want our plants to be happy... we need to start by keeping all those tiny underground helpers happy first. Happy wife, happy life... or in this case... happy soil, happy garden.
⸻
Imagine your pantry…
I love using this analogy because it just makes sense.
Imagine if you never went grocery shopping ever again!
Every day you walked into your pantry and took something out.
Eventually… there’d be nothing left.
No flour, pasta, cereal… no chocolate… nothing! (it would be a sad state of affair)
Our gardens are exactly the same.
Every single flower, tomato, lemon, rose and blade of grass takes nutrients out of the soil.
If we never put anything back… eventually the pantry becomes empty.
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So… how do we restock the pantry?
Easy… with anything organic.
If it was born of the earth, it can and should return back to the earth. Simple. Nature has been recycling long before we ever invented the word. Fallen leaves, compost, kitchen scraps, grass clippings, old plants, aged manures… they’re all simply tomorrow’s soil waiting to happen.
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But what about when you’re doing all that, and something’s still off… nothing’s thriving… then what?
Well then, it's often another little piece of the puzzle called soil pH. If you live somewhere like I do, the lower southeast of South Australia, we tend to have hard water with a naturally high mineral content. Over summer, when we’re watering day after day, those minerals can slowly build up in the soil and gradually alter its pH.
Imagine cooking the world’s most beautiful meal then locking the kitchen door.
All the food is there… but nobody can get in.
That’s exactly what happens when your soil pH isn’t right.
Even if your soil contains plenty of nutrients…
Your plants may not be able to access them.
It’s like trying to withdraw money from a bank account after you’ve forgotten your PIN.
The money is still there, but you can’t have it. Bow bow… transaction denied.
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It probably sounds a little ‘science-y’
…but honestly, it isn’t.
pH is simply a measure of how acidic or alkaline your soil is.
Most plants are happiest somewhere around 7 which is neutral. (Think of a children's see-saw with 7 sitting right in the middle).
Too alkaline? (above 7)
Important nutrients plants need, like iron, can become locked away and unavailable.
Too acidic? (below 7)
Other elements become available in excessive potentially causing toxicity. Neither is ideal.
Fortunately testing your soils pH is really easy.
You can pick up a simple soil pH test kit from most garden centres or major leading outlets. Follow the instructions on the box and you’ll have ur answer in no time.
If your soil is too acidic, garden lime can be used to gradually help raise the pH. If it’s too alkaline, elemental sulfur is commonly used to slowly lower it. Keep in mind, though, neither works like flicking a switch. Without healthy soil biology, plenty of mulch, and a thriving community of the little helpers we discussed earlier, neither will achieve very much.
They're the ones doing most of the heavy lifting, helping the lime or sulfur do its job and making nutrients available to your plants once again.
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Now, before you rush off and buy more replacement plants, ask yourself one question.
"Have I fed my soil and checked my pH to make sure it's truly happy?"
Because the answer, you're searching for...
...may already be there.
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I hope this has helped answer the question, "Why Won't Anything Grow in My Garden?" and shed a little light on what might be going on when plants fail to thrive or simply curl up their toes for no apparent reason..
I could have gone into a whole lot more detail... but then this little blog would have turned into a book!
If you've enjoyed reading this and you'd like to dig a little deeper, I've shared the whole story in Barefoot in the Backyard – Where It All Begins. It's written exactly the same way we've chatted here... no confusing jargon, no university science lecture... just simple, everyday explanations, real-life stories and practical tips you can actually use in your own backyard.
Hopefully, by the time you reach the last page, you'll never look at soil the same way again.
Because the best gardens aren't grown from the leaves down...
They're grown from the ground up.
"Barefoot In The Backyard-Where It All Begins”
Debut Title by Tammy Johnson • Qualified Horticulturist • Author
Step barefoot into a more caring way of gardening.
Written by horticulturist Tammy Johnson, Barefoot in the Backyard: Where It All Begins explores the hidden world beneath our feet and reveals how healthy soil forms the foundation of every thriving garden.
Through practical advice, real-life experiences, and easy-to-understand explanations, this book helps gardeners of all experience levels better understand soil, composting, mulching, water management, plant nutrition, and working with nature rather than against it.
Whether we're just starting our gardening journey or have been growing for years, this book will inspire us to see our backyards in a whole new way.
Inside you'll discover:
• Understanding soil and soil life• Composting and mulching made simple• Soil pH and plant nutrition• Water-wise gardening techniques• Integrated pest and disease management• Creating healthier, more resilient gardens
A warm, practical guide for Australian gardeners who want to grow healthier plants while working in harmony with nature.
Want a little more support in your garden?
If you enjoy my gentle, practical approach to gardening and life, the stories, the lessons nature teaches us, and the occasional thought-provoking conversation, you'll feel right at home inside 'The Backyard'.
It's a quieter corner where we can learn together, share ideas, and celebrate the simple things.
No endless ads. No commercial noise. No spam.
Just good people, good conversations, and a shared love of gardens, nature, and making the world a little better for your children, grandchildren... and mine too.
As a 'Backyard' member you'll have access to:
In-depth seasonal guides.
Weekly “what to do in the garden this week” newsletter.
And the ability to chat one-on-one with me for plant, pest, disease or disorder troubleshooting, just like having me standing right there in your own yard with you.
It’s a small, warm community built around real gardens and real life.
You’re always welcome to join our little patch. 🪴💚
🌱 A little gift from me...
If my newest post resonated with you and you've been sitting on the fence about joining The Backyard, here's a little nudge.
Join The Backyard now and, as a little thank you, I'll cover the Australia-wide postage on your copy of Barefoot in the Backyard – Where It All Begins. For a limited time only.
Just use the code:
GROUNDUP at the checkout
I'd absolutely love to welcome you into our little gardening family where the coffee flows and chatter is constant.
Tam💚
A peek at what you’ll find inside....The Backyard
My 26 page guide to becoming a 'Plant Doctor'. Learn to identify and deal with all the common pests, diseases and disorders.
A 20 page detailed look at what hydrophobic soil is, how to fix it and prevent it ever happening again.
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The knowledge, experiences, gardening advice and original written content shared in this article are the author’s own. AI has been used only as a creative assistant for proofreading, editing, formatting and selected illustrations.
© 2026 Tammy Johnson | TJ’s Gardening Works. All rights reserved.
