The things we got wrong
This isn’t a list of what we do well. It’s a log of the things we got wrong—mistakes that slipped past us, methods that failed in real soil, and advice that needed revising before it could help anyone.
A gardening site that doesn’t learn from its own failures is just as bad as one that never tests its claims.
You’ll find the most consequential errors here, signed by the person who caught them. That’s how you’ll meet the people behind *Colorful Petals*—not through polished bios, but through the work they fixed. And if you spot something missing, we want to know: the next correction might be yours.
Three we had to fix
These are the three biggest mistakes that made it into the open before we caught them. Each one cost us trust, time, or both. The good news? They’re all fixed—and the rules that came from them now shape how we work.
The mistakes we fixed
- 1The wrong bloom time for foxgloves
For six months, we recommended planting foxgloves in early spring, when their seed pods would sprout by summer. The problem? Our climate zone maps were off by a full month. Gardeners in the Pacific Northwest missed their peak bloom entirely. Warren Everson caught it after a reader sent photos of their wilting stalks in July—just as the plants should have been in full flower. We corrected the planting window, rewrote the care notes, and added a regional adjustment tool. *Warren Everson*
- 2The compost tea that killed basil
Our ‘quick-fertilizer’ guide swore compost tea was the answer for wilting herbs. Turns out, the nitrogen spike burned roots instead. A reader in Texas shared photos of their basil turning yellow overnight—right after they’d followed our ‘foolproof’ method. We scrapped the tea recipe, replaced it with a soil-drench alternative, and added a warning about herb sensitivity. *Warren Everson*
- 3The ‘self-watering’ container myth
Our ‘low-maintenance’ section claimed certain terracotta pots ‘retain moisture naturally.’ A subscriber in Arizona sent a video of their cacti rotting in the ‘self-watering’ setup we’d endorsed. The pots weren’t waterproof—just porous. We removed the claim, added a material breakdown chart, and tested every ‘low-maintenance’ recommendation in a dry climate. *Warren Everson*
What those three changed
These mistakes didn’t just get fixed—they rewrote how we test and publish. The lessons became the foundation for everything that follows.
Rules that came from mistakes
- Every planting guide must now include a *verified* bloom window for each region—derived from three years of reader-submitted data. *(From foxgloves)*
- Herb and vegetable care sections now require a *burn-test* in controlled conditions before publication. *(From basil)*
- Container recommendations are now labeled by material, weight, and drainage type—with a ‘real-world test’ note for each. *(From terracotta)*
The people behind this
You’ve just met *Warren Everson*, the founder and editor of *Colorful Petals*—the person who dug up the foxglove mistake, who rewrote the compost guide after the basil died, and who now signs every correction like it’s a bill he’s afraid to ignore.
This is how you’ll recognize him: by the work he’s had to undo.
Keeping a log like this isn’t about bragging. It’s about sitting in the discomfort of being wrong—knowing that the next gardener might trip over the same rock. Some days, it feels like a ledger of shame. Other days, it’s the only part of the site that feels real.
Warren still remembers the time he overwatered a batch of seedling trays so badly they all rotted before sprouting. He didn’t write it down then—just tossed the sad little pots and swore he’d pay closer attention.
That’s the mistake that taught him the hardest lesson: the ones that don’t get published are the ones that repeat.
If you find something we missed, don’t assume it’s too small to matter. Send it to the contact page—and if it’s real, we’ll fix it. That’s the only way this log stays useful.
There will be a next one
This list isn’t finished. We’ll add to it every time we catch something—whether it’s a typo in a care guide, a failed experiment, or advice that didn’t hold up in a real garden. If you spot a mistake before we do, tell us. The next correction might be yours.
The guides are grouped by category: Advice, Aphids, Blooming, Companion Plants, Container Gardens and Diseases.