According to Krol, growing in minerally imbalanced soil is one of the reasons for poor fruit growth, noting that certain fruits and vegetables "have a big appetite for nutrients."

"Often growing plants such as tomatoes, courgettes or cucumbers in soil that has not got enough nutrients in it will result in misshapen fruits or weaker plants, eventually leading to the disease." 

Adequate nourishment is essential, especially when growing in pots or raised beds. Krol suggested some easy and affordable ways to do it.

"The easiest one is either invest in a compost bin or buddy up with a garden or a growing project that does composting. The ready to use compost is diverse in many soil animals, which in turn make the nutrients available to the plant."

If your fruits and vegetables aren’t growing as they should, you’re also likely committing costly errors in your gardening efforts. Nikhil Arora, co-founder of organic gardening company Back to the Roots, spoke with The Spruce, pointing out that overplanting could be the reason why your vegetable garden isn’t as luscious. 

He then shared crucial advice: stick with one plant, especially if you’re just starting your vegetable gardening venture. 

“Try growing something—one thing!—and see how easy and fun it can be. Maybe try growing cherry tomatoes with a kit on your windowsill,” he said, stressing the importance of planting in small spaces.

Megan Foster of seed supplier American Meadows also spoke with The Spruce. She pointed out the importance of having pollinator plants, especially when planting fruits and vegetables. 

Foster put it simply: “No pollinators means no vegetables, fruits, grains or oils (canola, sunflower, palm).” She then made a few suggestions to start with, especially for newbie growers. 

"Milkweed, coneflowers, and sunflowers are easy to grow and make a great addition to a vegetable garden. This makes it easier for bees, butterflies, and birds to spot them from the sky.”

Most of these mishaps happen to beginner growers who don't know what they're doing. Krol advises at least familiarizing yourself with plant groups and then choosing the easy ones to grow.

"Some of the groups are the broccoli, carrot, and pumpkin families, and they all have distinctive qualities. The bean family does not like frosts, so if you're in northern climates, you may not plant these until mid-summer, but the broccoli family, for example, will thrive in cooler areas."

It won't always be a bountiful harvest, but you can increase your chances of having excellent yields when the time comes. Here are some tips from Krol:

"Organise a good composting system and compost as much of your own waste. You'd be surprised how good the veg is, and you also save money on shop-bought stuff. 

"Grow only a few varieties every year, and master those before you spread yourself thin with dozens of species that all have different needs.

"Grow the plants you will enjoy; don't bother with fancy and rare stuff for now; master those beans."

You don’t have to be a gardening expert to know that sunlight affects plant growth. But it all comes down to the important question of how much. Certain plants need a specific amount to thrive, which landscape designer Carson Arthur discussed with CBC.

"A good general rule of thumb is to go with leafier plants — things like kale, spinach, lettuce — in shadier spots because they [don't need as much] sunlight to grow and produce."