Overcrowding can compromise the space that plants need for root growth. It can also decrease the amount of nutrients that any of the crowded plants can absorb from the soil, causing developmental problems in all of the plants.

What happens if you plant things too close together?

The Dangers Of Planting Too Close

If you plant flowers too close together, the plants get stressed and are prone to diseases, Kole says. If air can't properly circulate and the plants can't dry out between waterings, fungus sets in. Roots can rot. And once plants are weakened from stress, insects move in.

What happens when plants are too crowded?

When too many plants are crowded into one area, it forces them to compete for the nutrients. Overcrowded landscapes create situations where plants are pitted against each other and forced to fight for their food, which results in unhealthy, weak plants.