You enjoy your garden, but maintenance is starting to feel like a chore. Or perhaps you’ve gotten behind in your gardening, and you feel you’ll never catch up. Take comfort – there are tips you can employ that can make gardening much easier in the long run. By following the suggestions below, you’ll be able to spend less time maintaining your garden, and more time relaxing and enjoying it!
Feed the Soil
Start with good soil, and you’ll have a much easier time keeping your plants healthy. Healthy plants are less susceptible to disease, attract less insect pests and require less water. It will also mean less time spent fertilizing. Before planting, amend your soil with compost and then keep adding it regularly.
Group Plants According to Their Needs
It goes without saying that sun plants go together just as shade plants do. But also consider planting all your drought tolerant plants together in one space, and your water hungry plants in another. By limiting your watering areas, you’ll save yourself time and money. The same goes for plants that require deadheading or that need to be harvested regularly. Keep them in the same area to consolidate your chores.
Choose Low Maintenance Perennials
Choose perennials for the foundation of your garden. Most perennials – which last for many years – virtually take care of themselves, requiring little maintenance from you. Plants like Astilbes and Sedums look good all season, don’t need deadheading and require less water than other varieties.
Plant in Raised Beds and Containers
It’s easier to control your garden with established boundaries. You can control the soil, the water, the sun exposure and can even limit the amount of growth the plants are allowed. You’ll also save your back by planting in beds and containers that are at least six inches off the ground.
Install Drip Irrigation
Drip Irrigation kits that you install yourself can be found at your local garden center. This type of watering is far more efficient than any other type, and if you install a timer than it requires absolutely no work from you. You’ll reduce the overall amount of water you use and drip irrigation puts all the water right where it is needed, eliminating waste.
Mulch
Mulch is more than decoration. While it does make a garden look more attractive, it also cuts down on weeds, regulates soil temperature, keeps soil moist and feeds the soil. This saves you on watering, weeding and fertilizing time.
Ergonomic Tools
Gardening is repetitive, but there are tools that are designed to make it easier on your joints, wrists and back. Look for ratchet pruners, bent rakes and cushioned handles that don’t require you to bend your wrist.
A Set of Wheels
If you’ve put off moving a birdbath or a big pot because it’s too heavy or because you just don’t want to make one more trip, invest in a garden cart or wheelbarrow. You can carry your tools, move plants, harvest vegetables and toss weeds into it – all in one trip!
By keeping in mind these suggestions, you’ll make much less work out of your gardening duties, which will give you much more time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor!
