Handy gardening tips
MAINTAINING a beautiful garden is a lot of hard work, but you can labour more efficiently — and put less strain on the purse strings — with these brilliant gardening tips.
Plant vegetables and herbs near your back or front door. Since you will see them often, you will remember to keep them watered. And they will be nearby when you need dinner fixings.
Work in compost, manure or dried peat moss for nutrient-rich planting beds.
Amended soil is lighter, drains well, makes for easy weeding and allows roots to establish themselves more quickly.
One of the best gardening tips that landscapers can offer is to shrink the size of your lawn. You will be amazed at how much time you will save on lawn chores simply by reducing the grass-covered areas in your yard.
Stash a spare set of hand tools and garden twine in a waterproof container in your garden. That way, when you spot weeds, broken rose canes or a stem that needs tying up, you will not have to run to the garage or potting shed for supplies.
There is no better time to visit a garden centre than during a cloudburst. Nurseries are less crowded, lines are shorter and staff members are more available to answer your
questions.
When you cannot get anything to grow beneath trees or along fences, set up a multi-tiered container garden in the shady location.
Plant shade-loving perennials and compact shrubs in appropriately sized containers; set the containers on stands in varying heights. Or use simple green pots that blend into the background, and will not compete with the flowering show.
Add fresh mulch to your gardens every year. A two- to three-inch layer of mulch keeps weeds from sprouting and helps the soil retain water, so you will be weeding and watering less often. placed garden tools. Buy trowels, cultivators, forks and pruners with bright red or orange handles so you can quickly spot them amid the greenery.
Make sure your tools are clean and sharp — they will last longer and work better in the garden. Use ergonomically designed tools, kneepads, or kneeling mats to lessen stress on your joints — pain-free bodies also work more efficiently in the garden.
Make a running list of newly-added plants and their locations — this will help you remember what you planted where, which will prevent the inadvertent weeding (and replacing) of a “good plant.”
Save perennial plant tags and store them near your favourite how-to gardening book to keep all your gardening tips and planting information in one spot.
Walk around your garden every day and check plants for pests and diseases — the sooner you spot a problem, the sooner you can take curative measures, which means less work later. readersdigest.