from our "home remodeling" project library
More than 75 percent of Americans dig gardening, according to the National Garden Association. With that hobby comes regular garden maintenance, whether you're growing vegetables or flowers, tending to trees or planting habitats to attract butterflies or hummingbirds. If you remember a few essential gardening tips, garden care is far more pleasure than work.
Garden Care Basics
- Mulch soil around perennials, trees, and shrubs to limit weed growth and retain moisture. Leaves from your yard are a great, free source of organic matter.
- Create planting beds; smaller ones are easier to maintain. Use stepping stones in larger beds.
- Plant self-sowing annuals. Deadhead perennials. Choose native and disease-resistant plants.
- Learn to proper pruning techniques. Prune in late winter and early spring when you don't have other gardening chores.
- Begin weeding early in the season and do a little every day so that it doesn't become an overwhelming chore.
- Group plants according to their water needs, and water deeply.
Use Great Garden Tools
Garden tools keep improving--and the latest and greatest make garden maintenance a breeze. Consider using clutter-eliminating multi-tools. You can get an extended-reach power pruner, hedge trimmer, line trimmer, and lawn edger all in one, or a trowel outfitted with such extras as a serrated edge, sharpened notch and measurement markings, great for opening bags, planting bulbs, weeding, cutting twine, spacing plants, and so much more.
Plan for the Future
At the heart of every beautiful garden is a plan. Use a journal to track garden care and maintenance and always dream for the future. |