Gardening is a lovely way to get your hands dirty, enjoy nature and create something beautiful. But it can also take a lot of time and energy to keep your garden looking great. The weeding, watering, pruning and pest control can all add up to an expensive hobby that may not be suitable for busy lifestyles. The good news is that there are a few simple changes that can save you a lot of time and help you to make the most of your garden.
Mulching
Spreading a thick mulch over your beds and borders will stop weeds in their tracks, saving hours of weeding and it will also prevent the soil from drying out. Use a loose mulch such as cocoa shells, compost or grass clippings which will help to nourish the soil and be easy to work with or a thicker mulch such as bark chippings or gravel that is more long-lasting. Mulches should be applied annually and the best time to do this is in late spring or early summer when weeds are not yet well established.
Start Small
If you’re new to gardening start with a container garden, raised bed or small space in full sun. You can always expand later if you decide that you really like gardening and want to do more.
Choose Vegetables Carefully
The crops you plant can also impact how much time you spend in the garden. Choose those that don’t require a lot of physical support such as Pole Beans and Peas, or swap for bush varieties like Tomatoes to reduce the amount of staking you need to do. And remember to plant your tomato stakes at the same time as you plant your tomatoes – it’s a lot easier to do this from the start than to go back and do it when the plants have already grown huge!
Plant Perennial Crops
Try tucking some hardy perennial vegetables or herbs such as rhubarb, sorrel, asparagus and lovage in with your annual vegetable crop. These crops will come back year after year without the need for replanting. You can also make a dedicated perennial vegetable or herb bed and enjoy their delicious flavours all year round.
Tools
A good set of quality gardening tools can make the difference between a quick job and a long drawn out chore. So invest in a good tool kit and keep them organised, it will save you so much time looking for the right tool when you’re in the middle of a task!
Keeping the tools in one place and regularly checking them for damage will also save you lots of time. Having to continually trip over the same rake or spend time searching in your shed for a lost garden tool can be a real pain. Paint the handles of your favourite tools in bright colours to help you spot them at a glance in your shed or garden.
