Low Maintenance Gardening: Tips for Busy Gardeners

Do you have a compulsion for gardening but find yourself pressed for time? Between work, home, the kids and other activities it seems life sometimes leaves little time for doing anything else, especially gardening. It doesn't have to be this way though. You can still have the garden you want without giving up anything. It won't add more turmoil to your already chaotic life either. How? You must simply use the time that you do have to rethink and redefine the garden and surrounding landscape.

Forget the rules. Begin with a basic idea and allow the garden to create itself. Don't spend all of your free time worrying about mowing this or trimming that. This can be accomplished by replacing areas of the lawn with a meadow or additional beds. However, beds should flow into the lawn, naturally. Keep like plants together. For instance, drought-tolerant plants should be found growing alongside other drought-tolerant plants, while those requiring more water should be located in another area of the garden, typically closer to the home. Go native, choosing plants that are adapted to your climate. Choose flowers that plant themselves. Self-sowing plants don't have to be considered a nuisance in the garden. They can actually create a welcoming surprise, popping up in unimaginable places. These plants can also help save time by filling in gaps without you having to spend time doing it.

Got another gardener in the household with different tastes? That's ok. While you could choose to spend (or waste) time trying to compromise on one design, it's probably just as efficient to come together on one basic goal for the garden and go from there. Even people having different tastes or ideas can reach for and attain the same goal. Divide the garden into sections, choosing an area and making it your own. Eventually, you'll meet somewhere in the middle, but in the meantime, you're only focus should remain on your area of the garden. The end result will no doubt be creative, with lots of personality. Having the right tools saves time. You don't need to possess numerous tools for the garden. Simply stick to the basics and you should be fine. However, make sure they are durable, lightweight, and within proportion to those handling them. All gardeners should have a spade, round-pointed shovel, hoe, tined fork, and trowel. You would also benefit from having both a leaf and garden rake as well. A sturdy pair of lopping shears makes large pruning jobs easier while for little jobs, like deadheading, you may want smaller pruning shears. Other items to have on hand include a hose, gloves, wheelbarrow or cart, and watering can (or jug).

Take another look at the weeds in your garden. While many of us spend countless hours weeding, we may just be wasting precious time. Weeds are inevitable. All gardeners know this. However, some of them may actually surprise you with beautiful blooms and foliage. So why not keep them there. Additionally, these plants may be telling you something about the condition of your soil. If you take the time to listen, you can plant accordingly. Take cues not only from nature but also from those who gardened before us. Remember your grandmother's garden? Nearly everything grew together, with purpose. Native plants were encouraged, including certain 'weeds,' and allowed to blend in with herbs and even vegetables. Also, apply mulch. Mulch not only keeps weeds at bay but also retains moisture, requiring less watering and saving time on maintenance chores.

Don't waste all your free time fighting off pests, especially by using chemicals. In grandmother's garden, no chemicals were used. Instead, everything grew organically using compost to nourish the soil and plants. Fertilizer came from horses or chickens. Certain plants were grown alongside others (companion planting) to repel insect pests or welcome beneficial insects. If you implement pest-resistant and companion plants into the garden or at least welcome good insects, pests shouldn't be a problem. As for birds and four-legged critters, you can either establish a welcoming spot in the garden just for them or fend them off with plants they do not like. Alternatively, you can place mothballs around the perimeter of your garden (another age-old trick from grandma). Most critters do not like the smell of mothballs any more than you do. However, make certain that these are not located in areas prone to washing (runoff) or around kids.

Seek out plants from reputable nurseries. But who has the time to travel from one end of town to the other in search of plants? In spite of what you may hear (and it seems you always hear the bad stuff), virtual shopping is one of the most convenient ways to fill all of your gardening needs. Whether at home, on your lunch break, or even at junior's ball practice, the Internet can be easily accessed nowadays. You'll find a huge selection, competitively low prices, fair quality, and many suppliers with money back guarantees. Of course, knowledge is power and goes a long way so always perform some research beforehand. It's probably best to stick with suppliers that you already know, as many of them now have Web sites. Nonetheless, there are important things to look for when researching a reputable supplier. Do they provide customer ratings and comments? These are very important. What about hardiness and botanical info? These too should be listed. Be wary of anyone without a (working) phone number or street address. While many companies have P.O. boxes, they should also have a street address as well. Money back guarantees are necessary in case there is something questionable about your order.

So there it is in a nutshell. Plan your garden to be self-sufficient, using compost, native plants, mulch, and natural fertilizers. Organic gardens are happy gardens. Welcome wildlife or use creative methods to deter them. Don't overwhelm yourself with tools you don't need. Shop conveniently online, but sensibly. Create your garden to suit your lifestyle. A well-planned garden keeps maintenance chores to a minimum, allowing more free time for you to enjoy the garden of your dreams.