Tips for Saving Time in the Garden

Garden smart by following these low-maintenance strategies

I ’m already out of breathing space , and it is only 6:20 a.m. My list for the day includes take Evan , my 12 - year - old son , out the room access to catch the school jalopy ; tackle at least one load of laundry ; responding to a leery email from Evan ’s math instructor ; planning something other than truehearted food for dinner ; and getting to work on time . Then there ’s that silent contest with my neighbor for the best - looking garden in the neighborhood , even though mine appear like a weed dud went off in it ( I wonder if she threw it ? ) .

With so many meter demands in our life , our gardens should be the least of our business . Why ca n’t someone invent self - cleaning gardens like our self - cleaning oven ? You simply flip a switch and the garden takes concern of itself . It does its own deadheading , weed , staking , edging , watering , and mulching , and the deluxe poser will actually cut fresh efflorescence and put them in a vase for you . I know—“Keep dreaming . ” But there is no reason why we can not have gardens that are low maintenance and fit into our on - the - go lifestyles . Here are some trusty maintenance scheme that I use to put precious time back in my pocket .

1. Plant in masses

More is better , right ? Yes , if you are referring to drinking chocolate or time - save up design strategies for gardens and knockout - to - plant areas in your landscape painting . When design or reworking garden beds , make it soft on yourself by plant fewer varieties but in greater numbers . By doing so , you reduce the number of unlike sustainment undertaking and creature required by applying the same repetitious motion longer to a heavy number of works ( this also allows for secure daydreaming ) .

Many of us curse bugleweed ( Ajugaspp . and cvs . , USDA Hardiness Zones 3–9 ) , sweet woodruff ( Galium odoratum , Zones 5–8 ) , creep phlox ( Phlox subulatacvs . , Zones 3–8 ) , and other ground covers , labeling them thugs . In all equity , however , they are only doing what comes course to them : covering earth . Take vantage of those knotty , free - spirited roots , and plant them in hellstrips under shoal - rooted trees or on gradient where mowing is a challenge .

2. Employ your power drill as a power planter

Bulbs are a joy to behold in the garden , but imbed them can generate an exclusively different emotion . Thank goodness for the superpower drill and bulb auger ( a gimmick used for boring fix ) . Bulb auger in the main come in two size : one for modest bulbs and a larger rendering for tulip ( Tulipaspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–8 ) , daffodils ( Narcissusspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , and other expectant boys . auger correspond into most electric or barrage - operate drills . you could purchase them at garden centers or online . Planting bulbs has actually become one of our fall kinfolk activeness . My son loves to drill the holes ( what kid does n’t love power tools ? ) , and I take the air behind tossing in bulbs . you could also apply this time - save proficiency for planting yearbook , bend and activate your compost stack , or mixing potting - dirt recipes .

3. Group plants with similar moisture needs

4. Avoid putting thirsty plants in hard-to-reach places

Another lachrymation meter - saver is to habituate drought - large-minded plants where weewee is scarce or hard to get to , such as the back of deep beds or around roadside mailboxes . or else of lugging water to the “ back 40 , ” I keep it simple . One surgical incision of my garden is settle where the robotic sprinkler system — another cracking time - saving tool — doesn’t reach . understand that flora in this area will rely solely on what comes from the sky , I planted drought - problematic plants like purple coneflowers ( Echinaceaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) , daylily ( Hemerocallisspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–10 ) , and fictive Indigofera tinctoria ( Baptisiaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) . I gave them a big beverage of water after savvy them in , and then I turned my back ( I ’m known for problematic sexual love in the garden ) . year later on , they continue to drum up to the challenge and look dandy .

5. Don’t buy rampant reseeders

Photo / Illustration : Steve Aitken

When select plants , be conservative of rapid ego - sower . If a industrial plant is known as a “ rich Vinca minor , ” leave it on the garden - center shelf . industrial plant tag end , unfortunately , do n’t usually state if a plant life is too generous with its seeds ; we usually incur this out through trial and wrongdoing or from exasperated fellow gardeners . So do your preparation . Some reseeders to beware of include mallows ( Malvaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) , knight bachelor ’s buttons ( Centaurea montanaand cvs . , Zones 3–9 , photo , right ) , black - eyed Susans ( Rudbeckiaspp . and cvs . , geographical zone 3–11 ) , and most biennial . If you simply must have the flora , stay on top of deadheading ; otherwise , the free - spirited progeny will germinate wherever the gentle wind may carry them .

6. Use preemergent herbicides

Applying a pre - emerging herbicide to the soil in former fall or spring will also switch off down on weed . These weed killer do no impairment to existing industrial plant ; their charge is to search and ruin seeds , and in many cases , their design is nonselective . So be careful where you apply pre - emergents such as corn gluten ( organic , pic , right ) or Preen ( celluloid ) . You may end up throw the baby out with the bathwater if you apply these to area where you produce biennials and short - lived perennials such as delphiniums ( Delphiniumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–7 ) or heighten campion ( Lychnis coronariaand cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) , which bank on reseeding for succeeding flowers .

7. Pluck weeds when the soil is moist

8. Avoid troublemakers

Who has clock time to play nursemaid or bodyguard to plants ? I work with varieties that are disease resistant or less potential to be on a critter ’s buffet menu . Some plants ca n’t help themselves — they are prime targets for microbe or fungous diseases . Plant oxeye ( Heliopsis helianthoidescvs . , Zones 4–9 ) and here fare the red aphids . Just judge sneaking in some garden phlox ( Phlox paniculatacvs . , Zones 4–8 , photo , proper ) or Funka ( Hostaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) without powdery mould or cervid finding out . To reduce headache , I avoid the trouble maker and stand by with plants that are insect , disease , and range repellent in areas where these problems arise .

9. Go with plants that require little pruning

Let ’s face it . Pruning and deadheading are necessary iniquity but single we have control over . To reduce time spent on these gruelling tasks , I choose shrubs that want little or no pruning and herbaceous plants that bloom without my assistance . deflect woody plants that all-day sucker or are persnickety , such as lilacs ( Syringaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–8 ) and hybrid roses ( Rosacvs . , Zones 4–11 ) .

also , select herbaceous plants that have a long bloom without deadheading . Some rattling perennial to consider are butterfly stroke gage ( Asclepiasspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–11 ) , sneezeweeds ( Heleniumspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–8 ) , and bugbanes ( Actaeaspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9 ) . The annual detail let in calibrachoas ( Calibrochoacvs . ) , impatiens ( Impatiensspp . and cvs . ) , and vincas ( Catharanthus roseuscvs . ) .

10. Forgo finesse during fall cleanup

By mid - fall , the joy of gardening has usually break thinly and I ’m quick to mow down the whole kit and caboodle . Depending on my mood , I will apply a lawn lawn mower , weed wacker , miniature chain saw , or duck trimmer to whack almost everything in my perennial garden to within a few column inch of the ground . Do n’t interest . The plants can take it , and it ’s a great loss after a rough day with the Thomas Kid , at the government agency , or in traffic .

Anytime after October 1 is the best sentence to have at it in my Zone 4 yard . Be certain to rake shorn foliage from your beds to repress future fungal and dirt ball problems . hop over woody - based plant life , like lavenders ( Lavandulaspp . and cvs . , Zones 5–9 ) . They resent being pruned in the dusk . You may also need to bypass works like violet coneflowers and decorative grasses for winter involvement or to feed the fowl .

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