For those who have gardens, spending time in personal outdoor space has been a welcomed distraction from the chaos of Covid-19. Our gardens have obviously been a popular area to focus our energies, with recent figures emerging that Britons have spent £5.4 billion this year on outdoor spaces, documenting a whopping 322 million more plants being bought in 2020 than 2019. So far this year the weather has been particularly dry, perhaps one of the reasons BBQ purchases are up 275% on last year. But as we slowly return to a type of normality, get back to work and spend more time away from our homes, how easy will we find the upkeep of our gardens.
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Watering
Setting your alarm clock ten minutes earlier and watering the garden will not only get a chore ticked off first thing but also give the garden nourishment at the right time of the day.
Spending out on an irrigation system and timer would be a great advantage, you can also create a homemade system if you feel like another project. See Drip Irrigation System Planning And Installation Guide
Vegetable patches
If you have spent time creating a vegetable patch in lockdown it will still need regular attention. Having the tools handy will make a difference. Keeping a hand fork, trowel and gardening gloves close to the patch will mean you don’t have to search for them in a shed or around the garden. Keeping them together in a small waterproof box close to the patch or house will save time and effort.
Pulling the weeds little and often will stop them getting out of hand. Another option would be the ‘no dig’ method, which involves adding 2cm of organic matter around the plants to keep the weeds down.
Companion plants are a good way of naturally combating bugs and caterpillars. Planting Nasturtiums, garlic or mint alongside vegetables will entice the insects away from your prize cucumbers. See Top 10 Companion Plants to Grow
Planters
Planters need a lot of maintenance. They dry out quickly and will require daily watering. Planting in large pots with lots of compost will keep them moist for longer but they will still require plenty of water. Placing them close together will save time when watering in a hurry.
Lawns
Letting the grass grow isn’t a bad thing in summer. Longer grass blades will shade the ground and keep moisture in the soil for longer. See our blog on Making the Most of Your Grassy Space
There are plenty of time saving tips online to help you manage your garden, we have added a few resources at the bottom of the page, and would also recommend a higher powered petrol lawnmower to make your gardening easier. Getting out in the garden after work and at weekends will be beneficial and help you wind-down and relax. See our blog on Garden Therapy.
Resources
https://www.nourishingpursuits.com/garden/garden-busy-schedule-advice-busy-people-busy-people/
https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/tips-for-a-low-maintenance-veg-plot/
https://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/hints-tips/no-dig-vegetable-growing
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