Many gardeners complain how gardening takes a lot of their time. It is true that gardening requires you to devote time to it, but, if you are a busy gardener, there are a few tips that you can apply to save time. In this article, we will give 21 effective time-saving gardening tips that will spare you a lot of time. Scroll down and check them out.
1. Map it Out
Thinking takes time, therefore, planning ahead what you want to do with your garden is one of the best time-saving gardening tips. Working in your garden without a plant will cost you extra time thinking about what to do and how to do it. Details cost time.
2. Grow Plants with Similar Requirements Together
Plant every group of plants that require the same growth requirements together. For example, plants that prefer a shady spot should be planted together and plants that need direct sunlight exposure should be planted together. The order is a very important factor not only to gain time but also to help your plants grow better. Growing plants that do not require much watering with plants that require moist soil will hinder the growth of your plants.
3. Raise Vegetables in Bags
This tip is very useful. It will save you time as well as money and space. Planters bags and grow bags are perfect for growing vegetables. Learn more about this idea here.
4. Use Time-Based Fertilizers
Fertilizing also takes time. If you are a busy gardener, you surely don’t want to spend most of your time fertilizing your plants. The best way to avoid constant fertilizing, you should apply time-based or slow-release fertilizers in your garden.
5. Select the Right Plants
Selecting the right plants to grow is one of the most effective time-saving gardening tips. For example, if you choose to grow diseases resistant plants, you won’t need to spend time on pruning and regular watering. Besides, you won’t also spend time trying to heal them.
6. Use Self-Watering Containers
If you have container gardens, you surely know that they require much time. They require frequent watering thus more devoted time for them. To save that time, you should grow your plants in self-watering containers. Here is a list of the most effective and decorative self-watering containers.
7. Plant Everything Close to a Source of Water
Watering your plant is an activity that requires time especially if you have a large garden. Therefore, make sure that you have a water source close to your garden. Introducing a water tap will be very useful. It will save you time and make watering your plants and easy task.
8. Have Tools Closer
You should store your gardening tools near your garden or in it. This way, you will save a lot of time looking around for them. Besides, if your tool shed is far from your garden, you will spend a lot of time making trips to it. Thus, you should keep your tools in your garden.
9. Let your Crop Self-Seed
Growing self-seeding plants is very beneficial. First, it will save you a few bucks. You don’t need to buy seeds every year since they come again and again every year. Second, you don’t need to plant them, they will grow by themselves. However, choose self-seeding plants carefully. Some species are very invasive.
10. Avoid Plants that Require Different Growing Conditions
Maintenance is one the activity that requires time. Therefore, growing low maintenance plants will save you time. You can also reduce the maintenance if you grow perennials. You should also keep in mind to avoid growing plants that have different growing requirements.
11. Do Mulching
This is one of the easiest time-saving gardening tips. Mulching is good for your plants and garden. Mulching materials will decompose into your garden soil providing it with organic matter and nutrients. Most importantly, mulching will prevent the growth of weeds and removing weeds takes time.
12. Keep it Simple
You should keep your garden as simple as possible. This tip is for beginner gardeners. When you first start your garden, don’t grow too many plants but rather grow a few plants that you have knowledge about. This way you won’t spend a lot of time thinking about them.
13. Get your Staking Done Earlier
You should avoid letting your plants spread all over the place. You should stake them before they start sprawling and tangling. This way, you will avoid spending time on putting your plants in a bundle.
14. Look Around
You should always take inspiration from other gardeners. Look around and see what your neighbors are growing in their gardens and borrow some of those ideas. This way you will save a lot of money thinking about what to grow and how to grow it.
15. Put Pruning on Hold till Later in the Season
This is one of the simplest time-saving gardening tips. You should wait until the growing season is over and prune all your plants together. This way, you will only prune your plants once a year rather than twice. You can also grow plants that do not require pruning. It is an effective option if you don’t like to spend your time pruning your plants.
16. Keep your Tools Clean, Sharp and Ready
taking care of your tools is taking care of your garden. You will spend a lot of time cleaning or repairing your gardening tools when you are about to use them. Therefore, whenever you have some free time, make sure to repair and clean these tools.
17. Weed Things Out in a Wise Manner
Removing the weeds from your garden is time-consuming. Thus, you should do it wisely. The best time to remove weeds is when the soil is moist. You can pull them out with your hands. Make sure that you pull out their roots too. Read this post that contains the most effective tips for removing weeds.
18. Hydrozone your Plants
This is one of the most important time-saving gardening tips. Plants with the same watering requirements should be grown in the same area. This will allow you to water the whole area together which need less time than watering all plants plant by plant.
19. Make a Scarecrow
A scarecrow will protect your garden from critters and birds. It will save you the time you spend on chasing them around out of your garden.
20. Avoid Having a Lawn
This is also a good tip to save money. The lawn needs maintenance and maintenance takes time. Thus, avoid having kawn to save more time.
21. Start your Plants Indoors
Start your plants indoor and when they grow you can transplant them in your garden. This will save you time since the germination process will take less time.
These are the most effective time-saving gardening tips. Follow these tips and you will be able to save a lot of your gardening time.