Love to garden but short on time? Here are some tips that will help you plant, water and weed more efficiently.
10 Handy Gardening Tips for Busy People
1
/
10
No-Stick Shovel
Whether you’re dealing with wet snow or mucky soil, a dose of spray lubricant on your shovel or garden spade will make the sticky stuff slip right off. Use a lubricant that contains silicone or Teflon and recoat the shovel occasionally.
2
/
10
Protect Bulbs from Pests
Keep hungry critters from snacking on your freshly planted flower bulbs by staking poultry netting over the bed. You can either remove the cloth in the early spring or let plants grow through the holes and leave it throughout the growing season.
3
/
10
Prevent Invasive Plants
“Invasive plants act like party crashers: they muscle in, hog resources, and crowd out the native guests you actually invited, leaving biodiversity (and your design plans) in shambles,” says gardening expert Tammy Sons, “Once they gain a foothold, removal turns into a never-ending game of botanical whack-a-mole.”
One way to get rid of them is to push this “collar” into the soil (or drive it down with a mallet) to encircle the plant and its invasive root system. If the soil has become compacted, cut around the plant with a spade first. Note: This technique won’t contain plants that spread above ground like strawberries and mint.
4
/
10
Portable Potting Shelf
Cut a piece of plywood roughly to the shape of your wheelbarrow’s back end and screw a few wood cleats along the sides to keep it from slipping off while you wheel. Now you’ll have both soil and a potting surface right at hand when you take the wheelbarrow to the garden.
5
/
10
Plant Portfolio
Store plant tags and sticks inside a cheap photo album. You can add details such as when and where the plants were purchased, special care or even the plant’s location on a sketch of your yard.
Another option: “I stash every plant tag in a zip-top bag because they’re my cheat sheets—keeping track of cultivar names, bloom times, and care quirks long after my memory slips a gear. Those tags also spare me guesswork when replacing a favorite or troubleshooting a problem down the road,” says Sons.
6
/
10
Slice Root Balls and Tease Out Roots
If you buy potted plants or shrubs, they may well be root-bound. With nowhere else to grow, roots form tight circles inside the pot. As the plant grows, the tightly wound roots prevent water and nutrients from reaching the leaves. Before planting, gently coax these roots outward with your fingers. If the roots are very stubborn, make three or four vertical cuts in the root-ball with a sharp knife. Once planted, water often to help the plant get established.
7
/
10
Make Heavy Pots Lighter
To lighten large pots, we found this TikTok hack where you stuff the bottom of the pot with pool noodles. They not only make the pot lighter but also provide space for drainage. Fit a round piece of landscape fabric between the soil and the foam to keep the materials separate. You can use a light potting mix that contains plenty of vermiculite and peat moss to make the pot even lighter.
8
/
10
Prune Roses in the Center to Get More Sun
A rule of thumb for all roses, no matter where you live: pruning is essential. Pruning roses keeps the center open lets the sunshine in and keeps out black spot and other such blights that love cool, moist, shady places.
9
/
10
Easy-to-Read Rain Gauge
Drip food coloring into the bottom of your rain gauge the next time you empty it out. When it showers, the coloring will reconstitute and tint the water to make the gauge easier to read.
10
/
10
Potted Plant Transporter
The spaces between the rungs of a stepladder are great spots to transport tender plants. No more messy spills during turns!
FAQ
What are the easiest plants to grow with a busy schedule?
With a busy schedule, you need plants that are low maintenance and drought tolerant so you don’t have to worry about constantly watering them. A few suggestions that fit the bill include: hostas, Siberian iris, spider lily, coral-bells and black-eyed Susan.
Can I garden if I travel often?
Yes, you can garden even if you travel often, just make sure you plan ahead. Choose low-maintenance plants that don’t require daily attention, and use an automatic irrigation system so the plants will be watered even when you’re away. Other options include enlisting the help of a neighbor or a friend to care for the plants while you’re gone, and to give plants a nice long deep soak right before you leave.
About the Expert
- Tammy Sons is a gardening and plant expert, and the founder and CEO of TN Nursery, a business that’s been active in the nursery industry for over 60 years and 3 generations. She studied at Harvard Business School and T.S.U. Horticulture.
