MumsGarden.com

A beautiful and well kept garden can add a lot to increase the appeal of your home which in turn could add to your home’s value. However, the thought of all the work that goes into maintaining a beautiful garden puts people off. There are many ways on how to develop a low maintenance garden. This article summarizes twelve simple ways that you can follow to decrease the time spent in maintaining your garden.

1. Design a yard that reduces the tasks that you find mundane. Tasks like mowing and edging your lawn. If this is a task that you don’t like to do or you complain about and put off constantly then consider paying someone to mow your lawn for you. This will save you time and consequently help support a local business. You can also use a low growing groundcover in hard to mow areas.

2. Copy designs from yards that seem to work in your neighborhood. Also, commercially landscaped properties are a great source of ideas, too. Do not be afraid to copy their ideas. Professionals know what plants work well together and grow well in your climate zone and which plantings will make a low maintenance garden.

3. When installing pathways, use materials that are low maintenance. Stone pavers surrounded by pebbles or mulch will minimize weeding between the pavers. Even mulch simply layered over a landscaping cloth makes an attractive weed-free pathway which will blend in naturally with your garden.

4. Know the different gardening niches in your yard. This information is very helpful when choosing the right plants for the different niches. This way you are able to avoid the task of having to replace them since incorrectly placed plants do not thrive.

5. The more natural your garden is, the easier it is to maintain. Avoid plants that require manipulation like staking or pruning. Nature is the best gardener so rely on your zone’s native species which are always low maintenance.

6. Group together plants that have similar maintenance tasks, which can be done at the same time, in the same space, saving you valuable time. For example, have an annual flowerbed with plantings that can be planted at the same time in the season and weeded, deadheaded and cleared at the same time.

7. Grow plants that you love. Gardening among your favorite beautiful blooms and scents is a real treat. This makes gardening easier and pleasant.

8. Grow perennials that do not need to be replanted every year like annuals do. If you have to plant annuals, use them to fill in the gaps while waiting for perennials to bloom.

9. Leave no room for weeds in your garden. This can be done by using landscape cloth and/or mulch. If you do see weeds, weed often and remove the weeds when they are still small. Make sure all empty spaces either have a plant or are mulched.

10. Randomly placed containers in your garden then add a splash of color. Container gardening allows you to move and place color to strategic areas in your garden without having to plant new plants in the beds.

11. Using raised bed to grow your vegetables enhances the look of your garden. Raised beds drain easier which is a plus in heavy clay soils. Raised beds also confine foot traffic to the outside of the box which keeps the soil loose allowing the roots to grow deeper for healthier looking plants.

12. Choosing a good time to work in your garden makes the gardening tasks seem easier. Work in the early morning or the late evening when temperatures are cooler.

If you follow all of these or even just some of the above steps then you will find that you will start having more time to enjoy the rewards of your well maintained low maintenance garden. Let your landscape design do the work for you.

Using gravel in your garden can create an excellent, in-expensive but practical garden surface. It’s attractive, maintenance-free, simple to lay and fits in well with plants. It will work well with irregular outlines, and it can be effective in any area large or small. Whole gardens can be turned over to gravel with some judicious use of complimentary paving and attractive planting. Use of edging is an important addition, otherwise the gravel can be scattered into surrounding borders.
Many garden centres and builders merchants sell a huge range of gravels in many different sizes, colours and textures. The great thing about gravel is that the appearance changes according to the light and whether the stones are wet or dry.
Making a Gravel Bed
You can set a gravel bed in a lawn or within an area of paving. In a large lawn a winding ribbon of gravel, designed to imitate a dry riverbed, can look very effective. If the garden is smaller, a more compact shape, perhaps oval or kidney-shaped, may be more appropriate.
To cut out the shape try using a half moon edger (edging iron) and remove the turf about 10cm (4 inches) deep with a spade. If you would like to grow drought-loving plants, dig in plenty of course grit. For growing more water hungry plants, add well-rotted manure or compost. The gravel needs to be about 5cms (2 inches) deep. Keep the gravel well below the surface of the lawn, otherwise it will spill on to the surface of the lawn and will damage the mower when it’s time to cut the grass. Choose a size that will be noticeable if it does stray.
Larger Gravel Areas
For areas larger than a small island bed, consider laying a plastic membrane sheet over the area to stop weed growth coming through later on. If your gravel garden is low-lying or in a hollow you will need to provide a sump for excess water to drain into. Ensure that the surface is quite smooth before laying the sheet, and overlap the joints. Tip the gravel over the plastic sheet and rake it level to make a 5cm (2 inches) layer.
Plants and Gravel
Many plants will grow well in and around a gravel bed, but for a true low-maintenance garden choose drought-resistant plants that wont need watering, even in dry spells. Scoop back the gravel and plant normally, but avoid planting too deeply and keep the gravel away from the immediate area around the stem to stop it rubbing and damaging it in winds etc.
If planting through a plastic sheet, scoop back the gravel then make cross-slits through the plastic. Enrich the soil with garden compost or fertilizer and plant normally. Fold back the sheet and replace the gravel, taking care not to cover the crown of the plant.

One of the most crucial tasks is the proper watering of your garden. The rule of thumb regarding the irrigation of your garden is that you will need to supply an equivalent of about an inch of rain a week during the growing season for optimum growth. Just so you know; an inch of rain is equivalent to about 28,000 gallons per acre or 900 gallons distributed over a 30 ft. by 50 ft. garden area. It is always much better to give the garden a good soaking once a week rather than watering it sparingly more often. Light sprinklings at frequent interviews will do little if any good.
Drip irrigation systems and the use of soaker hoses are efficient methods of irrigating your garden. These methods when used with a timer will apply the water right at the roots when and where it is needed and reduce water waste due to evaporation, over watering and over spray.
As in every garden, keeping ahead of the weeds will save you much hard work later on in the season. When the weeds start to choke out your vegetables, you have a formidable task, not only weeding, but trying to differentiate between weed and vegetable. Mark the newly planted rows of the seeds clearly so you do not disturb them while you are weeding. Weeds rob cultivated plants of water, nutrients, and light. Some weeds also harbor diseases, including insects, and nematodes that infest garden crops in succeeding years.
After each rain or watering, the garden should be thoroughly hoed or cultivated to kill those weeds that have newly sprouted and also to leave the surface in a loose, friable condition which will absorb later rainfall. The primary value of cultivating is weed control, but it should be done carefully so as to avoid injuring the vegetable plant roots that lie near the surface. In small gardens, another way weeds can be controlled is the use of black polyethylene mulch and supplemental hand weeding such as pulling and hoeing. When you are weeding, check for foliage that is broken or diseased and remove it to prevent the possible spread of any problems. A clean garden is a healthy garden.
Mulching with organic materials is also a very common practice in small gardens. The best organic mulches for this purpose are partially decomposed hay, straw, grass clippings and even newspaper. The mulch should be applied 4 to 6 in. deep when the plants are about 6 in. tall. Not only does mulch control weeds, it also conserves moisture, keeps the soil from baking, and increases the humus necessary for vigorous plant growth.
Garden crops are always subject to attacks by a number of diseases and insects. Preventive measures are best, but if an attack occurs and the gardener is not familiar with the cause of the problem and the proper treatment to protect his crop, he is advised to consult the county extension agent or his local garden center.
Great progress has been made in recent years in the development of plant varieties resistant to certain diseases, insects and nematodes. Always check when you buy new plants, new varieties of plants are introduced every season, and you may find an answer to that pesky problem you have been having.
Feeding the plants is accomplished by different means depending on whether you are organic or conventional farming. Side dressing with compost or fertilizes should always be done in moderation so as not to burn or kill the plants. If using fertilizer be sure you are using the right combination of nutrients for your crop to achieve optimum results, for example more nitrogen content for leafy vegetables. Remember, you are feeding the soil not the plant.

Soil Testing
A soil engineer is someone who conducts soil testing and advises on preventive solutions for problems that may arise from expansive soil, saving the homeowner future difficulties.

A soil engineer can be contracted through the architect or builder, or you can contact the engineer directly. It’s important to make sure you hire a soil engineer who is registered and professionally licensed through the state.

What Is a Soil Engineer?
Soil engineers possess a thorough knowledge of soil-structure interaction. They investigate areas proposed for development, analyze site and subsurface conditions and make recommendations for septic systems, grading, earth support, drainage, foundation design, concrete slab on grade construction, and site remediation.

Soil engineers are often hired to perform soil testing on existing structures and sites and investigate any problems caused by the soil conditions, as well as identifying the specific cause and recommending the best repair or mitigation methods.

The most significant hazards are caused by earthquake activity, water, landslides, and compressible and expansive soils. Expansive soils cause millions of dollars in damage annually and many people have literally lost their homes due to extensive damage and the high costs of repair. Expansive soils will “swell” in volume when wetted and shrink when dried, often causing houses and other structures to heave, settle, and shift unevenly. Specific foundation systems have been devised to help counteract some of the problems inherent with expansive soils.

When Is Soil Testing Needed?
Soil testing, or a soil analysis, is usually required for building permits. During construction, the soil engineer may need to make further soil tests to make sure subsurface soil conditions are compatible with those observed in the initial investigation and modify the design recommendations as necessary. The soil engineer may also need to evaluate whether the construction is completed in compliance with the meaning and intent of the recommendations provided.

A soil analysis can be ordered by a home buyer or real estate agent to learn of any potential hazards that could affect their home and investment over both the short- and long-term.

For example, many home buyers are not prepared for all the complications of hillside living, including erosion, gullies, mudflows and/or landslides caused by intense winter rains. Soil testing and the resulting maintenance recommendations could help make potential or current homeowners aware of steps to help safeguard their homes.