Garden Maintenance: Keeping Your Space Functional

Maintaining a garden can do wonders for your physical and mental health. Weeding, mowing, planting, and digging can provide gentle exercise that will keep you active into later life, and plating up home-grown produce can ensure you reap the health power of fruits and vegetables.

However, gardens are always in flux. Weeds appear whenever you turn your back, and deadheading is a constant challenge if you want to encourage new growth after the first flower. The fight against gardening threats can be a little frustrating if you just want your outdoor space to look good and produce tasty harvests.

Rather than ruing the transitory nature of your garden, learn to love the unexpected elements of your green space. This will help you embrace your role as a gardener and help you develop a green thumb in years to come.

Winterizing Your Garden

Winter is often the hardest time of the year for gardeners. You can’t enjoy the new growth bloom and may be put off by driving rains and cold snaps. Seasonal changes are why creating and maintaining an auxiliary space like a shed is so important. As the temperature starts to drop, winterize your shed by doing the following.

• Install weather strips and check for leaky roofs;
• Insulate the space with foam boards;
• Remove debris to reduce the risk of pests;
• Place rodent repellent in nooks and crannies;
• Clean and organize your equipment while the sun still shines.

Keeping a clean, pest-free shed can help you keep your space functional in the winter months when your vegetable patches and fruit trees are bare. This is key, as productive gardens require plenty of planning. When the winter days roll in, head to the shed and start planning for the upcoming year. Make sure to take the following precautions before the snow melts.

• Pull the tape and create a blueprint with vital information like the sun’s arc and the height of your walls and fences.
• Get out into your soil and test it to find out if you have acidic or base soil.
• Mulch your soil and start planning what you’ll plant and where you’ll do it.
• Invest in some water collection bins to reduce your water use during the warmer months.

A little planning and preparation in the winter will go a long way when spring rolls around and your garden comes to life once more. A well-made blueprint will also serve you well for years to come, as a deeper understanding of your yard helps you make strategic choices when at the garden center.

Spring Surprises

Spring is most gardener’s favorite time of year. After weeks of inactivity, your yard suddenly comes into bloom with powerful spring colors that make winter seem like a distant memory. However, spring is sure to throw up a few surprises, too. Those strawberries that you planned to pick in June may not have germinated, and unwanted pests like slugs may have munched on your spinach.

Accepting the unpredictable nature of gardening can help your mental health and get more from your time outdoors. Rather than leaving the space where plants have failed bare, consider planting some late-blooming flowers to give your garden a second burst of color in the fall. This is an approach that is utilized in the UK, where head gardeners at sites like Osborne Palace plant autumn-blooming flowers like:

• Dahlia;
• Rudbeckias;
• Chrysanthemum;
• Michaelmas daisies;
• Sasanqua camellias.

These late-blooming flowers may not increase your harvest, but they will increase your interest in gardening late into the year. This can be a real boon during the summer months when most gardens start to look a little tired after their spring show.

Summer Upkeep

Summer can be an odd time in the garden. Some flowers enjoy a second bloom in August and September, while others grow wild and woody if left unattended. However, as a gardener with a passion for produce, late summer is the time when you must invest extra effort and attention into your green space.

Start by keeping an eye on your vegetable patches for signs of slugs or other harmful pests. If you spot signs of leaf damage, act quickly and put down deterrents like coffee grounds or plant some lavender, as these are natural repellents to many creepy crawlies.

You’ll also need to keep your vegetable patches well-watered if you want a big harvest in the fall. It’s best to water in the morning or in the evening, as this is when the plants will make the most use of the hydration. If you do have a slug problem, elect for morning water, as slugs tend to be most active at night and will be drawn to the wet, moist soil.

Conclusion

Keeping your space functional year-round requires plenty of planning and preparation. Winterize your space in late fall before temperatures plummet, and use your shed to draw up plans for the upcoming year. This will aid your efforts in the spring and summer when you’ll need to invest daily attention to your garden to produce a great harvest.