Bringing your garden visions to life is one thing, but keeping the finished product thriving will take a bit more commitment.
Preparing and planting are the first steps towards growing your dream garden, but proper maintenance is the key to keeping it in tip-top shape. Staking, watering, and mulching are all set to become part of your ongoing gardening schedule. It may seem like a hefty task, but in our opinion, it’s worth it to see the floral fruits of your labour!
Whether you’re a new green thumb or a dab hand at garden tasks, here are some tips to help you and your yard!
Watered Down
Watering is possibly the easiest step in gardening, but when you throw in irrigation systems and technical terminology, things can get a bit more complicated. Lucky for you, we know a thing or two about that.
How much
Factoring in rainfall, it can be tricky to know how much and how often you should water your garden. As a general rule of thumb, applying 24 litres per square metre every seven to ten days should be sufficient, as this equates to about 24 millimetres of rainfall. If your soil looks dry, that probably means it’s time to give it a drink! Remember that plants absorb water from the root, usually 15 to 20 centimetres below the surface of the soil, so you want to give them enough water to get that far down.
All Systems Go
There are a few different ways that you can provide your garden with plenty of water to keep it thriving.
Soaker hose
Many entry-level gardeners opt for a budget-friendly soaker hose. With this, you can manually water your yard as often as needed. The downside to using a soaker hose is it’s difficult to tell exactly how much water you have used, and it can become tiresome when tending to bigger spaces.
Drip irrigation
Drip irrigation supplies water straight to the soil through small holes in a hose-like pipe laid out on the ground alongside plants. This is one of the most water-efficient ways to hydrate your yard, as it uses the least amount of water to get to the root. You’ll need to watch out for pests and rodents with this system though, as they have a tendency to nibble through the pipe!
Pop up sprinklers
Sprinklers are another great option, but take some extra care and knowledge in planning. Before these are installed, you’ll need to map the irrigation area, taking spray patterns and arcs into account before deciding on sprinkler placement. Once installed, all you need to do is ensure the area around the sprinkler heads is trimmed and the mesh filter is cleaned regularly.
General Maintenance
A good irrigation system can only do so much. Paired with these other general maintenance tips, however, you can expect to see your garden thrive.
Mulching
It may not sound like much, but mulch can make or break your garden. It can be made up of various things, and organic sources are usually best. This doesn’t have to break the bank! Using clippings from mowing the lawn, compost matter, or shredded dry leaves helps to add nutrients into your soil. Spreaded sparingly on your vegetable patches or flower beds, mulch helps to retain moisture and boost the soil’s nutrient density. Mulch can also help to reduce weed growth; an added bonus that will save you time in the long run!
Fertilising
It’s pretty common knowledge that fertiliser is a key ingredient in garden success, but before you run out to buy some, test your soil’s pH. Different soils have different needs, so find out what will work best in your garden before splurging on an expensive fertiliser. Generally speaking, a balanced fertiliser made up of equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) should provide the essential nutrients for plants. There are plenty of great organic fertilisers on the market, like blood meal and alfalfa meal, as well as mineral options like crushed stone. With any fertiliser, you should be sure to only use the recommended amount. This is especially important if you opt to use chemical fertiliser, as overuse can be detrimental to your garden, and “burn” plants.
Weed control
Weeds are a common problem in any garden, but can be easily kept at bay with some time and diligence. The first thing we recommend is preventing weeds from growing in the first place. If that fails, don’t stress, just set some time aside to pull up any visible weeds, and treat the area with weed control to try and limit the spread. If not taken care of, weeds can unfortunately do some pretty significant damage to your yard, so be sure to check for and treat weeds frequently.
Keep plants cool
To help maintain your plants and get them through hot weather spells, as well as keeping them well-watered, take measures to keep them cool. If you’re after a budget-friendly option, try getting some cheesecloth and placing it over plants. Garden umbrellas or shade sails are also great for this, as long as you leave room for air to flow.
Keep clean
While it may seem counterintuitive to trim or discard your prized plants, it may be the best way to protect the rest of your yard. If part of your plant seems to be compromised, you can trim back the relevant section and salvage the rest. If it’s too far gone, however, then we recommend cutting your losses and getting rid of it altogether. Handling potential issues before they become definite issues can help to stop the spread of pests or diseases before it gets out of control.
Expert Advice
Installing a new irrigation system in your yard isn’t exactly light work, so we recommend seeking professional assistance. You can contact the Jim’s Mowing team today to find out more about how we can help bring your yard blossoming to life!
