We all want that beautiful garden with minimal stress, right? A garden that looks healthy and is blooming all year round can seem impossible when you have 101 other tasks to attend to. To help you keep on top of your garden we have put together a few useful tips & tricks!
Tip 1
Epsom salt is a gardener’s saviour! Rich in magnesium and sulphate which are crucial for plants, it can help keep them beautiful and healthy. Simply add a few tablespoons to your watering can once a month and watch your garden bloom or add it to potting compost to help seeds germinate faster. And what’s more, this salt can also add to a plant’s green colour – brightening your gardening up instantly!
Tip 2
Fed up of those pesky weeds sucking the life out of your garden? But also fed up of constantly buying expensive weed killer full of nasty chemicals? You can mix vinegar and salt to spray on weeds as the mixture will dehydrate them, this works particularly well when the sun is directly on them. If done carefully this won’t taint the soil so you can plant it again without harming your new plants. However, before you get rid of the weeds, make sure you know what garden weeds are telling you about your soil.
Tip 3
Fed up of lugging heavy plant pots around whenever you want to change the look of your garden? Try this! Fill the bottom quarter of your pot with something light and water resistant like packing peanuts or put your non-recyclable plastic food packaging to good use. This gives your flowers height without wasting compost, makes the pot lighter and easier to carry but it will also aid drainage and ground insulation, a win-win situation!
Tip 4
Create a plan! Now this may sound a little crazy for a gardener but trust us when we say it will help. Plan out where you want your flowers and space them accordingly depending on how far each one will spread. For example, perennials plants should be spaced approximately 18” apart. Then begin to place the tall ones at the back so that they don’t block the sunlight getting to the smaller ones. Same goes for the flowers that need more shade, be mindful of the areas where the sun hits the most and get planting. Sound like hard work? There are some products that do it for you, we love gardenonaroll.
Tip 5
Ensure you water your plants effectively. Choose the right time of day, the right amount of water depending on the plant and keep this consistent. Newer plants will need to be watered more often than older ones because their roots aren’t completely developed. The best time of day is said to be the morning as the plant then has a good amount of time to soak up the water before it begins to get too hot. If they are watered during the hottest time of the day the plants can begin to grow fungus or diseases – not good news for any garden lover! If you are not an early bird, maybe invest in a sprinkler with a timer.
