Maintaining, or starting, a beautiful and healthy garden is a wonderful feat. Gardening is good for the body and soul and the results are usually a perfect balance of attractive and delicious (dependent on what you grow, of course).
Whether you’re aiming for your very own Chelsea Flower Show or just want to tend to a plot you can call your own, here are our top gardening tips to get your thumbs green.
1) Grow from seeds
Growing plants from the seed stage is a rewarding and also cost-effective approach to getting your garden blooming. It may come as a surprise to some but planting seeds is also less physically strenuous as you merely have to sow the seeds where you want them to grow, whether that’s a raised bed or a designated soil plot.
An extra bonus is that you’ll no doubt have spare seeds to share with your neighbours or sell at local car boots. As a little extra tip, mixing seeds with sand makes it easier to sow if your hands are a bit stiff.
2) Wheeled gardening seat
Gardening is extremely rewarding and a pleasurable pastime but it’s not always kind to an aching back. As a top tip, we recommend investing in a wheeled gardening seat as a trusty gardening aid.
Getting up and down from the soil or from tugging up weeds is a lot of work and a gardening seat will help reduce the amount of bending. Plus, it’s a great little tool for just having a sit down outside and catching some beautiful summer sunshine while getting some mulch needed rest.
3) Stay on top of the weeding
Nasty weeds seem to pop up everywhere and as tedious as they are, they shouldn’t be ignored as weeds damage your flourishing garden. Weeds steal the moisture and nutrients your plants need to thrive and you should nip the weed infestation in the bud before it turns your plot into a jungle.
Don’t ever feel like you have to clear the whole lot in one go and the key is to not let the weeds build up. Little and often will suffice, especially if you have a bad back or disability that makes bending difficult. Now, about that trusty gardening seat…
4) Low-maintenance plants
Gardening has different levels of difficulties and you should try and adapt your garden to what you can manage. Lots of plants can be left to die back themselves and don’t need all the bothersome trimming and fuss.
Some great examples, especially if you have difficulties in movement, are low-maintenance plants such as Alliums, Snowdrops or Cyclamens. Once they have been planted, there is little more you need to do to them and they’ll keep lighting up your patch year after year.
If you want evergreen plants, try black grass or box shrubs as they are slow-growing and only require watering.
5) Utilise the space
If you’re pressed for space, then there’s no need to worry; plants are highly adaptable and can grow in lots of different ways. If you’ve only got a small garden then consider purchasing a trellis or vertical garden.
Many varieties of plants and veg thrive on these features and the upright structure makes them easier to maintain and protect from uninvited pests. Vertical gardening can be done almost anywhere you have a sunlit wall or fence with the use of fence planters.
Garden spaces will vary dependent on park and all features are subject to individual park rules.
So whether you’re trying to beat out your neighbour for the best runner beans or you want to see your flowers blossom, try incorporating a few of our little seeds of information into your gardening routine.
