BY KRIS WETHERBEE PHOTOS BY RICK WETHERBEE
10 garden
SHORTCUTS
to save you time
Using mulch at the right time of year will help save you time in the long run. Bark, pebbles, straw, cocoa beans, rocks, and peat all do the job.
Start the spring garden season with these smart strategies that will give you more time to relax
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ackyard gardens are a growing oasis from coast to coast, but occasionally we need a “timeout” from chores that have us spending entire weekends working in our gardens.
centers, or call your local county extension office.
Mulch as you mow. Let the mower do the work for you by discharging the grass clippings through the chute that comes out the mower deck. The clippings serve as mulch, then decompose quickly to add organic matter and nitrogen back to the soil in one easy step. Bottom line: The clippings will ultimately fertilize your lawn.
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Know your soil pH numbers. Vegetables and ornamental plants have a preferred pH range in order to bloom, produce, and grow their best. Plants grown in the proper soil pH are also more resistant to diseases and pest insects. All in all, getting your soil tested now will save you time and money over the gardening seasoning ahead. Inexpensive test kits are available at most garden
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Fact is, you can’t cultivate more hours in a day. However, you can reduce the time it takes to do your garden chores. These shortcuts will help keep all your green spaces healthy and looking good throughout the growing season. What’s more, there’s the added bonus of extra time to spend relaxing in and enjoying your garden.
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10 minutes or less
Save those eggshells. Adding crushed eggshells to the soil before planting tomatoes will provide the extra calcium that tomatoes love. Plus, the added calcium will also improve the taste and quality of the fruit by preventing blossom-end rot, which is a calcium-deficiency condition causing dark, leathery patches on the ends of the fruit.
Blanket your plants with a lightweight floating row cover such as Reemay. By covering up susceptible plants, the row cover will prevent nasty pest insects from gaining access. Just be sure to remove the cover once flowers appear, to allow for pollination.
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