Keeping your garden looking good all year round can be achieved with some good planning and a little professional advice.

As with other home maintenance, time needs to be allocated to the garden to ensure things don’t get out of hand. Unlike many other jobs, the garden has the potential to get out of control if neglected for too long. With some careful planning and a few adjustments, your garden will largely look after itself for many months of the year.

Plant Selection

specifically the right plant selection is imperative for a low maintenance garden. If you’re trimming a particular plant every 3 months or less, then you should really consider whether that plant species is the best one for the job? Usually there is another species or just a smaller variety that would alleviate the maintenance and give you more time to spend on other things. Seeking advice on what plants are best kept and which should be replaced will often not only save you time but money in the long run. Trimming is necessary in any garden, it ensures the best performance of your plants, however you shouldn’t be a slave to your garden.  A good cut back in Spring and a light trim in late Autumn is all that should be needed to see your garden looking great all year round.

Weeds

yes the weeds! They are time consuming but can be reduced dramatically with this simple approach. The main problem with weeds is, if left to seed they will continue to germinate and be a problem for ever. If your garden or areas of your gardens are overrun with weeds there is no quick solution but with some dedication and persistence you can get the upper hand.

1. The first thing to do is divide your garden beds into areas and just focus on one area at a time.

2. Allocate enough time to weed and mulch an area in one go or by the time you get back to mulching you may need to weed again.

3. Start by weeding the area.  Make sure that plants that still have seed attached to them are removed carefully. This will ensure the seed is not disturbed, alleviating further germination. Weeding when the ground has had some rain will make pulling the plants easier.

4. Once the area is cleared of weeds you are now ready to apply the mulch.  Remember…any little persistent weeds need to be pulled before they flower and set seed… this is the key to your success!

Mulching

the soil has many benefits including keeping the weeds at bay but it also makes your gardens look lovely. Choosing the right mulch is the hard part, and you will be restricted by what is available from your local landscape supplier.  Mulch feeds the soil as it breaks down and acts as a natural fertilizer.  This provides a constant food supply for your plants and for the earthworms, which in turn brings great benefits to your soils health.

When applying your mulch, ensure that your mulch layer is consistently applied and is no thicker than 7cm. This will stop MOST weeds from germinating but will not stop weed seeds (that have been blown in from a neighbouring property) from germinating in the mulch. This happens over time especially when the mulch has had some time to break down. To give you the best results, apply a layer of pine bark or hardwood chips to the top of your mulch.  This will finish the process and minimize, but not eliminate, the bulk of your problems, giving your gardens a formal appearance. Applying that top layer will guarantee that your garden maintenance will be reduced to just pulling the odd persistent weed out.

Fertilising

may be required depending on your plant selection.  Plants like Gardenia, Camellia, Hibiscus, Ixora to name a few, require fertilizing throughout the year regardless.  Depending on your soil, native species can benefit from an application of a specific native plant food.  Generally they cope very well without fertilising, feeding instead on the natural nutrient release from mulch.  Keeping your gardens well mulched and encouraging the worms will be the easiest way to feed your plants however a slow release, all purpose fertiliser can be used where necessary.

Consider Installing An Irrigation System

attached to a water tank and if your budget allows, invest in an automatic timer as this will make things even easier. Some irrigation systems include a rain sensor, that will stop the system from watering if your garden has already received rainfall.  Automated systems ensure your garden gets the water it requires without you having to even think about it.  Manual timers are very affordable and easy to install should an automated system be out of your budget.  Either way you won’t forget to turn the system off, which can leave your tank empty or you facing a costly water bill!

 

A Beautiful Green Lawn

is not hard to achieve but fertilising does need to be carried out at certain times of the year. Fertilise is best done during Spring & Autumn with an organic lawn fertilizer to ensure your lawn performs it’s best. Lawn grub can be a real problem through the humid hot months, so treat this pest as soon as your lawn shows signs of attack. Depending on traffic, foot or otherwise, your lawn may need aeration.  This can be done any time of the year.  If it’s not too bad, a garden fork will do the job otherwise grab an aerator from your local hire company.

 

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