It's funny how much we try to save time, the less time we seem to have in our lives.
Between kids' soccer games and choir practices, later hours at the office, and every day duties that have to be taken care of, there's not much time to truly get out and enjoy the vegetable garden.
Even with a busy lifestyle you can grow an awesome vegetable garden filled with fresh, wholesome foods. Here are twelve tips for saving time in your vegetable garden.
Don't Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
A huge vegetable garden filled with vegetables, fruits and flowers may be your dream, but take into account that the larger the vegetable garden the more maintenance it will require. Try not to grow a vegetable garden that takes up more time than you can commit.
If you are just starting out, begin small with a ten foot by ten foot vegetable garden. You can always increase the size of it later if you need to.
Prepare for Your Vegetable Garden
Make sure that you have all the tools and supplies you need before the growing season begins. Stock up on garden gloves, compost, and fertilizers when items are on sale during the fall or winter.
You can even find good discounts on many items by buying them in bulk out of season. When spring rolls around you will have everything you need, saving you trips to the garden center.
Save Time By Using Brightly Colored Tools
Purchase hand garden tools with brightly colored handles. This can save you a ton of time looking for them while working in the vegetable garden.
The bright handles will be easier to spot laying under a plant or mulch.
I don't know how many times I have laid down a garden trowel, just to not be able to find it five minutes later. I then spend twenty minutes trying to find it.
Purchasing the Radius Garden Gardening Hand Tool Set helped with this problem greatly. They have bright green handles which help to locate them in a hurry.
Keep Your Garden Tools Organized
Keeping your garden tools organized can save you heaps of time while working in the vegetable garden. It is a nice feeling when you know exactly where the item you need is located, and you can go right to that spot and retrieve it.
A Garden Bucket Caddy is a great way to organize small hand tools. The Tool Tower Rack is perfect for storing shovels and garden forks.
Place Similar Containers Together
If you use containers for your gardening, try to place them all in one location. Your containers will be much easier to maintain with them place in the same general area. Watering and harvesting will be a breeze!
Locate The Vegetable Garden In a Convenient Location
Plant vegetables or flowers in a location that is easily accessible. Grow them near the home, a frequently used walkway, or patio. The easier the vegetable garden is to access, the more time you will save when watering, weeding and harvesting.
It also seems that the more the vegetable garden is in your sight, the more it will be on your mind. This can serve as a daily reminder of what tasks you need to knock out.
Try to place the vegetable garden near a water source. This will save you time when watering, and save you some strain when dragging the water hose around.
Start Off With Great Soil
Starting your vegetable garden with the best soil possible can save you a bunch of time throughout the season. Add compost and other organic amendments for a nutrient-rich soil.
Beginning the season with nutrient-rich soil will help decrease the amount of fertilization your vegetable garden will need, saving you valuable time and money!
Use Plenty of Mulch
Use hay, wheat straw, or untreated grass clippings as a mulch in your vegetable garden. A two to four inch layer of mulch will cut your weeding down to almost zilch. Mulch will also help to keep moisture in the soil, reducing the need for watering.
The mulch will also slowly decompose adding valuable nutrients to the soil. Let's face it. No one wants to spend their beautiful Saturday pulling weeds.
Take a Stroll Around the Vegetable Garden
Walk through your vegetable garden at least once every other day. Check plants for any signs of pest or disease damage. Doing a frequent spot-check of your vegetable garden can help you detect issues before they get out of hand. It only takes a couple minutes, and can save you lots of time and heartache later on.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Use ergonomically designed tools, knee pads, or a cart when working in the vegetable garden. This will lessen the strain on muscles and joints.
Lift items using your knees, not your back. Keeping your body pain-free will mean you will work much more efficiently and happily in the vegetable garden.
Choose Varieties with Less Maintenance
Choose vegetable varieties that need less maintenance. Green beans, tomatoes, garden peas, and summer squash are a few varieties that require little maintenance throughout the season. Growing varieties that require less maintenance can save a bundle of time in the long run.
Use Square Foot Gardening
Square Foot Gardening is a growing technique that allows you to grow more vegetables in less space. Using this technique can save you valuable time because there's almost no weeding, and watering is almost effortless. The compact nature of this method of growing vegetables also saves space.
Using these time-saving tips means you can spend more time lounging in the hammock with a good book and a glass of ice tea, and less time worrying about the vegetable garden all while enjoying your own fresh foods!
Save Time in Your Vegetable Garden
Between kids' soccer games and choir practices, later hours at the office, and every day duties that have to be taken care of, there's not much time to truly get out and enjoy the vegetable garden.
Even with a busy lifestyle you can grow an awesome vegetable garden filled with fresh, wholesome foods. Here are twelve tips for saving time in your vegetable garden.
Don't Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
A huge vegetable garden filled with vegetables, fruits and flowers may be your dream, but take into account that the larger the vegetable garden the more maintenance it will require. Try not to grow a vegetable garden that takes up more time than you can commit.
If you are just starting out, begin small with a ten foot by ten foot vegetable garden. You can always increase the size of it later if you need to.
Prepare for Your Vegetable Garden
Make sure that you have all the tools and supplies you need before the growing season begins. Stock up on garden gloves, compost, and fertilizers when items are on sale during the fall or winter.
You can even find good discounts on many items by buying them in bulk out of season. When spring rolls around you will have everything you need, saving you trips to the garden center.
Save Time By Using Brightly Colored Tools
Purchase hand garden tools with brightly colored handles. This can save you a ton of time looking for them while working in the vegetable garden.The bright handles will be easier to spot laying under a plant or mulch.
I don't know how many times I have laid down a garden trowel, just to not be able to find it five minutes later. I then spend twenty minutes trying to find it.
Purchasing the Radius Garden Gardening Hand Tool Set helped with this problem greatly. They have bright green handles which help to locate them in a hurry.
Keep Your Garden Tools Organized
Keeping your garden tools organized can save you heaps of time while working in the vegetable garden. It is a nice feeling when you know exactly where the item you need is located, and you can go right to that spot and retrieve it.
A Garden Bucket Caddy is a great way to organize small hand tools. The Tool Tower Rack is perfect for storing shovels and garden forks.
Place Similar Containers Together
If you use containers for your gardening, try to place them all in one location. Your containers will be much easier to maintain with them place in the same general area. Watering and harvesting will be a breeze!
Locate The Vegetable Garden In a Convenient Location
Plant vegetables or flowers in a location that is easily accessible. Grow them near the home, a frequently used walkway, or patio. The easier the vegetable garden is to access, the more time you will save when watering, weeding and harvesting.
It also seems that the more the vegetable garden is in your sight, the more it will be on your mind. This can serve as a daily reminder of what tasks you need to knock out.
Try to place the vegetable garden near a water source. This will save you time when watering, and save you some strain when dragging the water hose around.
Start Off With Great Soil
Starting your vegetable garden with the best soil possible can save you a bunch of time throughout the season. Add compost and other organic amendments for a nutrient-rich soil.
Beginning the season with nutrient-rich soil will help decrease the amount of fertilization your vegetable garden will need, saving you valuable time and money!
Use Plenty of Mulch
Use hay, wheat straw, or untreated grass clippings as a mulch in your vegetable garden. A two to four inch layer of mulch will cut your weeding down to almost zilch. Mulch will also help to keep moisture in the soil, reducing the need for watering.
The mulch will also slowly decompose adding valuable nutrients to the soil. Let's face it. No one wants to spend their beautiful Saturday pulling weeds.
Take a Stroll Around the Vegetable Garden
Walk through your vegetable garden at least once every other day. Check plants for any signs of pest or disease damage. Doing a frequent spot-check of your vegetable garden can help you detect issues before they get out of hand. It only takes a couple minutes, and can save you lots of time and heartache later on.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Use ergonomically designed tools, knee pads, or a cart when working in the vegetable garden. This will lessen the strain on muscles and joints.
Lift items using your knees, not your back. Keeping your body pain-free will mean you will work much more efficiently and happily in the vegetable garden.
Choose Varieties with Less Maintenance
Choose vegetable varieties that need less maintenance. Green beans, tomatoes, garden peas, and summer squash are a few varieties that require little maintenance throughout the season. Growing varieties that require less maintenance can save a bundle of time in the long run.
Use Square Foot Gardening
Square Foot Gardening is a growing technique that allows you to grow more vegetables in less space. Using this technique can save you valuable time because there's almost no weeding, and watering is almost effortless. The compact nature of this method of growing vegetables also saves space.
Using these time-saving tips means you can spend more time lounging in the hammock with a good book and a glass of ice tea, and less time worrying about the vegetable garden all while enjoying your own fresh foods!
Save Time in Your Vegetable Garden
