3 Expert Tips for the Hands-Off Gardener

So you love gardens…but without having to partake in the actual act of gardening. That’s OK- we green thumbs feel this way every once in a while, and fortunately, there are tricks of the trade to make garden upkeep a bit more hands-off.

In this post, we let you in on 3 prime strategies that will shorten your garden to-do list, so you have more time to sit and relax in your beautiful garden instead!

1. Use gravel or mulch 

One of the most important duties of being a plant parent is that you must water your plants regularly. But let’s be honest, everyone forgets to water the plants from time to time, or you have a weekend getaway planned and are scrambling to find someone to water them while you’re gone.

If you struggle to keep up with watering your garden, the good news is there are ways to prolong the time between waterings. 

By spreading a layer of organic mulch or gravel on top of the soil in your flowerbeds, you create natural irrigation that helps disperse moisture evenly and retains moisture for when plants need it. 

Plus, not only will you have to water less, but these materials also cut down on weed growth, so you can also cross weeding off the to-do list.

2. Utilize natural ways to keep pests at bay

If you’re not keen about scheduling regular pesticide spraying, know that you can ditch the toxic chemicals and try a more convenient strategy- relying on the genius of mother nature. 

There are plenty of plants that naturally repel common garden pests, and with a bit of research and careful plant placement, you can set up your garden so you won’t have to deal with snails, slugs, mosquitos, and other insects.

This is called companion planting, where planting certain plant varieties together offer protection. One superstar combo is marigolds and tomatoes, as marigolds are known to protect tomatoes from whiteflies.

3. Integrate native grasses, shrubs, and flowers

One of the best ways to go hands-off while boosting the local ecosystem is by integrating native plants into your garden. 

Since these plants are already well-adapted to the surrounding environment, they can more or less take care of themselves with little to no assistance from you.

Another bonus is that you won’t have to invest in pricy fertilizers and other special garden supplies to ensure grass and plants get the nutrition they need to thrive. 

They already receive what they need from the ecosystem because it’s their natural home.