Do you love to garden, but simply don’t have the time for tool maintenance? Here are some tips that will help you keep your tools ready for gardening without taking up a lot of your time. These simple tips can help keep your tools viable for years to come.

For Larger Gardens, Keep Two Tools Handy

If you have a large yard or garden space, but not a lot of time to maintain your garden tools, the easiest way to ensure that you always have the tools you need at your disposal is to keep two of every major tool in your garden shed. Rather than relying on one favorite shovel, invest in a second shovel to keep in your tool shed. That way, if one shovel should go dull, you will always have a second one ready for use at a moments notice. Don’t let a dull shovel keep you from gardening when you have time. You may also want to keep several hand tools at your disposal.

Cover the Pipes in Cold Weather

This is an easy maintenance tip that can save your watering hose and pipes during cold weather. Keep thick protective covering on hand that you can use to wrap around your pipes during cold weather. This easy step can save you money and time on damaged pipes.

Schedule a Tool Sharpening Expedition

Many people find tool maintenance time-consuming because it seems like a tool goes dull at just the wrong moment. Sporadic repairs are time-consuming and annoying. Avoid this by scheduling a tool sharpening expedition. Take one afternoon to gather all of your tools and take them to your local tool repair or home repair shop for a thorough sharpening. Simply scheduling a tool sharpening expedition once or twice yearly will keep your tools in fine shape and ready for use at a moments notice. Gather your spade, hoe, shovel, pruning tools, garden scissors, hand tools and other gardening tools and drop them off at your local hardware store for a thorough tool sharpening.

Prevent Tool Damage By Taking a Few Easy Precautions

There are many small precautions that you can take that will prevent tool damage. These precautions should only take a few minutes out of your gardening schedule. First, protect garden tools from extreme temperature. Although this may not occur to you, exposure to excessive sunlight, rain or cold temperatures can drastically reduce the efficacy of your tools. This is where storage comes into play. If you have a tool shed, garden shed or other protective outdoor area, make sure that you gather your tools after a gardening session and store them away. This simple act can dramatically increase the longevity and efficacy of your tools. Get in the habit of putting things away, and your tools will suffer much less wear.

Keep Your Lawn Mower Properly Stored

If you are like most people who keep a green lawn, you probably have some kind of lawn mower stored away. Lawn mowers often represent the most expensive yard maintenance tools that you have. Avoid damaging your lawn mower by keeping it stored improperly. Improper storage can cut years off the life of your lawn mover. Protect your investment by keeping your lawn mower properly covered at all times. Invest in a strong, plastic lawn mower cover. Better yet, store the lawn mower in a shed or other covered location, whenever possible. Also, keeping your lawn mower cutters properly sharpened can also help increase its longevity and efficiency. Set a schedule for having the cutters sharpened at least once a year, depending on the size of your lawn and use.

Gardening is a healthy and fun hobby that can help you stay in good shape. However, gardening can also be hard on the body, especially on the knees and lower back. Here are some easy exercise tips that can help you avoid garden injuries.

Stretch Before a Long Garden Session

If you are planning a long day in the garden, prepare your body by stretching properly. Just as you might stretch before a long walk or run, gardening often consists of several repeated movements, causing your muscles to become strained or even causing injury. Any experienced gardener knows that a long day in the garden is often followed by a few aches and muscle soreness the following day. Avoid this by making certain that you stretch your body, paying special attention to your legs and lower back. Make certain that your muscles are properly ‘warmed up’ before you hit the garden.

Stretches to Keep Your Body Flexible and Injury-Free

Here are some tips on stretching to keep your body flexible and injury-free during your gardening session. Do a sun stretch by interlocking your fingers and stretching your hands over your head in a long comfortable stretch. Warm up your knees for the gardening session ahead by sitting on the ground with your legs stretched out before you. Reach for your toes with your fingertips while keeping your legs straight. Hold the stretch for a few seconds time, and then repeat. Finally, stand up and reach for your toes while keeping your legs straight. Do not strain yourself. Hold the stretch for a few seconds.

Use the Right Kind of Gardening Tools

In recent years, research has brought to attention the importance of using ergonomic tools. Every tool you use should fit well in your hand. If the tool you pick up does not immediately feel comfortable in your grip, chances are that it can cause an injury. When buying garden hand tools, look for those with firm yet flexible rubber grips. Avoid oversized hand tools that do not fit comfortable in your hands. Choose gardening gloves that are thick enough to prevent cuts and pricks from thorns and needles. As for spades, shovels and other larger gardening tools, make sure that wooden handles are smooth and free from splinters. Even if you have a favorite spade, hoe or shovel, if it has a rough handle, put it aside until the handle can be replaced or smoothed down. Splinters are painful and can cause infection.

Avoid Knee Troubles By Using a Garden Cushion

Gardening accessories and tools are now being designed with the gardener’s comfort in mind. Many gardeners suffer from knee injuries from remaining kneeled on the hard ground for long stretches of time. Avoid this by using a handy garden knee cushion. If you plan on working on the same bed or space of land for an extended period of time, these inexpensive garden cushions can be a comfortable way to save your knees.

Vary Your Body Motions and Take Plenty of Breaks

One of the easiest ways to avoid knee and back problems while gardening is to make sure that you are varying your body movements and taking plenty of breaks. It may seem like common sense, but it can be very easy to become involved in a garden project and forget to take breaks and stretch. Do not ignore aches. As soon as you feel your legs, knees, back or other area begin to ache, take a break and change position. Instead of working on one long involved garden project, vary your tasks so that you are frequently moving.

Container gardening is a very easy way of growing flowers, herbs and vegetables. While tilling, weeding and planting plants in a big backyard patch can consume many hours and even days, container gardening is much faster.

All you need is essentially a good size container, a bag of good potting soil and the plant that you want to grow. There is no tilling, no weeding and no digging holes to plant the plants. Just add some soil about half way up the container, set your plant in and then fill around the plant with more soil. Container gardening is fast and easy and can even be achieved by busy people.

If you think you are too busy to have a garden and a healthy crop of vegetables, think again. There are many vegetables that do not need much attention. After planting, besides the quick watering, there are only a few other smaller things that need to be done to a container garden.

As we just found out, planting a container garden can be done in a very short amount of time. After you planted your chosen vegetables or herbs, the plant needs to be watered on regular bases, as well as fertilized. If you want to make your regular fertilizing efficient and fast to safe you time, just buy one of the liquid or powder fertilizers that can be added to the watering can and therefore combine the two steps into one.

Considering that you most likely will not have to weed a container garden, you save a lot of time. If you used proper gardening or potting soil bought at your local garden center you will have controlled soil in your container that should not grow any weeds.

During the growing season you might have to get some supports to help your plants support the vegetables. This task is also fairly fast done. At the time you buy your containers, soil and plants, just go ahead and buy some plant stakes that you later than just insert into the soil close to the plant and then attach the plant with some string or gardening wire to the stake. This should not take you more than a few minutes per plant and your crop is secured.

When getting ready for your container garden, make a list where you write down the essentials that you will need during the growing season. If you are able to get everything that is necessary to grow your plants right away before you start you will be able to safe a lot of time. You will have any and all accessories on hand and get your maintenance tasks done within minutes. This way having a container garden and getting a great crop at the end of the growing season is even possible for busy people. Whether you run from appointment to appointment or you work long hours, a container garden will need a few minutes of care at the end of the day from you, a few minutes that are surely possible in even the busiest schedule.

Some of these tasks can even be done by other family members if necessary. If you prepare the watering can the night before, your kids or other household members will be able to water your plants on the days that you might not be home because you are on business trip or similar. Even your neighbor might be able to help out on those days that you are out of town since it is so fast and easy to take care of a container garden. So go ahead and start one now, you will love the result and be proud of yourself when you harvest the first vegetables that you planted.

Annual plants are known for their seasonal color and showy blooms. Indeed, the best way to make your garden sparkle with color and texture is by planting seasonal annuals. There are some annuals that require constant attention and are designed to bloom for only a short period. However, there are also many easy annual plants that have a long growing and blooming season. Here are some top choices for easy annual plants that come back year after year.

Alyssum – Sweet Honey Scent Returns Every Year

Alyssum is an annual plant that should be planted from October through April. It is readily available as seed or nursery stock. It is low growing, reaching a maximum height of six inches. It grows well alongside roses and bulbs, and helps to hid drying foliage on these plants. Alyssum reseeds white, pink and lavender flower and grows well along the edges of your garden. The hardy annual releases a rich honey scent and reseeds every year, several times throughout the season. Alyssum likes full sun and alkaline soil, except in the summertime, where it thrives in afternoon shade to prolong its bloom. The Alyssum is known to attract many beneficial insects and is known to attract butterflies. If you want some friendly visitors in your garden each summer, consider this easy annual plant.

Bachelor’s Buttons – Long Blooming Annual

If you are looking for an easy, long blooming annual, then bachelor’s buttons may be just what you’re looking for. This annual should be planted in full sun from September through November. It is available as seed or nursery stock. It is known to attract bees and other beneficial pollinators, and is known to benefit wheat crops and rye. This annual is traditionally blue, but it is now available in a variety of shades, mostly pinks and purples. It makes a good cut flower and is known to be very long blooming. Bachelor’s buttons are also known as cornflower, because they are known to grow along rows of cornfields.

Chrysanthemum – A Beautiful, Disease-Free Annual for Your Garden

Are you looking for a hardy annual that is not prone to disease? The Chrysanthemum is a flower that is known for its classic beauty and scent. It is an annual that should be planted between October through April, and it is available as seed and nursery stock. It is a low-growing plant that reaches eight to ten inches in height, with many small flowers. Most of these plants bloom white with yellow centers. This flower is known to attract many beneficial insects, including butterflies and other pollinators. The Chrysanthemum has long been recognized as a good companion to the lettuce. It is also known to be free of pests and disease. You can plant the Chrysanthemum with bulbs and as edgings throughout your garden.

Dianthus – An Annual with a Perennial Flair

If you want an annual that often acts like a perennial, dianthus, sometimes referred to as Pinks, will last from year to year with proper care. Plant Dianthus in full sun from mid-August to February making sure that the plants gets afternoon shade. They are available as seed or nursery seed. This plant needs good drainage, and grows well as a low-growing border plant in front of taller plants in your garden. They are known to attract many beneficial insects, and their bright colors are known as crowd-pleasers in the garden. If you compost, you will want to compost all the spent blooms and clippings, because they are known to release rich minerals. Dianthus is known as an old favorite, treasured for its spicy scent and long bloom period.

Even if you do not have a big back yard and space for a big vegetable garden you can still grow vegetables such as tomatoes. Tomatoes are a great first vegetable to try in a container garden. Container gardens can be cultivated on balconies, patios, outdoor window sills, along the driveway or even on a roof top. There are a few essential tips to container gardening that you should keep in mind.

First of all, when starting your container garden, whether it is from seed or from a young plant from your local garden center, the soil is essential. Many plants are very sensitive to the soil they are planted in. Unlike weeds, fruit and vegetable bearing plants do not grow everywhere and even if they grow on some minor soils, they might not bring they crop they would on a good soil. So get your pots clean and ready with a good soil recommended for gardening. Also keep in mind, that the container needs to be at least 5 gallons or more to properly support the growth of the plant.

Your second important choice is the plant itself. Tomatoes come in a great variety of sizes, colors and tastes. From cherry and olive tomatoes over plum tomatoes to big size sandwich tomatoes (such as fat boy), it is all available. Besides the size and taste of the tomato the size of the plant falls within this size. Some tomato plant get to a full grown height of only a few feet while others might grow up to 5 feet tall. If your space or height is limited where you are planning to cultivate your container garden, make sure that you pick one of the smaller varieties. A friendly employee at your local garden center should be able to direct you to a good variety such as the bushy types for container gardening.

Even in a container garden it is important to support tomatoes properly. The tomato fruit actually is very heavy for the weak branches of the plant; therefore it is necessary to attach the tomato plant to some kind of a support such as planting stakes, tomatoes cages or small trellises.

Tomatoes generally need 5-6 hours minimum of sun so pick your spot for the container garden appropriately. Do not pick the shade side of the house, too little sun will not ripen your tomatoes in time and also minimizes the chance of a good crop. The more sun the better will your tomato plants grow and most likely the more tomatoes you will harvest.

Tomatoes need to be watered on a daily bases in hot or dry climates. Generally it is better for tomatoes if they are not watered from above, but rather from below. This should be easier achievable in a container garden, since you will generally water fewer plants than in a big backyard vegetable garden. Also keep in mind containers, planting pots and hanging baskets dry out much faster than regular soil in a big garden.

Very important for container gardens besides the regular watering is fertilizing. Container gardens have a small amount of soil compared to the big surrounding of a vegetable garden in the back yard and therefore the amount of food for the plants contained within the container is much smaller. Regular fertilizing is necessary to provide the tomato plant with the essential nutrients to support a big crop and grow properly.

Tomato container gardening is a very possible undertaking for many different occasions. Tomatoes are such a versatile ingredient and can be used in salads, as snack, in soups, salsas, chili’s and much more.

Gardening can be a healthy and fun way to beautify your environment and get some exercise. But it is nearly impossible to get anything done in the garden with efficiency if you do not spend some time organizing your gardening tools and materials. If you have a shed that is full of clutter, this alone is probably costing you a lot of valuable gardening time. Here are some tips for conquering the clutter in your shed in order to make gardening easier.

What’s in that Old Shed, Anyways?

If you haven’t peeked in that shed for a while, chances are that this is question worth asking. What is in that old shed? Is it a place where you have stored old tools, planting soil or building materials? Chances are that you might even have a few hidden treasures in that old shed that you completely forgot you had. The first step to organizing your gardening so that it becomes a more efficient and pleasant practice is to take a full inventory of what is in your gardening shed. Cross off a whole afternoon for this task, or (depending on the size of the shed) a whole day. Wear thick work gloves and begin to remove items so that you can get a close look at all those things you’ve had stored away.

Determine Whether Your Shed Needs Repair

You may find that your old shed is need of repair. Depending on the type of building materials, sheds are often prone to rust, wood rot, roof problems or other types of repairs. Are you willing to invest the money and time for a proper repair? Decide whether the shed is still viable, and whether it would be more cost-effective to repair or replace it. In many cases, your shed may just need a thorough sweeping and clearing out. Now is the time to get that project done.

Decide What’s Useful and What’s Not

Once you have dragged out all those things in your gardening shed and taken stock of what you have, it is time to decide what is useful and what’s not. Many of us store old tools in our garden sheds that aren’t quite what they used to be. Decide which tools are still useful to you, and which are well past their prime. Separate your old tools into two piles: tools that can be repaired, and tools that would be better off being discarded. If you find that you have accumulated a lot of tools that are in need of repair, make an appointment to get them fixed and stick to this day. You can get axes and old-fashioned mowers re-sharpened at home repair shops. Conversely, make a date to get rid of the tools that you do not need anymore, or those that are well beyond repair, and stick to this date.

Designate Space and Corners

Once you have cleared out your shed, it is time to organize for maximum efficiency. You want to make your shed as user-friendly as possible. That is, ask yourself: what can I do to make my shed work for me? If you haven’t stepped foot into your shed before now, why did you avoid it? Was it too dirty, too cluttered or just too unpleasant? Use these guidelines to determine how you should organize your shed. Designate space for your tools, pots, gardening material and leave enough space so that you can easily enter and exit the shed. To prevent future clutter, set a new rule: every time you store something new in your gardening shed, one item must come out (and stay out). Make your garden shed work for you, and you will find that gardening will become much more efficient.

Xeriscaping is a type of gardening that is quickly becoming more popular as the importance of water conservation and sustainable gardening becomes more popular. Xeriscaping refers to a type of gardening that is done with little water. A xeriscape garden usually features plants that require low water use, and that can be sustained on little rainfall and infrequent watering. For these reasons, xeriscaping is most commonly used in desert gardens, although the principles of xeriscaping can be applied to any climate.

Why Xeriscaping Works for Amateurs for Gardeners with Limited Garden Time

The principles of xeriscaping are sustainable and earth-friendly, but they can also be a viable way to garden if you have a limited amount of time and resources. Xeriscaping can work for the amateur gardener because it involves hardy plants that survive (and in some cases, even thrive) with minimal care and attention. A properly maintained xeriscape garden does not require frequent watering, and it can withstand a certain amount of neglect. These are hardy, tough gardens that can withstand extreme temperatures, while still adding beauty and richness to the environment. Here are some key principles to keep in mind if you are considering starting your own xeriscape garden.

Avoid Impulse Buy at the Nursery and Choose Your Plants with Care

When it comes to establishing a healthy and viable xeriscape garden, plant selection is key above all else. Walking up and down the aisles at your local nursery store, it can be very tempting to pick the plants with the showiest blooms. But are they right for your garden? But you should resist the urge to pick out just any plant. For a xeriscape garden, you will want to select the right plant for the right place.

Where Will You Be Planting?

In order to select the right plant for the right place, you will want to determine exactly where you will be planting. What are the key characteristics of the planting site? Important factors to consider include sunlight, water needs, climate and soil type. Choose plants that are well suited to the planting location. Smart plant choices will save you a lot of grief in the long run.

For Your Xeriscape Garden, Choose Low Water Usage Plants

Drought-tolerant, low water usage plants are the backbone of any xeriscape garden. If you don’t know which plants are low water use plants in your area, ask your local nursery expert to direct you to hardy perennials that do not require frequent watering. Choosing hardy perennials is the best way to ensure that you are getting low water usage plants that will thrive in your xeriscape garden. Also, consider focusing on plants that are native to your area. Native plants are already adapted to your growing climate, and thus will almost always require less water than more exotic plants. Native plants have the benefit of thousands of years in one area, and thus are better suited for their specific region than exotic plants.

Liven Up Your Xeriscape Garden with Multipurpose Plants

Perhaps you think that a xeriscape garden will result in a dull display. This is not true, especially if you plant multipurpose plants. These are plants that fulfill more than one purpose at a time, especially if you would like to attract birds, butterflies or wildlife. Choose native plants that can provide you with natural year-round foliage, periodical blooms and that can attract local birds or butterflies. Native plants are often the primary source of food for native birds and other wildlife. If you are trying to attract certain birds or other animals into your garden, then this is another compelling reason to invite native plants into your xeriscape garden.

I’ve bought for everyone but my grandfather. He’s 82 and loves gardening and water gardening. Usually, I get him a bird feeder (he loves bird watching) or something that has to do with hummingbirds. This year I’m at a loss. I’m a first year teacher on my own and on a very limited budget. Any ideas?

Every time I buy a houseplant or look something up that’s related to any kind of gardening I get completely lost in all the terminology, latin names, etc.

I’d like to get better at gardening and growing things without having to get my degree in horticulture. Are there any sources (websites/books) for beginners who don’t understand all the “big words” ?

Instead of spending your weekend sitting in front of the tube again, why not devote one weekend to creating a patio that you will be able to then enjoy for many weekends to come? You don’t need a large back yard to have room for a patio – a mini patio of any size can be just right for giving you and your family a little outside oasis to enjoy and a place to escape from the stresses of the work week. The good news is that creating a patio that looks great can be a snap, and you don’t have to be a DIY expert to get the job done.

Adding a mini patio to your home is good for you and it is good for your pocket book. You will get plenty of enjoyment from your patio, whether you use it as a place to sit out and bask in the glow of the sun in the summer, a quiet place to read away from the hustle and bustle of kids and family or a place to throw impromptu neighborhood barbeques. Along with all of that personal enjoyment, you will also see a nice increase to the property value of your home. A patio adds instant value to your home, and when it comes time to sell, you will be able to sell potential buyers of the benefits of all of the things you used the patio to do when you owned the home.

To add a patio to your home, the first thing you need to do is decide where you want to put it. Of course, the ideal place is directly outside a backdoor to your home, so you can step out of the home and onto the patio. If you don’t have a backdoor, or if it is not practical to put a patio outside of the door, fear not. You can still enjoy your patio even if you have to walk around the house to get to it.

If you are going to place the patio away from the backdoor, consider a few other factors when placing your patio. Do you have a nice, large tree in your backyard that offers tons of shade? Do you have swing set, garden, big flower bed, or water feature in your yard? Place you patio near the other amenities in your yard so you can enjoy them all together. Just be mindful to look for level ground – placing your patio on a slope will make laying the foundation difficult and make the patio less “user friendly.”

Once you have decided where to place your patio, measure off the area and head to your local hardware store. The foundation of the patio can be anything from concrete to brick to slate, but when choosing the foundation, consider the area in which you live. If you get a lot of rain, slate may be a bad choice because it is slippery, for instance. Your local hardware store should be able to advise you on which materials stand up best to the elements in your area, as well as which materials are most compatible with your skill level – pouring concrete is easier than laying bricks, for instance.

When the patio foundation is in, you can consider the other little features that will bring your work to life. A rod iron fence surrounding the patio, an outdoor lamp or fireplace, a nice new grill – all of these additions can give your patio “wow” factor. Your imagination is the limit when it comes to adding these finishing touches to your new patio – the only rule is to make it the perfect outdoor oasis for you.