7. Time Released Fertilizer and Water Polymers Container gardens are the exception to the Feed the Soil rule above. It's not practical to use compost or garden soil in containers and so some supplemental feeding is necessary to keep the plants going. Containers also dry out more quickly than garden bed soil, especially if the bed is mulched. So start your container gardening season by adding some slow release fertilizer pellets and some polymer crystals that grab, hold and slowly release water to the plant roots. Add both at planting time. Both products are widely available at garden centers.
8. Ergonomic Tools A lot of gardening is repetitive motion and can be very stressful on the joints, especially the wrists and back. Thankfully garden tool companies have been coming out with more and better tools that work with the body, taking some of the bending and squeezing out of garden work. Look around for ratchet pruners, bent rakes, cushioned handles and trowels that don't require you to bend your wrist.
9. Wheels Watch a child with a new wagon. They can't find enough things to put in it or enough places to go. Now think about how long you've put off moving that cement bird bath or how many plants are still sitting in pots on your driveway because you didn't want to make one more trip. This is why man invented the wheel. Get yourself at least one good garden cart or wheelbarrow and don't go out into the garden without it. You can tote your tools, move plants, harvest, toss weeds right into it and glide down to the compost heap. No matter how small your plot is, you'll get more done with wheels. If you have a very large plot, consider wheels with a motor.
10. Child Labor Show your children and grandkids early in life how much fun and how exciting gardening is. They may never enjoy deadheading the petunias, I know I don't, but planting, harvesting, learning what's a weed, collecting insects - these are all activities that will get them out into the garden. All right, maybe it won't lessen the work load, but good companionship can make it seem so.Did you miss the first 5 ideas for easier gardening?
