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The Plant Doctor: Summer timesaving tips allow gardeners to relax

By Harvey D. Goodman

I love my garden. What I don’t love is spending most of a delightful summer day tending garden chores such as watering, pulling weeds and fighting pests (the six-legged variety).

A few timesaving tips may help you spend less time on garden chores and more time relaxing. Now if I would only practice what I preach, I could join you.

As you make new selections for your garden, try to choose plants that are native to your growing area. Native plants have evolved in climate similar to your garden for countless ages. In general, they will require far less water, fertilizer and essentially be more resistant to disease than their exotic cousins.

High maintenance perennials and annuals can be replaced with shrubs and small trees. Three to five medium-sized shrubs planted on a border once occupied by higher maintenance perennials will reduce garden chores by requiring less pruning, deadheading, watering and fertilizing. While you are selecting these new plants, look for dwarf varieties, which are bred to be small, thus the usual annual tasks such as pruning will be held to a minimum.

Early in the season, stake plants that grow tall or are particularly fragile. If you stake a plant that has already flopped over, the supports will look artificial and garish. A better, more permanent solution is to use inexpensive tomato cages to support the rapidly growing plants.

Water in the morning hours. Plants obviously require water to survive. Water sustains them during the hot day hours and provides a vital ingredient for the process of photosynthesis; however, the plants and the surrounding mulch should be dry before the cooler evening hours. Moisture left on the plants or the soil becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, fungus and a host of other pests.

A properly mulched garden, roughly about 2 to 3 inches, adds organic material to the soil while conserving moisture. Mulching will also prevent weed seeds from germinating. Less watering, less weeding — sounds good to me, and best of all, really simple.

It is highly unlikely that we will be able to avoid the de-weeding problem. While we may be successful in cutting back on the amount of weeding, some of these incredibly well-adopted organisms will find a way of causing you grief. Spend at least 15 to 30 minutes each week checking these uncompromising, invasive plants. Removing them from your garden early in the season will result in far less aggressive treatment in the future.

Just to think that a few short months ago we were complaining about the cold weather and snow, and now we are seeking ways to limit our time in the garden. I guess it’s human nature.

Questions or concerns about gardening or houseplants can be addressed by e-mail to Harvey.Goodman@att.net.