A garden is a wonderful place to relax, unwind, and get some fresh air – by yourself or with your loved ones. There is a lot that you can do with this essential real estate, from reading a book in solitude to hosting a barbecue get-together to honing gardening as a hobby to soaking in Nature’s bounty – the list goes on. Plus, it adds tons of value to your home’s curb appeal. But as much as everyone loves a garden for its utility and aesthetic value, cleaning and maintaining a garden can be a painful task.
We have a few smart garden cleaning and maintenance tips that can make such chores more manageable. So, let’s get digging!
Get Rid of the Weeds
Eliminating weeds is the first and most obvious step to how to keep your garden clean. Think of it as spring cleaning for your garden.
Start by collecting all the twigs, branches, and dead plants. Then, rake the dead leaves and the mulch, if any. Once the top layer of dirt is gone, it is time to get down and dirty to remove the weeds. The best way to get rid of weeds is to do it mechanically. You can water the garden a few hours before you get started as uprooting weeds is easier in damp and moist soil. Alternatively, you can use a good quality hoe to loosen the soil around the weed and remove it.
For a shortcut approach, you can make a batch of DIY natural weedicide by combining four litres of white vinegar, a cup of salt, and a tablespoon of dish soap. Spray this mixture on the unwanted growth on bright sunny days and watch them die out!
Unfortunately, there is not a lot that you can do to keep the weeds out of your garden. However, you can sprinkle some corn gluten meal to suppress weeds.
Snip Off the Dead Weight
Pruning and trimming are an essential part of garden cleaning and maintenance. Getting rid of the dry and dead parts of a plant will also cut down its energy requirements while also promoting new growth and flowering. Plus, the plants will look more tidy and lively.
Get your hands on the right pruning tools to get clean cuts. Then, depending on your plants and the thickness of the stem, identify the right distance, angle, cutting point, etc., and get snipping. You will find several garden cleaning and maintenance tips that primarily focus on pruning given how vast this topic is!
Make the Grass Green on Your Side
If you have lawn grass in your garden, then you will also have to landscape it. If you live in regions where it snows or rains heavily, or if your garden sees a lot of foot traffic, then soil compaction would be the first problem plaguing your garden.
As such, start by aerating the garden by punching 3-inch deep holes throughout the garden. Loosen the soil and even introduce earthworms to keep the garden well aerated. Use compost and natural fertilisers to revive the nutrient profile of the garden soil. Finally, lay turf or plant some grass seeds to breathe a new life into the brown, patchy areas.
Bugs Can Bugger Off
Bugs and pests can be quite a nuisance, especially if your garden is already in a state of disrepair. Seeing as how these pesky creatures love taking shelter in tight and neglected spots, start by rearranging the pots and space out the plants to prevent overcrowding.
Sprinkle some food-grade diatomaceous earth on the ground as well as on the leaves, fruits, and vegetables to prevent them from skittering around your garden. Finally, know that not all insects are alike. For instance, spiders and ladybugs can prey on harmful pests and can be your secret weapon in how to keep your garden clean.
Strategise Your Plants
Strategising and purchasing certain plants can be the greatest investment and one of the best garden cleaning and maintenance tips. After all, a healthy plant is less likely to die or dry out and ruin your garden in the process! Similarly, disease-resistant plants are less likely to attract pests or ailments. Seek assistance from the employees at the nursery to pick the best variety of plants suited for your garden. The health and longevity of the plant will implicitly keep your garden clean and well-maintained.
Give your garden the TLC that it deserves – and do it as frequently as possible: this is the motto for a clean and green garden. Following a disciplined routine will lessen the intensity of the cleaning and maintenance activities and reduce the time and effort that you would otherwise have to put into “fixing” it. In addition to these garden cleaning and maintenance tips, if you seek help from design experts, get in touch with HomeLane. Our experts can help curate your home and garden to look like a scene straight from the catalogue!
