Stay Out From Behind The Eight Ball Set Aside Tine For Maintenance As you enter into yet another year of gardening and the hustle of a new planting season, it's easy to get caught up in the same routines and habits as you did the year before and the year before that. As for me, I've found that I get so caught up my many projects, the planting, lawn mowing, etc. that I seem to always get caught behind the "eight-ball" when it comes to the normal maintenance items. You know what I mean - weeding, mulching, tying up those vining plants, pruning, staking, etc. When it comes to gardening and other outdoor chores, my background in industrial maintenance seems to go by the wayside when it comes to taking care of what I have first. But the last few years I have been trying something that has been working very well in preventing getting behind the eight-ball and having to play catch up. It is simply the practice of setting aside one day each week to do nothing but "maintenance" items. Getting caught up on weeding, tying up plants, edging beds, mulching, etc. The principal is so simple and works so well that I don't know why I didn't try it before. The problem for me, and I think for most folks, is that you will get busy doing what you planned and then you'll see or think about this or that project that you wanted to do and the next thing you know, you're working on everything but maintenance items. The next thing you know, the day's over and you've done very little on your maintenance list. In a word - DISCIPLINE. Or rather a lack of it. The result of this lack of discipline is areas of your garden that are overrun by weeds, plants sprawling all over the place and mulching that now needs to be done under and around fully grown plants, etc. It always takes much more time to catch up than to prevent it from happening in the first place. This year try setting aside just one day each week to do nothing but maintenance items and enjoy your garden more. Take some time as you go about your normal activities to note some items that need done around the garden or landscape. Some of the things you might notice and make note of are (yes, you need to write them down or you'll probably not remember them when you're ready to start): Areas where some special weeding needs to be done. Shrubs or plants that need some pruning or tied up. Stakes that need to be installed before tall plants get to tall and blow over. A planting bed that needs edged and defined. Low hanging tree limbs that get in the way every time you mow. Mulching that needs done BEFORE it gets hot and dry. Fertilizing that seems to always get put off, when it would be more effective done earlier. Insect controls for some plant pests you noticed earlier. Controls for those slugs you keep finding when you go out at night (really nasty when you find them under a bare foot at night! - YUCK). How about those plants that need to be dug and divided?
But do you simply target the garden and landscape? Well, is the garden the only thing in your outdoor world? For most - NO. So what about your outdoor entertaining area? These are normally full of things that need to be done on a regular basis. Some things I look for: Clean and reseal the deck or patio. This can save you hundreds of dollars in repair costs if done regularly. Cleaning that patio furniture and repainting where needed. Here again, you've probably invested a lot of money in that furniture that is exposed to the elements. It only makes sense to take care of it. Cleaning that grill. Why not get it cleaned now so that it is ready to use, rather than wait until you're ready to grill. Outdoor lighting. A great many folks have lighting that needs repaired, but they never seem to think about it until they are ready to spend an evening outdoors. How about that outdoor art and statuary? These often need a little cleaning and repainting from time to time in order to continue to delight us. Do you have an outdoor water feature? These must have regular maintenance and cleaning in order to function properly. How about mosquito control? A simple application of a Bt product will safely control mosquitoes without harming other wildlife.
These are just a few things that plaque many outdoor folks when it comes to regular maintenance items. What do have around your little piece of the world? What items seem to always get you behind and have you playing catch-up? Think about last year and check your notes from last year. These are the items to start with first and then it's just a matter of teaching yourself the discipline of staying out from behind the "eight-ball" by devoting just one day each week. Give it a try this year. I'll bet that if you can learn the discipline of taking care of what you already have BEFORE you add to it, you'll find that you can enjoy what you have even more and not feel like you're always playing catch-up. the "Hillbilly Gardener" |
