Too busy to tend to your garden? Experts reveal their time-saving tips
Juggling work, family, cooking and cleaning can be tricky.
Add keeping up with your garden maintenance and that might just tip you over the edge.
Research by Gumtree has found that nearly a third of people in the UK don’t think they have the time to dedicate themselves to their garden.
But experts say it doesn’t need to be difficult to have a lovely outdoor space.
“Even if you love being outside, finding the time (and energy) to keep up with weeding, watering, or just basic tidying can feel like a lot,” says gardening expert for Gumtree, Michael Griffiths.
He offers these five time-saving tips on making the most of your outdoor space without it becoming overwhelming.
1. Make low-maintenance plant choices
When planning your garden greenery, go for plants that pretty much look after themselves. Hardy perennials, evergreen shrubs and ornamental grasses are solid choices that don’t need constant attention and are more guaranteed to look great no matter the time of year, he says.
Time-poor gardeners should skip the high-maintenance annual plants that always require watering and deadheading; they’re pretty, but needy. Slow-growing or compact varieties save you time on pruning, and groundcovers like creeping thyme or hardy geraniums are great for filling gaps and keeping things low-effort.
2. Water without hassle
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Save yourself time on watering by installing a simple drip irrigation kit or soaker hose on a timer, which will save you loads of time, especially in summer. It may take a bit of effort at the beginning, but will pay off in a heatwave.
“Alternatively, if you want to cut watering down, mulch is your best friend,” he says. It locks in moisture and keeps the soil cool, so your plants stay happier for longer.
If you’re a fan of garden pots, go for fewer, bigger ones, as they hold moisture better and don’t dry out so fast so you won’t need to spend as much time watering, he advises. Containers on wheels are also a game-changer, making it easy to shuffle things into the shade or shelter when needed.
“Another clever trick is arranging your plants by how thirsty they are. This is guaranteed to streamline your upkeep, as it makes watering quicker and avoids you overdoing it on the low-maintenance ones.”
3. Weed little and often
Weeding is one of those tasks that busy gardeners put off the most, but delaying it can turn a molehill into a mountain. Five or 10 minutes here and there, once or twice a week, is way easier and less time-consuming than trying to tackle a jungle once a month, he says.
“The trick is to catch weeds early, before they flower or set seed. Grab a hoe and whip round on a dry day, or get stuck in after the rain when the ground’s still soft, meaning the roots come out easily. Keep a bucket or trug handy so you can do a quick sweep whenever you’re out in the garden. It adds up and saves you loads of hassle later.”
4. Prune with purpose
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Pruning can be tricky as it depends on the time of year and the plant, but always stick to snipping out the three Ds – anything dead, diseased or damaged. And don’t stress about making everything look perfect.
“It helps to batch your jobs too, like having a ‘pruning day’ or a ‘weeding hour’, instead of jumping between tasks. Keep your tools sharp to help you cut cleanly and avoid additional faffing about,” he suggests.
5. Choose the right plant for the right place
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Stick with plants that like your garden conditions, instead of battling to keep something alive that doesn’t want to be there, he advises. If a plant is constantly sulking or looking rough, it’s OK to let it go.
Fast hacks
Tools: Keep your go-to tools like secateurs, gloves, and twine in a trug or garden caddy so you’re not constantly running back to the shed. This will take the pain out of doing a quick weed whip-around or pruning session.
Plan it: A rough garden plan or sketch helps you stay on top of what’s where, and making quick notes on your phone when you plant something saves you re-Googling it every spring.
Shop online: If you shop online for plants you don’t get distracted by something you don’t need while meandering through the garden centre, saving both time and money.
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