8 Tips to Keep Gardening Fun

Gardening lifts the spirits, relieves stress and yields great satisfaction when you eat the fruits of your labor. However, the weeding, watering and constant battle of the bugs makes for hard work. There
 are easy solutions to many tough jobs in the garden. Use these tips to keep gardening fun and less of a job.

Grass It Up

Keep weeds at bay by spreading your grass clippings between plants. A thick layer of 2 to 3 inches traps the weeds under a dark blanket and keeps them from germinating. The grass clippings break down through the year and make an excellent additive to the soil. You can also use newspapers, cardboard or dried leaves to create a weed barrier. All of these components will decompose into the soil.

Wet It Down

Grab some 5-gallon buckets from your local bakery or fast food restaurant and place them at the farthest edges of your garden. Cover the tops with a piece of screening. Attach a small plastic cup to the bucket handle. These buckets capture rain water and keep water handy for a quick drink for the plants. This works great in the evenings when you are strolling through and see a drooping plant. Simply fill the cup and water the plant.

Net It Up

Save those netting bags your onions and other produce come in to protect your garden goodies from predators. Fasten the netting around large tomatoes, strawberry plants or other items you wish to keep bird and bug free. Use lady's nylons stockings or panty-hose for the same purpose. If you grow cucumbers and squash vertically, keep the vegetables from dropping off the vine by suspending them in a stocking made of netting or nylons.

Screen Savers

Keep those pesky bugs out of your potted plants by covering the drainage hole, at the bottom, with a piece of window screen. Cover with a layer of pebbles and add your soil. You may also lay a section of screen around the stem of the plant to keep cats or other pests from digging in the dirt.
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