We’ve barely been able to get outside in our gardens because of cold and snowy weather. Conditions seem to be improving and temperatures are warming up.
At last.
Here are some of my go-to seasonal garden hacks that you might find helpful as the season begins. I’ve also included one of my favorite upcycle tips for a spot of glitter and shine for your outdoor garden space.
Cleaning up
While cleaning up the landscape, reaching for debris and blown-in leaves in low-growing shrubs and evergreens can scratch your arms, even when wearing long sleeve shirts. Sleeve guard products are available to purchase in stores and online, but why not use what you have on hand? I take old tube socks and cut off the toe end, then place the rest of the sock over my hands and up the forearms. Tuck the end inside garden gloves and voila — instant sock sleeves. They will provide additional protection for many small jobs in the landscape, plus they wash up well. For thorny shrubs, including roses, use thick leather gloves that are long enough to protect forearms.
When pruning dead branches on dense shrubs and trees, I use an old cookie sheet to protect nearby branches from being nicked or cut by my pruning saw. If needed, enlist some help to hold the cookie sheet in place.
Garden cleanup in the spring is a must, and getting all the organic matter moved over to the compost pile or bin can be a chore. Instead of schlepping in my arms, make piles of debris on a tarp, or an old shower curtain, even an inexpensive dog pool. Just grab a corner to easily slide the mass closer to the compost pile. Reuse the tarp or shower curtain for the trunk or back hatch area of your car to keep the area clean after plant shopping.
If you wish to avoid working outside in full sun conditions, bring some shade wherever you go. Attach a golf umbrella to a garden fork and move the fork around your landscape as you go from task to task. I use a large metal clip from the hardware store, but heavy wire work or even duct tape.
Unexpected items that work well in the garden
Put needle-nose pliers to work in the garden. Weeds that grow between flagstone, cracks or tight places are pesky, chronic annoyances from spring through fall. Use needle nose pliers for a firm grip that pulls weeds right out. If the weed is watered before pulling, the root should come out easily too.
Straining backs to reach for debris and dry leaves in groundcovers, beds and shrubs is a concern for gardeners of all ages. Use those grilling tools instead as extended reachers and grabbers in the garden.
Pruners can get very sticky when used outside to cut out dead areas from pine trees and junipers. Use a quick squirt of nonstick cooking spray on your pruners over a bucket (not on or near plants) to keep pruners from gumming up. The spray brand shouldn’t matter. Just wipe them clean before putting them away for the day.
Nothing spoils a good day in the garden than finding cat feces. Cats and some other unwanted four-legged garden visitors don’t like the smell of citrus, so I tear up pieces of orange rind, and sprinkle them around areas where cats do their thing. Seems to be working well in our yard. Lemon and lime work, too.
Upcycle a mirror for an image you’ll love!
A friend has a natural knack for decorating outside and indoors. She found an interesting old mirror at a secondhand store, and attached it to the side of her garage. Right below the mirror, she also fastened a wooden flower box (plastic should work, too). Be sure the box has drainage holes.
She filled the box with potting soil and planted sun-loving annuals for the south-facing location. The result is fun and eye-catching. It’s a sure conversation starter for summer parties. Plus, when walking by you can sneak a peek to see if your hair is in place.
Betty Cahill speaks and writes about gardening in Colorado. Visit her at http://gardenpunchlist.blogspot.com/ for more gardening articles.
