Maintaining your garden is an essential part of being a homeowner. It’s an extension of your property, and if you never head out there to mow the lawn or keep the bushes neat, more than just your neighbors will start to complain!
That being said, a lot of the work that goes into the garden can be tricky. It takes a lot of energy, there are a lot of tools to get used to, and you can never be sure if you’ve really pulled up that last weed!
Even small and cutesy gardens will require a lot of upkeep to remain neat, tidy, and comfortable, and some of those jobs will be a bit tricky. Indeed, if moss has moved in after the area has gotten wet – and seeing as it’s out of the sun, the fencing panels you used have never been able to dry out – you’ll have an extensive task ahead of you.
But the more you know about the hardest elements of garden upkeep, the more manageable you’ll find the jobs you need to get on with. As such, here’s what every homeowner should know about taking care of a garden, and especially what that could eventually entail.
Wildlife Can Be Vicious
We like to think of the outdoor world as being quite the nice place. The grass is green, the sun is out, there’s a gentle breeze, and you can see bees floating around your flower beds. What a lovely place to spend time in!
But don’t forget, wildlife can be vicious. You might come down one day to find a dead fox, badger, or hedgehog in your garden, or indeed, some birds that have fallen to the ground and never flown off again.
Clearing these up won’t be a pleasant thing, but you’ll need to remove them from the area to prevent other predators from being attracted and making their way under the fence. Not to mention how ‘germy’ animals like these can be, and illness can quite quickly spread when they’re not disposed of properly.
Your local government will put up information on safely dealing with these things in your area, but generally, make sure you use protection when picking things up, and try to cordon off the area if you have children or pets who like to use the garden as well.
Sometimes You’ll Have to Cut Down Trees
You’re probably not a tree surgeon, by any means, but there may come a time when you need to hack down the big tree at the back of your garden. It’s probably become overgrown and hangs into the gardens of all your neighbors, and you’re not convinced it’ll be best to call someone to come and do it for you.
At a time like this, you’ll need to know how to use a chainsaw, and you’ll definitely need to own one that you’re comfortable in handling. You’ll then need to get an idea of how to approach the tree during the cut, as you don’t want the trunk coming down all in one go. That’ll be hard to lift and remove when it’s fallen to the ground.
You’ll also want to prepare the space as efficiently as you can, which means knowing where the tree pieces are likely to fall, and how you can ensure little to no damage occurs.
The Weeds Always Come Back
We said it above and we’ll say it again – weeds always come back! Even the most manicured lawn can see weed growth within a couple days, and a lot of homeowners out there struggle to keep weeds from breaking up their patios.
Be aware of just how much work you may have to put into weed removal. You’re going to need to be proactive in spotting them, and as much as you can, pull them up from the root. Getting rid of the root gets rid of the whole plant, and it’ll be a longer time between anything new growing and the same one growing again.
Or if you’re able to, why not let the weeds call your garden home as well? If you’re not finding them all that intrusive, simply letting them grow and then just snipping them back in the same way you would the lawn is the way to do it.
Remembering to Water Can Get Away From You
How often do you water your garden? Most people need to do so once a week, if the rain hasn’t gotten there first. Even with this schedule in mind, though, there’s a chance you’ve forgotten one or two weeks in a row.
As such, your flowers are wilting a little, and the soil feels a little dry when you dig your trowel into it. Really, a lapse in memory like this could derail any of the gardening progress you’ve made.
Storms Can Leave Garden Buildings Worse for Wear
If you’ve got a shed in your garden, don’t get too comfortable with seeing it where it is, or indeed, in the condition it is. You could wake up one day after a storm has rained down on you and find the roof ripped off, the windows put out, and the unit itself on the other side of the garden.
Even when you’re sure it’s been held down appropriately, bad weather can get a hold of it, and we’ve been seeing some pretty fast winds going round lately! Above all, on stormy days and nights, make sure nothing truly important is loose inside a shed.
Garden maintenance is rarely all that easy, but most of it is something you can get through in an hour. That being said, some jobs will be unwieldy and take a lot out of you! Be prepared for these ahead of time, and make sure you only take them on when you’ve got enough time in your schedule. Plus, there’s always the option of calling a professional gardener to come and take care of the worst of things for you!