Ways to make gardening easy and more enjoyable.

Do to health and aging (yea I know 60's is not that old) but, sometimes we need to find ways to K.I.S.S in the garden. Here is a place to share where we found ways to make our gardening life a bit easier and more time to stop and sniff the flowers.

I had found myself constantly stopping to go back to the garage or house for sometime I forgot. I got a gardening apron and I keep my gloves, which I was constantly misplacing, a bottle of water fits in there and clippers, seed packs and markers, depending on what I am doing I add or remove before I start. It sure cuts down on walking around to get something. Tip: get an apron with long ties, easier to wrap and tie in the front then tie in the back.

When touring my garden looking to deadhead or pull a few new weeds I take with me a bucket for collection, along with gloves, clippers and my hand weeder. I finish the tour at the compost pile.

I am really bad at being simple and efficient but my latest idea is to take a certain tool, say hand clippers, and tour the yard with small pruning in mind. Kind of what you say with the pruners and bucket. "task-oriented gardening" LOL. I typically walk out into the yard with no plan at all, just the desire to mess around. I find myself wasting time wanting to do a big variety of jobs and never having the right tool. Hm, that the same way I do (don't do) housework.
Right now I have a quantity of potting mix, mixed in a wide tub and with several sizes of pots and a trowel in it too. Why do I love the act of potting so much?? Its handy, can pot right over/ in the tub and it collects the spill.

Chris, They say the older you get the more we think of "The Here After", well I for one can vouch for that. It seems to be more and more I get down to the barn and have to ask myself, "What the heck are you here after?"LOL On a bad day I can't remember till I get back to the job at hand and then decide I really didn't need it in the first place. Ric

LOL, Ric, I have been doing that for years, that not old age, but a sign of a busy mind, planning out the next move. You just don't forget, it just gets push under the minds piles of papers and you have to retrieve it. ....Hey, any excuse will do!!

I have a wagon, that was my DH,s when he was little, It rusted and he built a wooden box that is about 3-4 inches high on the frame. DD used to play with it. Now it is a great tool to wheel around the garden with my plants in it when I am deciding where to plant them. Holds 2 flats + a few extra 6 packs.

Since my yard is not so big--I keep everything under my patio roog on one of 2 tables. Not too far to go to get anything. At the most--I have to walk around the house...

One of the best "tools" of all is one of those heavy duty "Gardening scissors". They are made by Fiskars and sell for $9.97 at HD. They last forever-----the blade has a notch neat the upper part that allows you to cut small branches with it too.
I think I own 3 of them.... Makes walking around, with snipping this or that on my mind--easier...

I also keep 2 big trash cans, lined plastic trash bags, outside at all times. One is for Garden trash (veg. material)--the other one is for NON-garden trash....all other trash.

OK! Have to get ready for work....It is freezing outside----Hmmmmmmmm wonder where i will set up my table today???? Might have to find a spot inside.. Highs will only be 60*......

Gita

Gita, good tip on the 2 trash bags.
I tie a plastic grocery bag to the handle of my garden cart, and my weed bucket to collect candy wrappers, Styrofoam cups, beer cans and other trash that gets blown and tossed in my yard.
Convience, small grocery store and bars not far away, so by the time they walk by the house it's time to throw their trash away.

If I didn't have to share a shed with hubby, that would make my time more enjoyable...lol

Jen, You need a potting area like Holly's, I like hers. Not big, but your own space.

It is really surprising how weather proof that shed is considering that one side is open. I was out there today. Ric made me a board that will sit across a wheelbarrow and when I pot up a lot of stuff I usually park a wheelbarrow full of potting soil next to the potting shed and do the potting on the board. With my tools and containers on the potting shed shelf.

Hubby owes me an entire potting shed...that was an anniversary gift from last September...Have I gotten it yet???? NOOOOO