The Quick-Thumb Gardener

The Quick-Thumb Gardener

New time-saving techniques are transforming the green thumb's art

The average American adult has a third less time for leisure than 30 years ago, according to a recently published book, The Overworked American, by Juliet Schor. But what free time there is, is increasingly being devoted to gardening. According to a number of surveys, three out of every four American households participate in some type of regular gardening, making it the leading leisure-time activity in the United States.

As with everything else, however, time pressures are transforming the way many backyard gardeners are pursuing their avocation. Shor-cuts are in much demand today, giving rise to what one gardening writer recently called “quick-thumbe gardening”. The object of these new techniques is to keep maintenance low, yet still get beautiful results.

The first principle of quick-thumb gardening is to star out small. Work up to larger gardens and beds once smaller ones are self-sustaining.

Careful with plants that are drought tolerant, disease resistant, and suited to your climate. More and more gardeners are turning to native plants because they are likely to thrive in their climate and region without chemical fertilizers and sprays. Your local public garden, agriculture extension agent, or state native plant society can tell you which plants are indigenous to your area.

Hurried gardeners should avoid “high-maintenance” plants such as hybrid roses or fruit trees that require lots of fertilizer, water and spraying to keep the healthy. Plants that need staking and continual  deadheading like dahlias, hollyhock and delphinium also are impractical.

Select shrubs and trees that don't have fruits or nuts to rake up. If you must grow high-maintenance plants, group the together so that they can cared for a single place.

If you don't want to spend time planting and pulling out annuals every spring and fall, hardy perennial flowers are a natural alternative. Although they will need to be divided every three years or so, they still save time and money in the long run.

Probably the most tedious of all gardening jobs is weeding, so all garden beds and pathways should be mulched one or twice a year to keep down weeds and keep soil moist, which also saves time on watering. In addition to organic mulches like compost, pine bark, and pine needles, there are new products that can virtually eliminate weeding without harmful chemicals. These synthetic landscape fabrics are spread out in garden beds and completely block weed growth. Unlike regular plastic mulches, they have microscopic holes that permit air and moisture exchange, keeping plants and soil healthy.

To cut down on lawn-maintenance time, many people are decreasing or even eliminating traditional grass lawns and instead installing low-maintenance plantings such as native trees, shrub borders, hardy ground cover, and native perennials, and brick, stone, or concrete patios.

Where the growing zones fall. Most plant catalogs specify the regions in which perennial plants thrive. The standard zones are defined by the minimum temperatures each region reaches in an average year. There are 11 zones in total in the U.S. Photo by Elena.

Watering chores can be reduced by using drip irrigation or soaker hoses instead of watering by hand or lelying on overhead sprinklers. Soaker hoses are set down at soil level near plant roots. They save on water because water is emitted directly where it is needed and not lost to evaporation. You can cut down on regular fertilizer feedings or plants by using slow-release pellets that last throughout the growing season.

For people with limited space and time, raised bed gardens and container plantings are popular. They are easily planted and watered, and stay virtually weed-free. If you have a sunny back-door area, plants in containers right outside the door can be easy to water or harvest.

Look for tools and equipment that can save time, too. For example, a mulching lawn mower will save raking grass clippings, and some new mowers allow you to time and fertilize as you mow.

For the truly hurried person, there's even a gardening trend called “ungardening”, which promotes the idea that weeds, faded flower heads, and unpruned shrubs enhance a garden's charm. Nature isn't perfect, so why should your garden be?

Where the growing zones fall. Most plant catalogs specify the regions in which perennial plants thrive. The standard zones are defined by the minimum temperatures each region reaches in an average year. There are 11 zones in total in the U.S.

To cut down on lawn-maintenance time, many people are decreasing or even eliminating traditional grass lawns and instead installing low-maintenance plantings such as native trees, shrub borders, hardy ground cover, and native perennials, and brick, stone, or concrete patios.

Watering chores can be reduced by using drip irrigation or soaker hoses instead of watering by hand or lelying on overhead sprinklers. Soaker hoses are set down at soil level near plant roots. They save on water because water is emitted directly where it is needed and not lost to evaporation. You can cut down on regular fertilizer feedings or plants by using slow-release pellets that last throughout the growing season.

For people with limited space and time, raised bed gardens and container plantings are popular. They are easily planted and watered, and stay virtually weed-free. If you have a sunny back-door area, plants in containers right outside the door can be easy to water or harvest.

Look for tools and equipment that can save time, too. For example, a mulching lawn mower will save raking grass clippings, and some new mowers allow you to time and fertilize as you mow.

For the truly hurried person, there's even a gardening trend called “ungardening”, which promotes the idea that weeds, faded flower heads, and unpruned shrubs enhance a garden's charm. Nature isn't perfect, so why should your garden be?