The Gardener's Problem Solver

Problem
The garden is too large

Solution 1. Add Mulch

 Mulches are one of the best ways to decrease the time you spend on weeding, but they also have the benefit of adding a great deal to your garden's appearance. The right mulch can make an ordinary planting look dramatic and will almost always make beds and borders look tidy and well cared for.

In beds and borders, mulches are almost mandatory unless, of course, you can• hire an army of gardeners to pluck every weed that takes root. You can choose from a wide range of mulches, from oatstraw for berry bushes to smooth, blue pea stone for a formal entryway. The trick is to match the mulch to the application and lay it down so that it stays in place and doesn't require more topping off than is absolutely necessary.

Straw mulches look good only in hardworking vegetable, herb, small fruit, or cutting gardens. They are not appropriate in ornamental borders and beds, unless you're dressing the plants for winter, when straw makes an ideal mulch for plants such as roses because it insulates while still allowing air movement around the plant's crown, lowering the chances of crown rot and other fungal infections.

Bark chips, cedar mulch or cocoa shells, on the other hand, can look good almost anywhere, so use them between enclosed raised beds in a vegetable garden, in a perennial border or around trees and shrubs. To get the most from a loose mulch like chips or shells, enclose it with an edging strip that extends a couple of centimeters (inches) above the mulch. Use brick on end for a handsome look, but if this is impractical simply install the plastic edging strips you can find in any hardware store.

Whenever you are mulching long-lived perennial plants, use a layer of fabric under the mulch. If possible, lay this down before you plant. Cut Xs into it to dig your planting holes, transplant, and cover the cloth with another mulching material. If you are mulching established plants, piece the landscape cloth around each plant and add the second mulch as usual. See page 54 for a list of common mulch materials.

EASY-CARE PLANTS

If you have got a large yard to maintain, the last thing you need is a collection of picky, difficult plants that require a great deal of care. Instead, grow plants that don't ask as much from you. Remember that all plants, even those we call low maintenance, require a little care. Ask neighbours and nursery people for recommendations of plants that thrive with little care in your area and use the list below to get some ideas.