#1 - Painted Rock garden markers!
Remember these? I can believe how much I love them. It's so easy to stand at the garden gate and see what's in which raised bed at a glance.
#2 - Daily Check
I check in on the garden every day except Sunday. It's on my daily to-do list so I don't forget. I head out and there and check how things look. I harvest some asparagus, reinforce a limp looking plant, whatever needs to be done. I find that it helps me to stay on top of things. It usually only takes a few minutes. I also notice pretty quickly if problems have arisen, so I can deal with them as quickly as possible.
#3 - Weed Early... and As You Go
This year, I weeded twice before it was ever really warm enough, but it really helped get a jump on the stubborn weeds, like crab grass! I regularly weed before things get big and out of hand, and always right after (or during) a rain. I've also started weeding as I go. When I'm in the garden planting, if I see a few weeds, I pull them. If I'm doing my daily check and notice some, I get rid of them. I don't wait till the weeds are 7 inches high and overtaking everything. When the weeds are smaller, they come out easier!
#4 - Pick Rocks... As You Go
Our yard was once a farmer's field and rocks are still a big problem. Now, I keep a bucket in the corner of the garden and toss rocks in the bucket as I see them. Then, when I'm finished doing my little daily check or planting session, I take them around the perimeter of our fence and block any holes that might look tempting to small critters. Slowly but surely there are less rocks!
As you can see, my philosophy is a lot of little bits of work add up to keeping on top of things!
Happy Gardening, friends!
Dominique
PS - And don't forget to harden your plants!
