BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Container Gardening Gardening Chores - what's your worst one?

Hi there,

Okay, there has to be at least one chore that you really do not like doing. Many will say weeding I am sure, others may say getting your hands dirty and yet others will say not knowing enough.

Maybe you don't like the disappointment that comes from expectations from a plant not met especially when you have done all you should have done for your containers ... or the bother of having to clean the pots and water and fuss about feeding schedules.

What do you not like doing and why? Got a remedy or two to share?

Let's know and see if we can make those hateful chores into okay gardening actions worth your while.

Cheers

Hi Lestie,

The worst one is my only one!

When Maria goes to San Jose, Ca every year for three weeks starting on Thanksgiving Day to visit with her family, | have to water on a need basis the indoor heirloom potted plants and everything that is outdoors both in the courtyard and the side yard, including all of Maria's herbs.
It really cuts into my birding time...

But if I do not do it, I can't ask Maria in good or bad conscience to take care of all of my mascotas which takes upward of 2 hours a day when I go on my multiple birding trips per year , so of course I go above and beyond on the watering. Hence, quid pro quo, I do my gardening "chores."

Hey Francine,
Are you throwing away the detritus or are you digging as much of it back in to the soil? The new plants will love you, your soil improves and will send a return message by loosening up and coming first for friablilty and the worms ... well they will just think you are great, especially if you add a cup of kitchen waste smoothie (leave out the onions and anything cooked or dairy and fatty stuff). Are you lucky enough to be building your own compost? Anything healthly goes down well here ... burn any plant or any material that is/was diseased.

Now compost is a chore for me ... but then I think of all the good that it does for so many reasons and move it from the chore side of the column to the more side. Not always as disciplined as I should be but I just do not stop trying. That way I keep on top of the task. Ah! Well mostly.

Cheers now...

Hello to you all,

As you see I am scrummaging around the old stuff and see that it all makes just as much sense today as it did then - good news indeed.

I have given up on compost - I mean making my own. We just do not see eye to eye, compost and me, so I buy in now.

Another thing I do which helps me here is (not like the French and their fish soup Francine) to make a 'soup' of sorts from mixing a bag (30dms) each of potting soil, compost and kraal manure into an old dustbin and cover with water and stir.

This I leave for a day or two, and the brown waste that happens is then watered around my container garden. I just keep filling up with water, stirring and using until the water is too pale to be useful. I then take the sludge at the bottom and use it as mulch around my roses.

Regardless of the size of your garden, this idea can be used anyway, just go for third of a bag etc for smaller needs. The results are magical and well worth it.

I am gong to start a new thread about shortcuts to composting - so maybe your answers to those will find a home there ... but please post here what GARDENNG CHORES you do not like and your tips and actions that may help others. Thanks.

Ha, ha - I live in The Netherlands and even tho it is January we haven't seen a day below freezing, so I am doing some early Spring chores. I have a big planter box on the upstairs deck and cut the old dead stems off and broke them up in small pieces and put them in a pile under a tree for the birds to use in nest building. Our black birds, doves, robins and others stay around all year. What I don't like is digging up old plants, but reading your thread here I will try to turn over as much old stuff as possible.

Hi Susan and all,

That sounds good especially for the birds.

Here in 'my' back garden we get weavers and the boys fly around frantically choosing good nest material to build for the girls who are super uber critical. When a chap is ready to pitch woo and he has finished his nest, he chooses his lady and then invites her to come and inspect the new home - will it be good enough for her eggs I wonder? Well if it is, well and good, but if not she is very dismissive.

She will pick ad peck at the nest, break it up and fly away. He has to start all over again (repairs are not accepted) and it is a sad thing to watch. I read that by the time he has caught up with his new nest, she may have shacked up with someone else.

I have been lucky to watch this over an afternoon several years ago, but certainly learnt my lesson. Now I also put stuff out for them, but it's not generally plant material. I leave chicken down feathers (I have a friendly farmer friend) and cushion stuffing bits and similar soft materials. Most of it is taken so I hope the nests they find their way into are 'egged' as they say.

Cheers now,