Christmas Contest - Win a Copy of "The New Low Maintenance Garden"

Whether "Plant Talk" readers are competing to win boots or books, I so appreciate your comments. It's been great  fun getting a glimpse into your gardens....we all have so much to teach each other.

Okay, here's our last Christmas-season contest....send in a comment with your favorite, most effective low-maintenance gardening tip. From downscaling to a new tool or gadget, what innovation, practice, or technique  makes your gardening life easier?

The most inspiring comment will win the contributor an autographed copy of my newest book "The New Low Maintenance Garden" (Timber Press, 2009, chosen as one of amazon.com's "Ten Best Home and Garden Books of 2009). Can't wait to hear from you - I'll pick a winning response the week after Christmas....thanks for participating...

Comments

[Olie]

Wood chips from the local arborist at least 4 inches deep in all my beds. Fall leaves, plant clippings, pine cones, etc join them. Weeding and yard waste are minimal.

[Ruth]

My hori hori knife is the best garden tool I ever purchased. It does everything, just like the ad says! Flips out weeds, plants annuals, cuts roots, trims small shoots, un-pots root-bound plants, separates perennials, and...a woman with a knife in her hand gets respect in the garden! :)

[Ryan Miller]

weed in the rain! or right after, it's so much easier.

[Alexandra]

I got rid of 27 high-maintenance hybrid tea roses. After the deer came twice this last spring I gave away the few survivors and put in deer-resistant shrubs and perennials. Low maintenance and I'm back to what I love about gardening.

[Lisa]

We contacted a local nursery to purchase 5 of our trees that were planted too close to the house (by the previous owners). They paid us for the trees and left open space for more suitable, low maintenance items. And, the best part is that our home won't be a treehouse in 10 years.

[Christina]

Working with instead of fighting with microhabitats and the plants in them! There is nothing I can do to dissuade the wild horsetails that grow on our front slope, as they're thriving thanks to an underground stream that sometimes (as in this rainy season) flows out from the base of our driveway and curb. After a few years of trying to get rid of them by cutting, putting down plant barriers, and the like, I came to peace with them by planting drought-tolerant short shrubs and groundcovers that stood as tall as horsetails and mingled with them (drought tolerante because, ironically, the slope is very dry and sunbaked in summer). No more weeding...seldom water it...kind of shaggy but always green with spots of color and bark and shape of twigs...and little chance of me tumbling off the slope in my dotage.

[kate]

Hi Val,
For me, a very low maintenance garden resulted from what I call "cram-scaping": planting shrubs, mostly broadleafed evergreens, in soothing mounds that resemble a natural maquis environment. The sweetly resinously scented foliage crowds out weeds, the plants are drought-tolerant (even resent summer water!) and the gravel paths discourage the growth of weeds. I rarely water these shrubby areas, but get the pleasure of admiring their rich green, gray, gold, and burnished copper foliage all winter long. So sweet! Thanks for your always enjoyable posts.

[Janet Lewinsohn (Jan)]

Hi Val: I am recalling the wonderful heartening Solstice verse you shared last year. I have further shared, "I heard a bird sing in the dark of December" with so many others and thank you again for this gem. Happy Solstice and Holidays...
Jan L.

[valerie Easton]

Hi Janet,
thanks for reminding me of "I heard a bird sing in the dark of December" -- a hopeful poem for these darkest days....
Val

[Grace]

Years ago I found a book on low maintenance gardening and the author suggested using copious evergreen shrubs to give a full look to the garden and to make a great foil for perennials and flowering shrubs.

I doubt my entry is the most inspiring but believe me my evergreens inspire me. :)

[Chris]

We decided a few years ago that one of the most time consuming aspects of our property was the huge, water guzzling lawn we had. It was taking precious time away from all the fun gardening projects...like growing flowers and veggies! Soooo, we replaced it with beautiful, creeping, flowering thyme. No more mowing, fertilizing, watering...it stays green year round, is a carpet of lavender in the spring and is a bumble bee magnet! It is much gentler on the earth and us!!

[Brenda Kodama]

I love plants. Talk to any of my friends and family members and they will agree in unison. My low maintenance tip is to to do research before you buy your plant. It is very easy to fall in love with a plant at the nursery and buy it impulsively. Then you find out it that it grows too fast, or needs more light or needs better drainage or is invasive, the possibilities are endless. The bottom line is all this heartache and headache may have been avoided, by reading the tag, or asking the nurseryman or searching the internet on the needs of the plant. A bit of homework ahead of time will ensure that your plant will thrive in your yard. Well, that's my 2 cents, hope it makes sense, and I will see you in the garden.

[Nancy]

Raised beds! They seem to discourage the weeds, slugs and snails - and I'm hoping in my new garden, the bunnies as well. Weeding is so much easier, especially for those of us with fragile backs. And the plants are at eye level, where they can be most appreciated.