Growing a luxurious garden doesn't require a lot of energy or effort on your part. Whether they're drought tolerant or show an improved resistance to pests and diseases, Wayside's low-maintenance choices need very little help from either chemicals or supplemental watering.
Wayside's Tips for Low-Maintenance Plants:
Choose natives or plants that are naturally low-maintenance, drought tolerant, and pest- and disease-resistant.
Enrich your soil with plenty of organic matter like compost or decayed leaves to replenish beneficial soil organisms, improve water retention and drainage, and nourish your plants naturally.
Space plants according to their mature size to improve air circulation and keep disease at bay.
Always identify pests first, then select the most ecologically sound way of dealing with them. Smart choices include companion planting, attracting beneficial or predatory insects, and using traps, organic repellants, or barrier controls.
Conserve water by grouping plants with the same moisture needs and irrigating in the morning instead of during the middle of the day when water can evaporate before reaching plant roots.
Use an organic mulch, such as composted leaves or wood chips, to conserve moisture, minimize weeds, control erosion, and add nutrients back into the soil. |
