From the ground up: Plan now to lessen yard maintenance

A little preparation goes a long way. What you do now can impact how your garden grows in the spring. Linn County Master Gardener Jean Murray provides the answer to the question, “When planning for next year, how can I cut some of my garden maintenance?”

As gardeners put away pruning shears and garden hoses, thoughts turn to the fourth season: planning. Gardeners love to be working in their gardens, but for many individual reasons it would be great to spend less time in maintenance. This winter, consider these thoughts to keep garden upkeep to a minimum next year.

• Do your research. Putting the right plant in the right place is half the way to lower maintenance. Check to see that what you want to plant will be a good match for its place, in terms of soil, sun and water needs. And do look at those lovely garden center or online plant catalog plants to be sure they are hardy to zone 4b (the Cedar Rapids area).

• Minimize lawn. Lawns take a lot of maintenance. They need to be mowed, dethatched, fertilized, de-weeded and watered. One longtime master gardener suggested that the only purpose of a green lawn was to keep from tracking dirt into your home. Try replacing some (or all) of your lawn with alternatives.

Ground covers take up the same amount of space but require much less maintenance. Ground covers are particularly good if your lawn is on a hillside or slope and can be used under and around trees to save on mowing and trimming (and keep the trees from getting mower damage).

• Hardscaping is another alternative to lawns. I'm talking about walkways, paths, patios, anything inanimate that contributes to your overall garden design. A simple brick path through your garden can be eye-catching and practical, and that path doesn't need to be mowed. You might need to pick out an occasional weed, but no watering or fertilizing is needed. A patio or deck extends your living area into the garden and also cuts down on lawn space.

Adding a walkway or path to your garden might seem a costly endeavor, but think about what you are saving in time and effort and money over the years, to say nothing of the decreased water consumption.

• Minimize hybrid perennials. Cut back on the number of fussy hybrid perennials in your garden. While we love perennials, many can be high maintenance in terms of watering, deadheading, cutting back and fertilizing. Many hybrid perennials are also short-lived and need to be replaced more frequently and have difficulty in Iowa's extreme weather. What can you put in its place?

• Shrubs and conifers (evergreens) are low maintenance and contribute to the variety and texture of your garden. Some dwarf conifers interspersed with a few perennials makes a more interesting bed. In addition to being easy to care for, shrubs can fill in bare places, attract birds, and provide winter interest.

• Iowa native plants and wildflowers require less maintenance than hybrids and they tolerate our harsh Iowa winters and hot, dry summers. Bulbs can be planted and left alone for years if you want. And you might want to try some containers with annuals or a little garden art (statues don't need weeding). In general, planning for next year's garden can bring you rewards in terms of lower maintenance and more time to relax and enjoy your garden.

Events

• Iowa Organic Conference, today and Monday at the University of Iowa Memorial Union, 125 N. Madison St., Iowa City. Sessions will include Local Food, Marketing Organic Crops, Transitioning to Organic, and Carbon Credits from Organic Practices. Register: http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/organicag/organicconference2013registration.html. $95.
• A Watershed Approach to Community Growth Workshop, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday at Prairie Oak Lodge, Squaw Creek Park, 4305 Squaw Lane, Marion. $35. Contact: Stacie Johnson, sjohnson@iamu.org, www.iowastormwater.org.
• Decorating Winter Pots Class, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Cedar Rapids Ladd Library, 3750 Williams Blvd., Cedar Rapids. Decorate that pot in your front yard with spruce tops, twigs, pine cones and other organic materials with Linn County Master Gardener Deb Walser.

Questions on gardening, land use or local foods? Contact Michelle Kenyon Brown, community ag programs manager at Linn County Extension, mkenyonb@iastate.edu.