In the hustle and bustle of millennial life, finding time for hobbies and self-care can be a challenge. Gardening, often viewed as a time-consuming hobby, is a fantastic way to connect with nature and unwind, but many millennials shy away due to perceived high maintenance. However, with the right strategies, gardening can be a rewarding, low-maintenance activity perfectly suited to the busy lifestyles of today’s younger generation. Here, we explore 12 essential low-maintenance gardening tips that cater to the millennial’s schedule, ensuring a flourishing garden without the extensive time commitment.

1. Choose Low-Maintenance Plants

The foundation of a low-maintenance garden is selecting plants that require minimal care. Opt for native species, as they are adapted to your local climate and soil, reducing the need for watering and pest control. Succulents, perennials, and certain herbs are excellent choices for their resilience and minimal upkeep. These plants will not only thrive with less attention but also add vibrancy and diversity to your garden space.

2. Invest in Quality Soil

Starting with high-quality soil is a game-changer in low-maintenance gardening. Rich, nutrient-dense soil will support plant health, reducing the need for frequent fertilization. Consider adding compost to enhance soil fertility; this natural amendment supports plant growth and improves soil structure, leading to healthier plants that are more resistant to pests and diseases.

3. Utilize Mulch

Mulch is a low-maintenance gardener’s best friend. It helps retain soil moisture – reducing the need for frequent watering – and suppresses weeds, minimizing the time spent on weeding. Organic mulches, such as bark or straw, also break down over time, adding nutrients back into the soil. This simple addition can save hours of maintenance over the course of a growing season.

4. Embrace Container Gardening

Container gardening is an ideal solution for millennials with limited space or time. Containers are versatile, allowing you to grow a variety of plants, including vegetables, herbs, and flowers, on patios, balconies, or indoors. They also provide better control over soil and watering conditions, making plant care more straightforward. Plus, containers can be moved to optimize light exposure or to add decorative touches to your living space.

5. Implement Drip Irrigation

Installing a drip irrigation system is a time-saving investment for any garden. Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the base of each plant, reducing water waste and the time spent watering by hand. Many systems are adjustable and can be set on timers, ensuring your plants receive the right amount of water even when you’re away, making it perfect for the busy millennial lifestyle.

6. Choose Perennials Over Annuals

Perennials are plants that come back year after year, reducing the need for replanting each season. Investing in perennials means you’ll spend less time and money on new plants annually. These hardy varieties often have fewer demands and can provide consistent beauty and structure to your garden with minimal effort.

7. Practice Strategic Planting

Plan your garden layout with maintenance in mind. Grouping plants with similar water and light requirements together simplifies care and reduces the risk of over or under-watering. This strategic planting also means you can create zones in your garden, each with its specific needs, making it easier to manage in the limited time you have.

8. Automate Your Garden Care

Technology can be a gardener’s ally, especially for those with tight schedules. Consider incorporating smart garden gadgets, such as programmable watering systems or soil moisture sensors. These devices take the guesswork out of garden maintenance and can be controlled via smartphone apps, aligning perfectly with the millennial penchant for technology and efficiency.

9. Emphasize Drought-Tolerant Plants

Drought-tolerant plants are perfect for the forgetful or busy gardener. These resilient plants require less watering and can survive periods of neglect without significant harm. Lavender, sedum, and ornamental grasses are excellent examples that add beauty and texture to your garden with minimal upkeep.

10. Reduce Lawn Space

Lawns can be high maintenance, requiring regular mowing, watering, and fertilizing. Consider reducing your lawn area and replacing it with ground covers, gravel, or a patio. These alternatives provide attractive, functional spaces that require less regular maintenance, freeing up more time for you to enjoy your garden rather than labor over it.

11. Use Weed Control Fabric

Weeding is one of the most time-consuming garden tasks. To minimize this chore, lay down weed control fabric in your flower beds and cover it with mulch. This barrier prevents weeds from taking root and can significantly reduce the amount of time you spend weeding, making your garden more enjoyable and less of a burden.

12. Plan for All Seasons

A truly low-maintenance garden provides interest in every season without requiring constant changes and updates. When selecting plants, consider their growth cycles and when they will bloom or change color. Incorporate a mix of evergreens, late-blooming perennials, and plants with intriguing foliage or bark to ensure your garden remains vibrant and engaging throughout the year. This approach minimizes the need for seasonal replanting and ensures your garden remains a beautiful, low-maintenance retreat regardless of the season.

Embracing These Low-Maintenance Gardening Tips for Busy Millennials

By integrating these 12 low-maintenance gardening tips, busy millennials can create and enjoy a beautiful garden that fits into their fast-paced lifestyle. Emphasizing simplicity, sustainability, and efficiency, these strategies are designed to maximize enjoyment while minimizing effort. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or a beginner, these tips can help you cultivate a peaceful, thriving garden space that complements your busy life, offering a serene escape without the high maintenance traditionally associated with gardening.

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I am prone to overwatering my plants. I suspect that this comes from growing up in the desert. That might sound counterintuitive. However, I have this reverence for the magic of water as a result of my desert upbringing. And so subconsciously I tend to think that water will solve all plant problems. Which, of course, is not true. In fact, overwatering contributes to one of the most common causes of plant death: root rot. Luckily, you can prevent this problem once you’re aware of it. Moreover, if you catch it early enough, you can rescue your plants from root rot.

What Is Root Rot?

Do you have a plant that doesn’t seem to be growing properly despite watering it regularly? Are the leaves wilting even though the soil is wet? Do the stems feel mushy to the touch? How about the roots – if you look at them, are they the right color? Or are they more of a red-brown shade than they ought to be? Finally, how does the soil smell? If it smells “off” and you see these other symptoms, chances are that you have root rot.

As the name suggests, the roots of your plant are rotting away. Root rot is actually a disease. Blossom Plant explains that it has two common causes: overwatering and harmful fungi. In my case, it’s usually been due to overwatering, as I explained. However, even if you are great at watering your plants properly, they may develop root rot as a result of the growth of bacterial fungi.

Sadly, once you start seeing the symptoms of root rot described above, it might be too late to rescue your plants from root rot. However, it’s worth a try. Caught early enough, there are definitely things that you can do to save your plants.

5 Quick Tips To Rescue Your Plants From Root Rot

The most important thing that you can do is to keep a close eye on your plants. This way, you catch problems early. If caught early, try these five things to rescue your plants from root rot:

1. Carefully Cut Away the Rotting Roots

You can’t actually “cure” root rot. In other words, you must remove the roots that are rotting. In order to do this, you will have to carefully remove the plant from the soil. Then, you will have to remove the soil from the roots as much as possible. This allows you to look at the roots. Hopefully, plenty look thriving, meaning they are vibrant, white, and beautiful. The ones with root rot will look stringy and brown, as though they are dying — because they are. Alternatively, they may be a grey color and may feel slimy to the touch. Carefully cut away all of the rotting roots. You should cut just slightly above the damaged part. Maintain as many healthy roots as possible.

2. Carefully Cut Away the Dying Leaves

Cutting away the rotting roots is the most important part of rescuing your plant. However, you don’t want to leave other dying parts of the plant either. After all, you want to give your plant the best chance of survival. You want healthy roots to support the healthy growth of the rest of the plant. Therefore, you will also want to trim away all of the dying leaves on your plant. Be selective – trim away what you’re sure is dying but leave what might potentially grow well.

3. Repot Your Plant in Fresh Soil

Regardless of the cause of root rot, the soil is now a problem. If you’ve overwatered it, you can certainly let it dry out. Nevertheless, it’s not healthy enough to support the full healing of your plants. Of course, if bacteria is the cause of your root rot, then you want to get rid of the soil that has that bacteria, right? So, it’s time to get rid of all of that soil. Remove as much of it as you safely can from the roots of the plant. Get rid of all soil that is in the pot. Get fresh, healthy, new, dry soil and repot the plant.

4. Skip the Fertilizer for Now

Plants in a Box explains that your plant is fragile from root rot. Therefore, you don’t want to add the stress of fertilizer right now. Instead, just make sure that you use high-quality soil for repotting. Then hold off on fertilizer for the time being. Give the plant time to revive.

5. Review Your Plant’s Proper Care

Even if you think that you know your plants well, it’s worth it to refresh your memory. Do a little bit of research into exactly what the best conditions are for this plant to thrive. Pay careful attention to the watering instructions, of course.  But also look at the sunlight it needs, the temperature it does best in, etc. You want to give your plant as much TLC as possible while it’s working to heal.

How to Prevent Root Rot in the Future

Although you can do these things to try to rescue your plants from root rot, sometimes it just isn’t going to work. Once you start seeing the signs of a rotting plant, it might be too late. Therefore, preventing root rot is really the way to go. Do all that you can to prevent it in the future so that you don’t have to try to save your plants down the line.

Some of the key ways to prevent root rot include:

• Remember to check exactly what conditions are best for each particular plant.
• Be careful not to overwater your plants.
• Use the right soil to get proper drainage for each plant.
• Also, use the right pot, preferably with drainage holes, to prevent standing water.
• Check your plants regularly. Pay attention to how they look, how they smell, and what the soil is like. Catch problems early on.

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I struggle with chronic, recurring depression. While it’s well-managed, the symptoms do creep up from time to time. Depression is an expensive mental health condition, in ways that might surprise you. In fact, during bouts of depression, I find that it costs me in the garden. This does mitigate the many mental health benefits of gardening. However, it’s an important thing to know about if you’re a frugal gardener who lives with a similar mental health challenge.

5 Ways Depression Costs Me In The Garden

Here are the five most common ways that depression costs me in the garden.

1. Lack of Energy Means Slack in the Garden

A garden requires tending. Most plants need attention weekly if not daily. When this is part of a normal routine, it’s great. In fact, it’s a healthy part of the day. However, sometimes, depression wins. When it does, fatigue sets in. It literally feels impossible to get up out of the bed to do anything at all. If that happens, then gardening doesn’t. And this can mean the plants wither and die.

2. What’s The Point Anyway?

That refrain runs through my head when I’m dealing with a bout of depression. Depression is characterized by hopelessness and pointlessness and a lack of interest in doing things normally enjoyed. It’s really hard to stay motivated to work in the garden when you can’t see the point of doing it. Again, this means that the garden withers and dies.

If we can overcome these feelings (through medication, therapy, self-care, and other means,) then the growth and beauty of the garden can remind us of the point. But, sometimes, depression takes over.

3. Low Self-Esteem or Black/White Thinking

For me, depression is accompanied by a feeling of worthlessness. Some people experience black and white thinking because of their mental health conditions. In either case, this can lead to feeling like you aren’t good enough to make a garden grow. A plant starts to die, I feel like “I don’t know how to garden,” and I just give up.

Someone who loves gardening might see a small mistake in the garden and suddenly hate gardening. We lose the joy as we lose ourselves in depression. So, we abandon the garden. Or we get in there and rip it up entirely, destroying what we spent time and money creating.

4. Reckless Shopping

Although this is more commonly a characteristic of mania in bipolar depression, people, like myself, with unipolar depression, can fall into wasteful shopping as well. For me, it’s usually online shopping. I’m imagining some other life I want to have where I’m not depressed, and I’m allowing the easy mindlessness of the scroll to convince me that I just need this gadget or that to feel better. So, suddenly, I find myself buying new garden tools, plants, or a gardening apron that I can’t afford and won’t ever use.

5. Injuries

Ideally, I work through the challenges and overcome them and get back to doing things that I love. However, sometimes, when you push through before you’re ready, you end up injuring yourself. If you’re in the brain fog of depression while working with gardening tools, then you might injure yourself. This can cost me in medical care as well as lost work.

Tips for Coping

There are many amazing benefits of gardening. It’s just sometimes hard to remember them in the throes of depression. It’s helpful for me to keep lists of things I love, what the benefits are, little stories or photos that remind me of the good parts, etc. Then I look at those in depression to try to help myself overcome the inertia and get back to myself.

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Germination refers to the process of a seed becoming a plant. Some people don’t mind a very slow process. They’ll plant flowers that take two years to show their colors. However, sometimes you want an experience a little bit closer to instant gratification. While no plant is going to germinate overnight, there are techniques to increase germination rate of seeds.

What does Increasing Germination Rate Mean?

Obviously, what you’re trying to do here is to reduce the amount of time it takes for your plants to go from a seed to what you’d commonly recognize as a plant (a flower, a vegetable, etc.) However, note that often the process is really about improving the conditions for the plant. In other words, when you make the conditions optimal, the plant grows more quickly. It’s not as if you pour some magic fairy dust on the seeds and they suddenly sprout. Instead, you listen to what the seeds need and give it to them. That said, some plants really need dormant periods and slow germination to grow correctly.

Techniques To Increase Germination Rate of Seeds

After you’ve done some research to make sure that it’s okay to speed things up, you might use these techniques to increase germination rate of seeds:

1. Find Out What Your Seeds Need

We’re going to have general tips here that apply to many plants. However, you really need to research what each of your specific seed types need for optimal growth. Plant them at the right time of year, in the right growing medium, with the correct sunlight to optimize germination rates.

2. Disinfect Seeds Before Planting

Science in Hydroponics recommends using hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite solutions to remove microorganisms that might slow down germination rates.

3. Pre-Treat Seeds With Polyethylene Glycol Treatments

Science in Hydroponics also recommends pre-treating your seeds with PEG-6000. The specific amount and approach varies depending on the seeds you’re trying to germinate.

4. Pre-Soak Seeds Before Planting in Soil

AcuRite notes that you should get started on the right foot by providing ample moisture for seeds before you even plant them.

5. Then Keep Watering Well

Seeds tend to need a lot of water to become plants. You’ll usually use more water for seeds than you will once the plant starts growing. So, although you certainly don’t want to overwater your seeds, you should make sure to keep them well-watered during those early days.

6. Plant Inside Before Outside

AcuRite also points out that you do best to plant your seeds inside first. Then, make an effort to acclimate them to the move outside. By doing this part slowly, you actually increase germination rate.

7. Add Gibberellic Acid

Science in Hydroponics says that this is a great way to stimulate seed germination.

8. Add Beneficial Fungi

As mentioned above, you want to disinfect seeds from bad microorganisms. However, you can also introduce good organisms to the seeds. For example, some seeds do well when you add specific beneficial fungi to stimulate growth.

9. Temperature Is Everything

Every resource you’ll read about techniques to increase germination rate of seeds will emphasize the importance of getting the temperature right. Again, each plant needs something different. Some plants grow best in colder temperatures, others in warmer temperatures. Make the effort to find out what your seeds need and accommodate them if you want your plants to grow quickly.

10. Improve Your Soil

Make sure that your soil is ideal for the seeds you’re planting. Is it the right pH level? Does it offer the right kind of drainage and retention of moisture? Make the soil conditions right for the seeds to germinate into beautiful plants.

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I mentioned recently that I have a little bit of a brown thumb. However, I’ve kept at gardening and learning about plants. I’ve improved over time. Along the way, I’ve picked up lots of tips to revive wilted plants. I wanted to share some of those with you today.

What Causes Plants to Wilt?

I made one of the biggest rookie gardening mistakes for a really long time. I assumed that if a little water is good for plants, then a lot of water is better. Therefore, I would always overwater just about everything. Many of my plants died as a result.

Many different things can cause plants to wilt, including:

• Water imbalance – both too much water and too little can cause wilting
• Light imbalance – too much sun or too little sun creates problems
• Letting the plant get too hot
• Over-fertilizing your plants
• Disease – various fungi, bacteria, and viruses can impact plant health
• The plant needs a bigger container to grow properly

Tips to Revive Wilted Plants

The most important of all tips to revive wilted plants is to identify the cause of the problem. Check the potential causes above. Then correct accordingly. This could mean moving your plant into more or less sunlight, repotting it, or changing the way you water it.

Here are some additional tips to revive wilted plants:

1. Learn about Overwatering

• Research the specific water needs of each plant in your garden.
• If the soil is moist and dark, the plant might not need water.
• Water at the base of the plant, not from overhead.
• Make sure that the water is able to drain properly.
• Water during the day, not at night.

2. Consider Underwatering, Too

If you’re not watering the plant enough, then correct accordingly. The above tips will assist with that as well.

3. Give Plants The Right Amount of Sunlight

Again, research what your specific plants need in terms of sunlight. However, even plants that call for full sun might need shade if they’re wilting. Therefore, try adding shade to see if your plants heal and grow as a result. In particular, give shade to plants that appear to be getting too hot, whether or not they’re getting the right amount of light.

4. Try a Fungicide

You might have to rule out fungi, bacteria, etc. Start by trying a natural fungicide on your plants. You can easily DIY one of these to try at home. From there, you can explore options for treating various bacteria, etc., that are unique to different plants and regions.

5. Re-plant Your Plants

There are a few different reasons to try this option. First of all, the plant might have outgrown its post. If so, the wilting could be due to a need for more space. Second, though, the soil might be problematic. Therefore, replanting in new soil could help resolve the problem. This is true for plants in pots as well as those in the ground.

6. Watch, Try, Watch Again

Ultimately, let your plants tell you what they need. Look at the issue. Try something above to treat the problem. If it doesn’t work, watch some more, then try something new. Gardening includes trial and error. The more you listen to your plants, the better you’ll get at it.

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Growing squash is a great idea. There are many great squash varieties to feed your family. However, you want to plan ahead when growing squash. If you don’t, then this plant can take over your entire garden. In particular, you’ll want to train your squash to grow on a trellis. Here are some great ideas for how to make a DIY squash trellis under $10.

Why You Need a Squash Trellis

Rural Sprout explains that squash will absolutely overrun a garden if you plant this vegetable without a trellis. Like an octopus, they’ll reach their tentacles all over the place. This can wreak havoc on your other plants. Therefore, you want to use a squash trellis. You can train the squash to grow up a vertical trellis. According to Rural Sprout, the benefits of vertical gardening for squash plants include:

• Saves space, allowing for more squash growth while retaining space to grow other plants
• Keeps squash fruit off of the ground, improving the fruit and the plants as a whole (yes, squash is a fruit)
• It’s easier to harvest squash grown vertically on a trellis
• The vertical design gives you opportunities for enhancing your garden’s aesthetic design

Squash To Grow on a Trellis

There are many different types of squash that you can grow in your backyard garden. Gardening Know How says that some of the best squash for vertical gardening include acorn squash, delicata, yellow summer squash and zucchini. You can grow other squash vertically but the heavier varieties will require stronger trellis reinforcement.

How to DIY Squash Trellis Under $10

You can purchase a squash trellis. However, frugal gardeners can easily make a DIY squash trellis under $10. Here are some great examples of how to do so:

Put some basic woodworking skills to the test to create this DIY Squash Trellis under $10. As you can see, you’ll make some simple cuts in your wood. You’ll actually use 10 1x2x96 furring strips, which cost less than $1 each at most home improvement stores. Assemble the smaller and larger pieces as shown in the video, propping them up together to create the squash trellis. As long as you already have the saw and drill, this is a very affordable project.HJ

Here’s another great example of how to DIY a squash trellis. In this example, you buy 5′ stakes designed for growing tomatoes and other plants. You attach them to the planter at an angle so that the squash (or in this example, the cucumbers) can grow upwards at that angle. Then you build out the frame to create a fuller trellis. You add wires horizontally within the frame. The vine tendrils from your squash will climb those wires. This is another super simple project under $10.

Tips For Growing Squash

Here are some additional tips for vertical squash gardening:

• You can adapt these DIY ideas to any wood or fencing that you already have at home. It’s great to repurpose those items.
• Secure your vertical trellis posts deep in the ground. You want the bottom of the trellis to be able to bear a lot of vertical weight as the squash plants grow.
• Make sure that your plants get plenty of sunlight.
• Train the plants to grow where you want them to by guiding the vines onto the trellis wires as they grow.
• For heavier squash plants, either grow them on the ground or add slings to support the squash as they grow. Otherwise they can break off at the stems. Watch as they grow in size to get a sense of whether or not you’ll need this additional support.

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