Gardening Jobs for Beginners

By

Andy Cor

Gardening Jobs for Beginners

By Andy Cor

© Copyright 2013 Andy Cor

Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to the author.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

First Published, 2013

Printed in the United States of America

Thank You for Buying This Book

I was hoping you could help your fellow book enthusiasts out and when you have a free second leave your honest feedback about this book.  I certainly want to thank you in advance for doing this.

Table of Contents

Spring

Early Spring

Mid to Late Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter

Gardening Jobs for Beginners

This book is about a journey through the seasons in my tiny snow afflicted garden.  Being a beginner gardener myself, I cannot claim deep expertise and being limited as to the available time I have for gardening, the journey covers the essential gardening jobs for the beginner gardener with limited time.

I can share with you how I go from snow to shine and back again! I live in a zone 3 so I have the full range of temperatures. I use many magazines to help me and it is from these magazines that I extract useful gardening tips.

Spring

My year generally begins with the brightness of spring.

Early Spring

As winter recedes, with climbing temperatures beginning to melt the snow, the heads of the brave little crocus pop through the still frozen ground.  The beginner gardener that I am, I need to be careful not to interfere with the melt and I need to resist the urge to make room for the little heads of crocus popping through the leaf mulch.  I know it will happen in time and I have learned to be patient.

However, what I can do before spring wakens up the shrubs is to prune those shrubs and climbers that are close to my stairs for example.  I can also prune my clematis.  If I had roses, I would be pruning those too.  Every day, I pick up sticks and debris off the ground and put them into the garbage as the snow gradually recedes.  I clean any pots that I will be using for annuals.  Generally, though, I just have to wait for the melt to continue.  The key is patience, planning and scouring the shops for bargains to include in my spring garden.  I take time to enjoy the melting snow and to enjoy no more driveway shoveling!

Mid to Late Spring

Mid to late spring is when the leaves finish unfurling, the tulips are up, the ground is thawed and now I can finally get into the beds and the pots!

I generally spend one weekend when I raid the shops for the bargains.  Sometimes the bargains have to be kept under cover for a further week as the frost is not quite finished.  When I can, I then spend a couple of hours just planting up the bed and the pots for the summer.  Most of the bed consists of bulbs and perennials, but I use annuals to fill in any gaps if necessary.

I rake the lawn when all the ice is completely melted – not before that otherwise I will tear the lawn and it will not grow properly.  I then fertilize everything with the appropriate fertilizer and water well.  None of this takes much time in my small piece of gardening paradise.  Nevertheless, everything is now ready for summer enjoyment – all 80 days of it!

Summer

Ah the lazy days of summer – mowing, weeding, watering and one more fertilizing.   Just enjoying the color and sunshine of the great outdoors.   Every weekend I take about 20 minutes to do these essential jobs.  My husband and I like to sit on the small cement patio and just look down this narrow alley toward the water feature my husband built for me a few years ago.  This is the one additional job I have every weekend which is to clear out the water and then to refill the pond.

Fall

As the days become cooler, the weeds slow down, the grass growth slows down and things start to die off. At this point I rake the leaves into the bed – I use the leaves for overwintering mulch.  The last of the weeds are removed, dead annuals are disposed of and the pots emptied, cleaned and put in the shed.  The pond is emptied and the pump put away.  The last of the bulbs that I want for spring flowering are planted. Eventually, the final mowing takes place. The last fertilising is thrown over the ground and in the bed ready for spring feeding.  The heated water bowl is put out for the birds over winter.  Summer furniture is put away and the patio is left bare to receive the winter snow.  The shorter sunlight periods change the whole daily cycle as we begin to hide away in the house away from the cold.

Winter

Back to winter, with the snow blanketing the ground and coating the trees.  Nothing much to do in the garden at this time other than to plan for the spring, shovel the paths and driveway and try to stay warm and positive!  Cruising the internet and perusing the catalogues for spring help to pass the winter days.  The garden chore during this time is all about limiting the buildup of ice so that nobody slips and hurts themselves, keeping the heated water for the birds clean and filled and make sure there is some bird feed in a safe, accessible and sheltered place.

Winter does have a magic about it with the tree coatings and the quiet as the snow drifts down to the ground.  So in a way, winter is the season of pausing and reflecting after the frenetic energy and effort of the long summer days.  This is when I can sit at the window and muse about the way I would like things to be.  I also get to enjoy winter skiing and skating – and shoveling the driveway and paths!

And so the seasons continue, no season the same, and yet bringing a rhythm to the garden and to life.

Thank you for reading my book.  I have enjoyed sharing this with you. All the best to you!

Table of Contents

Spring

Early Spring

Mid to Late Spring

Summer

Fall

Winter