Here are 7 hacks for maintaining the perfect garden

Dubai: It is important to know how to maintain your lawn/garden at its best during the warmer months. If done right, not only will it be rewarding, it can save you money while keeping your garden rejuvenated and green.

The demands of your garden maintenance usually grow as the mercury rises in the UAE. While you may anticipate an increase in gardening costs during the summer months, you don’t need to fret, for you can sidestep spending big bucks by following some ingenious methods.

Experts from ServiceMarket, the UAE’s leading online marketplace for gardening and home services, give out pro tips to help keep your outdoors in top form without burning a hole in your pocket.

Maintenance is key

Regular garden maintenance is by far the most important step you can take to save money on gardening. It might seem counterintuitive, but re-growing a withered garden is a long and costly process, especially if you’ve invested a lot of time and money into it. Neglecting important gardening tasks like watering during the summer months can quickly damage your plants.

You might have to reinvest a significant amount of money to replace exotic plants, which are generally more sensitive and expensive, if you don’t take care of them properly. Since a lot of UAE residents, even those who enjoy gardening as a hobby, don’t find enough time to keep up with garden maintenance, it’s usually better to hire a professional gardening company in Dubai.

You can sign up for regular basic garden maintenance for approximately Dhs200 per month, but the exact cost would depend on the size and needs of your garden.  

Choose an efficient irrigation method

Your cost cutting plan should also include the DEWA water bill, which can really add up if you are in the habit of leaving water running even after the plants have been watered. There are multiple ways to avoid wastage of water in your garden.

First, you should consider “deep watering” your garden, which means that instead of letting it flow quickly, make sure it’s slow enough to be properly absorbed by the ground.

Another benefit of deep watering is that it prevents plants from withering in our region’s scorching heat. Consider investing in automatic sprinklers that pause at regular intervals to let the water sink in. Your gardening company will be able to set up the irrigation system of your choice.

You can also conserve water by sprinkling your garden early in the morning or late at night when the rate of evaporation is lower. Paving walkways in your garden with permeable material that allows water to pass through is another way to reduce evaporation. 

Install artificial grass

Another great way to cut down the cost of gardening is to install artificial grass. Doing so will eliminate the need to water and mow the grass in your lawn, cutting down your DEWA bills and gardening expenses. What’s more, there will be no danger of it turning brown in the heat. Artificial grass can stay in good condition for more than 20 years, which means that it’s a really good investment.

Grow plants from seeds and cuttings

Seeds usually cost a lot less than plants. Of course, the process of setting up your garden takes much longer when you plant seeds, but it’s a great way to save money if you have the patience and time to take this approach. You should also consider growing plants from cuttings of suitable plants that already exist in your garden. After all, it’s a free and easy way to add new plants to your garden. 

Use homemade fertilisers (compost)

Instead of buying commercial fertilisers for your garden, you can make free fertiliser with your garden and kitchen waste. Through a process known as composting, grass cuttings and fallen leaves in your garden as well as kitchen waste like leftover vegetables and fruit peels can be decomposed into nutrient-rich organic material, which can then be used as a fertiliser.

For simple composting that doesn’t require a lot of effort, just leave your garden and kitchen organic waste in a large container or corner for a few months until it decomposes.

Invest in resilient and low-maintenance plants

Let’s face it: exotic plants require more maintenance. To save money and time, consider investing in native plants like Moringa peregrina, Gladiolus italicus, sidr and ghaf since they can withstand higher temperatures and consume less water compared to exotic plants. Other suitable options for gardens in Dubai include date palms, bougainvillaea, flame tree, and jasmine.

Set it up properly

You can end up spending a lot more on gardening than you need to if you don’t set up your garden the right way initially. For example, your irrigation system can be inefficient or the plants you’ve picked for you garden may require too much care.

That’s why it’s always best to hire and get advice from a professional landscaping company. Professional gardeners also save you money by bringing their own gardening tools and equipment such as spades, rakes, and prune scissors.

By following the aforementioned tips, you can save thousands of dirhams in the long if you’re planning to move to a new home with a garden or upgrade your existing one. Besides cutting down your gardening expenses, some of these tips can also help you embrace sustainable gardening, making it easier for you to save money and the planet at the same time.