7 simple garden hacks to try

#1 - Faster Mowing

If you have a large lawn, it can take longer than you like to maintain it. This gardening hack is super easy and needs nothing more from you than changing your mowing direction. If your lawn is a large rectangular shape and you normally mow front to back on the shortest side, start going horizontally. 

Fewer stops and turns can cut mowing time in half while giving straighter lawn lines. For circular lawns, place a spike in the middle of the lawn and attach a guide rope to the handle. Start at the outer perimeter and watch as the rope gently brings the mower inwards with each rotation. A self-propelled mower will make the hack even easier.

If you have a square lawn, start at one corner and mow in a clockwise rotation. Once you reach your starting point, move inwards and follow the already cut line. This gives a beautiful, unique finish and takes less time than side to side mowing.

#2 - Thicker Lawn

Gardening is all about a routine and mowing the lawn is no different. But an unfortunate side effect of routine is that people will tend to always mow in the same direction throughout the year. And this isn't great news for your grass.

The more you mow in one direction, the more the grass will grow in that direction.  Over time, this can lead to grass that is difficult to cut and looks dull and lifeless. The angle it starts to grow at reduces sunlight, airflow and water from reaching the root system.

But don't worry, you don't need to rip up your lawn and start again. All you need to do is switch things up. If you would normally mow the lawn from front to back, next time, mow it from side to side. Then the time following that, go diagonally from corner to corner.

The more angles you use throughout the year, the more likely your grass is to stand up straight and receive a healthy and beautiful cut. And this will result in a beautifully thick lawn your neighbours will be jealous of.

#3 - Raise the Humidity

Some plants and delicate seedlings need higher humidity levels to thrive. Unfortunately, the weather doesn't always play ball, but that doesn't need to get in the way of you and your much-loved plants.

If you have high-humidity loving plants such as Boston Ferns, Peace Lilies, Bromeliads, Canna Indica or orchids, you can raise the humidity levels in seconds with a handheld sprayer.

Using a hose pipe for watering can deliver water to the root systems, but does little to lift humidity levels. Garden sprayers deliver a fine and delicate  mist that settles on all parts of the plant and surrounding areas, thus increasing humidity.

Delicate seedlings and air plants will also benefit from a misting. Stand back a good metre or so and release the spray in their direction. Don't get too close as you could end up damaging your plants. They just need a soft and delicate misting from a distance. Larger sprayers, such as a 15L backpack sprayer can cover larger areas in need of a humidity boost.

#4 - No Rake Leaf Removal

As the growing season comes to an end and nature takes on a beautiful golden hue,  gardens can be bogged down with layer after layer of leaves. The first tool you can use is a leaf blower. Leaf blowers are the perfect way to blast leaves to the edges of your garden with the power of air. Even better, get a vacuum blower and vacuum the debris, turning into mulch to fertilize your garden.

But what can you do if you don't have a leaf blower? Take out that pressure washer. Pressure washers produce a fine mist at intense speeds. This not only provides powerful bursts of water that can blast leaves away but also generates downdrafts that lift leaves to the edges of your garden.

And if you have trees loaded up with pesky leaves ready to fall, blast the branches with the pressure washer to loosen and remove them in one go.  The additional moisture will help the leaves break down nicely once you throw them on the compost heap.

#5 - Sharp as Sand

Dull blades are the bane of a gardener's life. Instead of slicing through vegetation, they end up ripping and tearing things apart. This is not good for your garden or your mood.

So what can you do if your tools are blunt and you don't have a blade sharpener on hand? Easy. A simple mix of sand and oil is a quick DIY fix that can work wonders.

For tools such as secateurs and loppers, a bucket filled with six parts sand, one part vegetable oil will be effective. Simply take your tools and dip them in and out of the sand to remove rust and sharpen the edges.

For a sharper, more intense result you can put on a glove and take a handful of sand and rub it on the blades. The scouring action will remove any rust while sharpening up the edges and creating a smoother surface area.

#6- Quick Composting

It takes a while for organic matter to break down in the compost heap. The larger and denser it is, the longer you will have to wait. To speed up the composting process, you need to break things down to be as small as possible.

If you have a mulching kit that attaches to your lawn mower, you can chop grass clippings, leaves and weeds into small fragments.  Throw these on top of your compost heap and give them a gentle Spritz of water. Moisture helps encourage bacteria to break down the organic matter at a faster rate. Added bonus - throw on some used coffee grounds to keep pests like ants, snails, and slugs away!

And if you want to provide instant nutrition back into your lawn, you should definitely mulch as you mow. Compost and mulch both help feed plants while improving soil structure, integrity and condition.

#7 - Human-free Mowing

If you hate mowing the lawn, then you have a few options available. You could get yourself a goat. But don't expect your prize-winning blooms to survive for too long. You could patio over your lawn. But who wants a concrete jungle instead of a lush, green oasis?  Or you could use a robotic lawn mower like the Husqvarna Automower®.

The Husqvarna Automower® is an intelligent robotic lawn mower that takes care of your lawn without you ever needing to get involved. 

• Perimeter wires keep it on your lawn and out of your flower gardens.
• Preset timing schedules have it working day or night.
• Sensors help it navigate large obstacles and garden furniture.
• And best of all, when the battery runs low it takes itself back to the charging station and docks itself.

An Automower® is the ultimate human-free way to maintain a perfectly manicured, lush lawn  throughout the year. If you've always fancied a dense, carpet like finish but don't fancy paying a gardener to do  it for you each week, then this is the answer to all of your prayers.