If you cannot spend a lot of time caring for a summer cottage, this does not mean that you need to completely abandon it. It is possible to create conditions for a rich harvest in the garden or in the garden with minimal energy consumption.
Do not be greedy
Due to the abundance of plant species and varieties on offer, it can be difficult to stop and not buy a lot of them. But it is worthwhile to rationally plan your capabilities, and then choose only the most necessary seeds.
In order not to doubt the volume of the future harvest, buy varieties that are distinguished by long and abundant fruiting. Such crops include, for example, bunch cucumbers, which bring 2-3 more vegetables than other varieties.
Choose low-maintenance plants
Try to choose an unpretentious crop without being tempted by very beautiful but capricious plants. Replace seasonal flowers with perennial and undemanding species that feel comfortable for a long time without transplanting.
For vegetables, choose beets, potatoes, squash, peas, radishes, lettuce, and onions. These species do not require frequent watering and a lot of fertilization, and partial shade suits them no less than illuminated areas.
Consider the hardiness of plants
Before planting seeds, read the instructions and pay attention to the temperature readings for their development and growth. Maybe the climate conditions in your region are not suitable for the plants.
This will help you figure out if you need cold-hardy or heat-loving varieties. If you ignore this advice, you will have to spend a lot of energy on caring for the plantings. And there is no guarantee that you will get a good harvest.
Don't grow a lot of seedlings
Not everyone takes into account that growing seedlings is a laborious and complex process. In addition, seedlings require comfortable conditions and a lot of free space, which is not always possible to achieve in a city apartment.
But for the cultivation of many vegetables, it is generally not required to pre-prepare the seedlings. Therefore, before proceeding with the release of window sills or a loggia for seedlings, study in detail the features of the selected vegetable crop. It may be easier to sow it with the onset of warmth immediately on the beds.
Buy ready-made seedlings
Of course, purchasing ready-made seedlings will cost more than purchasing seeds. But if you want to spend a minimum of time and effort on preparing for the summer cottage, spare some money and just buy ready-made seedlings. And besides everything else, you will still keep order in the apartment.
Stock up on a handy tool
All tools in the country must be practical and reliable. This will help save not only time and effort, but also money - you do not have to frequently change inventory due to breakdowns or inconvenience.
When buying hoes, shovels and rakes, pay attention to their length and weight. Choose all the tools according to your strength and skill. And if even a well-advertised model seems cumbersome to you, then abandon it.
Leverage technical advances
There are many devices that simplify the life of summer residents. Here is just one example - a greenhouse heating cable. It helps not to be afraid of frost, plant shoots earlier and prolong the harvest.The heating system is laid in the soil of the greenhouse and consists of several layers of sand, heat-insulating material, reinforced mesh and the heating wire itself.
Drip irrigation is also helpful. This is a system that delivers water simultaneously to all plants through pipes (hoses) connected to a single source.
There is a system with separate droppers (difficult to install, but can be adjusted to fit the location of the landings), a drip hose with built-in droppers (easy to install, but cannot be diluted in beds) and a drip tape (easy to use - the distance between droppers can be selected, but the device is short-lived) ...
Apply apions
Apions (automatic feeding osmotic pumps) with complex fertilizers, placed in a special shell, which is made of a material with semi-permeable membranes.
Apion is buried in the ground, where it supplies plants with the necessary amount of fertilizers for a long time. You also don't have to worry that vegetables will receive more nutrition than they need. Fertilizer supply stops as soon as the root system stops sucking it in.
Transfer part of the sowing to fall
To reduce the amount of spring work in your garden, plant some crops in the fall. In addition to garlic and onion sets, after summer you can plant beets, cabbage, arugula, carrots, parsley, dill and some types of flowers.
Choose the right garden style
In order not to spend a lot of time looking after your garden, decorate it in a slightly chaotic rustic style. You can abandon a strict lawn and its regular mowing by planting perennial low-growing crops in summer cottages.
Such a design will also allow changing capricious flowers for unpretentious wild-growing shrubs, and instead of traditional flower beds, organize grass mixborders and ridges from well-growing creeping flora. The picturesque natural style does not require the creation of a harmonious harmony between plants and will make you feel like the master of a wild meadow or forest.
