Gardening During Your Work-from-Home Break

We're all back (or rather, still) working from home…

That's often quite a challenge, but it also has an advantage:

You can take your breaks in your own backyard!

Taking a short break in your garden every now and then is a welcome break from long and often monotonous tasks or endless Teams or Zoom meetings! Getting some fresh air will also help improve your concentration and productivity.

Just make sure to keep a close eye on the time…

To make the most of your breaks on a day you're working from home, here's a list of this month's gardening tasks and chores that take no more than 5 minutes.

Gardening in 5 Minutes: December

Remove leaves

Remove leaves from the lawn to prevent bare spots and moss growth. It’s also best to keep paths clear of leaves so they don’t get too slippery. Don’t throw the leaves away; instead, spread them in your flower beds as mulch layer.

Raise Terracotta Pots

Place terracotta pots on stands to improve drainage in the winter, which will help prevent the pots from freezing and cracking. Also, many potted plants don't like to stand in water during the winter.

Clean used jars

Wash old and used jars and turn them upside down, ready for reuse. Clean terracotta pots, as well as plastic pots that might be used for cuttings, etc. By the way, you can easily clean them with cold water and an old dish brush. You might want to add a tiny bit of green soap. It’s best not to do this while wearing nice clothes, or if you have a video meeting afterward…

Prepare pots for winter cuttings

Have some jars or containers ready, so that later wintering to plant. Fill a small pot or container with sand and/or potting soil to make your own propagation mix. Adequate drainage is important, and this soil should not contain any fertilizer.

Take winter cuttings

Do you choose Favorite Plants for Winter Cuttings Cut a few straight branches from it, about 15–25 cm long. Pencil-thick branches are ideal. Then place them as soon as possible in a pot or container filled with rooting medium that you’ve prepared in advance.

Pruning Ivy

You can prune long ivy shoots year-round, except when it’s freezing. Do you have an ivy hedge? If so, it’s probably grown quite a few long shoots. You can simply prune these back to the surface of the hedge. By doing this regularly, you’ll keep your ivy hedge compact.

Order Plants and Seeds

Order seeds online for your vegetable garden. Or order plants in advance to have them delivered over the weekend. If you’ve already made your selection, you can easily place your order in just a few minutes, but if you still need to choose, it’s better to do so after work.

Water the plants

Water your potted plants during dry spells. Even in winter, potted plants need extra water. Especially when it comes to smaller pots, newly planted plants, or if it hasn't rained for quite some time.

Dig up the dahlias

You probably won't be able to dig up all your dahlias in such a short time, but why not do them one by one? Dig up a dahlia, brush off the soil, and set it aside to dry. After the first frost, you can dig up the dahlias. You'll see that the page has turned black.

Place birdseed

Place new birdseed on a Bird Feeding Spot in Your Garden. The birds will be grateful, and with a little luck, your workspace will overlook the feeding area.

Empty buckets and containers when there's a frost

If it's going to freeze, empty the buckets and containers, etc., and turn them upside down. This will prevent animals like frogs from freezing into the ice.

Sprinkle sand on slippery paths

Do you have slippery paths or tiles in your yard? If so, sprinkle or sweep some sand over the path to make it less slippery.

Plant flower bulbs

Plant your last flower bulbs. Haven't gotten around to planting (all) your flower bulbs yet? If you plant just a few at a time, you'll surely be able to get them all planted this month. Just make sure to remember exactly where you planted them. For example, use labels or sticks to mark the spots.

Measure Your Garden

Do you have New Plans for Your Garden? To measure is to know! Go ahead and take some measurements so you know what's possible. It's a quick task you can easily do in 5 minutes. At least, in a small garden!