cheatsheet_lesson7

Lesson 7: Basic Gardening & Outdoor Maintenance - Cheat Sheet

Garden Zones & Sunlight Guide

Sunlight Level	Hours of Direct Sun	Suitable Plants	Garden Uses
Full sun	6+ hours daily	Roses, lavender, most vegetables	Vegetable gardens, herb gardens, flower beds
Partial sun	4-6 hours daily	Hydrangeas, ferns, hostas	Mixed borders, transitional areas
Partial shade	2-4 hours daily	Foxgloves, astilbes, heucheras	Woodland gardens, under deciduous trees
Full shade	<2 hours daily	Ferns, hostas, pachysandra	Under evergreens, north-facing areas

UK Soil Types

Soil Type	Identification	Advantages	Disadvantages	Improvement Methods
Clay	Sticky when wet, hard when dry, forms ball when squeezed	Nutrient-rich, retains water	Poor drainage, slow to warm, compacts easily	Add organic matter, grit, avoid walking on when wet
Sandy	Gritty texture, doesn’t form ball, drains quickly	Warms quickly, good drainage, easy to work	Poor nutrient retention, dries out quickly	Add organic matter, mulch heavily, water frequently
Loam	Crumbly texture, forms loose ball, dark color	Balanced drainage/retention, fertile	Few disadvantages	Maintain with regular organic matter
Chalky	Pale color, stony, often alkaline	Good drainage	Low fertility, dries quickly, alkaline pH	Add organic matter, use acidic mulches
Peat	Dark, spongy, acidic	Excellent water retention, good for acid-lovers	Can be too acidic for many plants	Add lime for non-acid lovers, improve drainage

Essential Gardening Tools

Tool	Purpose	Estimated Cost	Maintenance
Hand trowel	Planting, weeding	£5-15	Clean after use, oil metal parts
Secateurs	Cutting stems up to 2cm	£10-30	Clean, sharpen, oil regularly
Garden fork	Turning soil, aerating	£15-30	Clean after use, oil metal parts
Garden spade	Digging, edging	£15-30	Clean after use, oil metal parts
Rake	Clearing leaves, leveling soil	£10-20	Clean after use, check for loose tines
Watering can	Targeted watering	£5-20	Empty after use, store out of sun
Garden hose	General watering	£15-50	Drain before winter, store coiled
Gardening gloves	Hand protection	£5-15	Wash regularly, replace when worn
Wheelbarrow	Moving soil, plants, debris	£30-80	Clean after use, check tire pressure
Loppers	Cutting branches 2-5cm	£20-40	Clean, sharpen, oil regularly

Lawn Care Calendar

Month	Tasks	Notes
January-February	Avoid walking on frozen grass, maintain mower	Repair mower, sharpen blades
March	First mow (high setting), apply moss killer if needed	Wait until grass reaches 5-7cm
April	Regular mowing, spring fertilizer, overseed bare patches	Begin weekly mowing
May	Regular mowing, weed control	Water during dry spells
June-July	Regular mowing, raise height during hot periods	Water deeply but infrequently
August	Regular mowing, water during drought	Consider summer feed if needed
September	Begin lowering cutting height, autumn fertilizer	Less nitrogen, more potassium
October	Aerate compacted soil, rake leaves promptly	Last regular mow
November	Final mow (higher setting), clear leaves	Prepare for winter
December	Avoid walking on frozen grass	Plan for spring

Lawn Problem Diagnosis

Symptom	Likely Cause	Solution
Moss	Poor drainage, shade, soil acidity	Improve drainage, scarify, apply moss killer
Bare patches	Wear, pet urine, disease	Loosen soil, overseed, keep moist until established
Yellowing	Nutrient deficiency, drought	Apply appropriate fertilizer, water deeply
Weeds	Natural invasion, thin grass	Hand removal or selective herbicides, overseed
Thatch buildup	Natural accumulation of dead grass	Scarify (rake out thatch), improve soil biology
Compacted soil	Foot traffic, heavy clay	Aerate with fork or hollow-tine aerator
Uneven surface	Settlement, mole activity	Top dress with soil/sand mix, level with rake
Waterlogging	Poor drainage, compaction	Aerate, improve drainage, consider French drain

Pruning Guide by Plant Type

Plant Type	When to Prune	How to Prune	Tools Needed
Spring-flowering shrubs	Immediately after flowering	Remove 1/3 of old stems at base	Secateurs, loppers
Summer-flowering shrubs	Late winter/early spring	Cut back previous year’s growth by 1/3	Secateurs, loppers
Evergreen hedges	Mid to late spring and early autumn	Light trimming to shape	Hedge shears, loppers
Deciduous hedges	Winter dormancy	Hard pruning if needed	Hedge shears, loppers
Roses	Late winter (Feb-March)	Remove dead/diseased wood, cut to outward-facing bud	Secateurs, gloves
Fruit trees	Winter dormancy	Open center, remove crossing branches	Pruning saw, loppers
Perennials	Autumn or spring	Cut back dead growth to base	Secateurs
Grasses	Early spring	Cut back to 10cm above ground	Secateurs, shears

Watering Wisdom

Plant Type	Watering Frequency	Amount	Best Time	Method
Established trees/shrubs	Weekly in dry periods	20-30L per plant	Morning	Slow soak at base
New plantings	2-3 times weekly	5-10L per plant	Morning	At base, avoid foliage
Perennials	When soil dry 5cm down	Until soil moist	Morning	At soil level
Containers	Daily in summer, weekly in winter	Until water emerges from drainage holes	Morning	Directly to soil
Lawn	When footprints remain visible	2.5cm depth	Morning	Sprinkler or soaker hose
Vegetables	When soil dry 2-5cm down	Consistent moisture	Morning	Drip irrigation ideal

Fertilizer Guide

Type	N-P-K Meaning	Best For	When to Apply	How Much
Balanced (e.g., 10-10-10)	Equal nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium	General garden use	Spring	Follow package directions
High nitrogen (e.g., 21-7-7)	Promotes leaf growth	Lawns, leafy vegetables	Spring/early summer	Follow package directions
High phosphorus (e.g., 7-21-7)	Promotes root and flower development	Flowering plants, new plantings	Spring/mid-summer	Follow package directions
High potassium (e.g., 7-7-21)	Enhances overall health and disease resistance	Fruit, root crops, winter hardiness	Late summer/autumn	Follow package directions
Slow-release	Gradual nutrient release	All plants	Spring	One application lasts months
Organic	Natural materials, improves soil	All plants	Any time	More is not always better

Common Garden Pests and Solutions

Pest	Affected Plants	Signs	Organic Controls	Chemical Options
Aphids	Most plants, especially new growth	Curled leaves, sticky residue	Strong water spray, insecticidal soap, ladybirds	Systemic insecticide
Slugs/snails	Seedlings, hostas, leafy plants	Holes in leaves, slime trails	Hand picking, beer traps, copper tape	Slug pellets (metaldehyde or ferric phosphate)
Caterpillars	Brassicas, many ornamentals	Holes in leaves, droppings	Hand picking, encourage birds, Bacillus thuringiensis	Pyrethrum-based sprays
Vine weevils	Container plants, especially heucheras	Notched leaf edges, wilting	Nematodes for larvae, night hunting for adults	Acetamiprid
Greenfly/blackfly	Roses, fruit trees, vegetables	Distorted growth, sticky residue	Insecticidal soap, companion planting	Pyrethrum-based sprays
Red spider mite	Indoor plants, greenhouse plants	Fine webbing, stippled leaves	Increase humidity, predatory mites	Insecticidal soap

Outdoor Structure Maintenance Guide

Structure	Maintenance Task	Frequency	Materials Needed
Wooden fence	Check for loose boards, protruding nails	Annually	Hammer, replacement boards, nails
Wooden fence	Clean algae/moss	Annually	Stiff brush, mild detergent
Wooden fence	Apply preservative/stain	Every 2-3 years	Wood preservative, brush
Deck	Pressure wash or scrub	Annually	Deck cleaner, brush or pressure washer
Deck	Check for loose boards, protruding nails	Annually	Hammer, screwdriver, replacement fasteners
Deck	Apply sealant or stain	Every 2-3 years	Deck sealant, brush or roller
Shed	Check roof for leaks	Bi-annually	Roofing felt, adhesive
Shed	Lubricate hinges	Annually	WD-40 or similar lubricant
Shed	Treat wood	Every 2-3 years	Wood preservative, brush
Patio/path	Remove weeds from between pavers	As needed	Weeding tool, weed killer
Patio/path	Pressure wash or scrub	Annually	Patio cleaner, brush or pressure washer
Patio/path	Replenish joint sand/grout	As needed	Polymeric sand or jointing compound

Seasonal Garden Tasks

Season	Essential Tasks	Optional Tasks	Tools Needed
Spring	Clean up winter debris, prune spring-flowering shrubs after blooming, divide overcrowded perennials, apply mulch to beds	Start vegetable garden, plant summer-flowering bulbs, feed lawn	Rake, secateurs, spade, wheelbarrow
Summer	Regular watering during dry periods, deadhead flowering plants, harvest vegetables and fruits, monitor for pests	Trim hedges after nesting season, take cuttings, feed containers	Watering can/hose, secateurs, basket
Autumn	Collect and compost leaves, plant spring-flowering bulbs, cut back perennials, harvest last vegetables	Aerate and feed lawn, divide perennials, plant trees and shrubs	Rake, secateurs, bulb planter, fork
Winter	Prune dormant trees and shrubs, clean and sharpen tools, protect vulnerable plants from frost	Plan next year’s garden, order seeds, check stored bulbs and tubers	Secateurs, pruning saw, frost protection

Professional vs. DIY Decision Guide

Task	DIY Appropriate?	Skill Level	Tools Needed	When to Call Pro
Lawn mowing/feeding	Yes	Beginner	Basic	Never, unless physically unable
Hedge trimming	Yes	Beginner-Intermediate	Basic	For very tall hedges or formal shapes
Tree pruning	Limited	Intermediate	Specialized	For large trees or near structures
Patio installation	Yes	Intermediate	Specialized	For large areas or complex designs
Fence installation	Yes	Intermediate	Basic+	For boundary disputes or complex terrain
Deck building	Yes	Advanced	Specialized	For elevated decks or complex designs
Drainage solutions	Limited	Advanced	Specialized	For property-wide issues
Tree removal	No	Professional	Specialized	Always for trees over 3m