Is there a book/course that will tell me what to do when in my garden?

[UnimaginableWindBird]

I am very bad at gardening, but I love gardens and would like to learn, but part of the problem is that I didn't really know what to do when. I have ADHD and tend to get really excited about planting things, but then forget to water/feed/weed them later on.

I learned to develop a housework routine through The Organized Mum Method where she basically teaches the basics of what to do when, and I be was wondering if anyone knows a gardening book or similar that will just tell me what my gardening jobs are each month and how often they need to be done.

Alan titchmarsh has one

Gardeners World magazine has a feature for 'jobs this month' or similar.

I also made my own notebook which listed all the big trees/shrubs in my garden and advice from the RHS website about when to prune, how hard etc. that helped me keep on top of it as I could never remember, or pruned the wrong thing at the wrong time and killed it

Have a look at the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) app. I don’t know whether it’s the solution, I just know it exists.

Are you near any of their gardens (Great Torrington in Devon, Salford, Harrogate, Wisley in Surrey and one in Essex) - they run occasional 1-day courses.

The thing about gardening is it isn’t prescriptive, you have to respond to the plants. So what you get into a routine for isn’t so much “give 0.5l to each pot” but “check all the pots and water the ones that need it”.

if you’re starting seeds in the house, put them somewhere you’ll see them every day, and leave a small jug or watering can of water near them. For me, the best place is the toilet windowsill. The kitchen windowsill would be good if it wasn’t for the cats.

I’d say check out your local library, and remember, you can order books in from other libraries if they dont have it!

Also, I made myself a little spreadsheet that tells me what jobs need doing and when, as there is a lot to keep on top of. I just add new jobs as I find out about them. Then tick them off when they are done. Then you can reuse it every year and just build on it.

Crocus.co.uk have an app called Iris. You can add your plants to your profile garden and that gives you care tips each month 👍 I found it easier to use than the RHS app.

The Weekend Gardener by Monty Don was my bible when I first had my own garden.

It is organised into jobs for every month, is not at all daunting, assumes no prior knowledge and recognises time for the garden usually has to be shoehorned in between other tasks.

It is also very readable with inspirational photographs.

If you want to learn about gardening I recommend this book as a starting point.
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Here’s a book that tells you what to do each month plus it contains a place for you to jot down some notes or reminders.
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Here’s a book written by the late great Geoff Hamilton Gardeners World presenter from 1979-1996 telling you what to do each month.
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I like the RHS app. I’m a member and they also send email reminders of what to do each month

Depends on how much money you have to play with, but you could get a garden planner in to talk you through your space, the kinds of things you'd like to grow, and then the planner can sketch out what it would look like and give you a timeline of actions to complete over the year/s.

I did a brilliant course called seed to vase this year with ros chandler, it’s for growing cut flowers. She’s got a podcast too.

Here’s a book written by Ian Spence for the Royal Horticultural Society who I think 🤔 worked for Geoff Hamilton at Barnsdale in the 1980s. A very substantial book packed with lots of good information.
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I keep a notebook and write down care details on each plant I buy. Sometimes they die and get crossed out. You could use revision cards one for each plant and arrange them in months by action not when they flower, and one general for each month. Also find going in the garden often just to look keeps it fresh in my mind.

One final suggestion is another substantial book by Reader’s Digest and although a few years old this edition was published in 1989 it’s well worth having on any bookshelf. This book contains some very good information + pictures and is compiled from over 30 contributors from the gardening world.

All of these books are worth dipping in to throughout the gardening year and are great to look through during the less busy winter months.

All of my above suggestions can be found on https://www.abebooks.co.uk or eBay.

Happy reading 🧐

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I haven't tried these, but would these indicators help you to remember to water?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SUStee-Watering-Indicator-plants-Easy/dp/B08PPQFKMR/ref=asc_df_B08PPQFKMR/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11507064613878687168&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9190686&hvtargid=pla-2281435177858&psc=1&mcid=f0d059f0c3df310b97a07bf1743240b1&hvocijid=11507064613878687168-B08PPQFKMR-&hvexpln=74&gad_source=1