Single Mums: Make Yard Work Hassle-Free With These Essentials

If you are a single mum with toddlers at your feet, you need landscaping that is virtually maintenance-free, and you need tools that make lawncare safe, fast and simple for a busy mum. Take a look at these lawn supplies and maintenance ideas that will make your landscaping look amazing and taking care of it feel simple:

1. Native, drought-resistant plants

You don't need to spend all day working to cover your water bill, and with native, drought-resistant plants, you don't have to. When you are setting up your easy-maintenance lawn, find plants that grow naturally in the area, and put them in your yard.

Lay a weed barrier to minimise the amount of time you will have to spend pulling weeds and place rocks or wood chips between the plants. Rocks and wood chips are ideal products, as they need no maintenance save for a bit of weeding if seeds get through the weed barrier.

2. Hardy turf

Of course, with toddlers, you probably want some of your lawn dedicated to playing. That area needs a hardy turf. Look for varieties of turf that don't need that much water, grow slowly (to minimise how often you have to mow) and resist weeds.

Also, keep texture in mind. You want something that feels soft under your little ones' feet.

3. Self-propelled mower

To take care of your patch of lawn, you don't want to have to waste hours pushing a heavy mower. Instead, make the job easier by getting a self-propelled electric- or petrol-powered lawn mower.

If you're not that worried about pushing a mower, you may want to consider a reel lawn mower instead. If you are the only parent in the house, you need to be able to hear the kids if they are in trouble. As reel-powered mowers don't have a motor, you can always hear what's going on around you, and that can be essential when you have toddlers.

4. Novelty sprinkler

An in-ground sprinkler system is probably the easiest way to keep your lawn watered when you have little kids. You can just set it and forget about it. Your lawn will get automatically watered as needed.

However, if you don't have an in-ground system, make watering fun by investing in a novelty sprinkler. While you are checking on your plants or cleaning up after mowing, you can use the sprinkler to distract the kids and water the lawn at the same time. It's almost like having an extra helper while you do your yard work.