6 once planted...9-12 in the spring..fall 4-6 hours a week.

Not enough due to my job:-) But around 6-8 hours per week from spring to fall. Not only because the garden requires it, it's my kind of coming down after work...

0-24 hours/week. That's the great thing about gardening, if you've got something else to do the weeds will still be there when you get back. I'm also expecting it to get easier in a few years when the garden remodel project is done, but I may be delusional.

This year I have been a full time gardener- about 30 hours a week. I go out around 8am and work until I can't take the heat any longer- usually until about 1pm or so. I do it every day until my back is really screaming, then I might take a day off.

For the first time since I moved into this house all my beds are weed free as of last Saturday- whoopee! Such a feeling!

It will last all of a week or so.

Later this week my household schedule shifts (when school starts) and I will garden in the evenings from around 3pm or so until the bugs start biting.

Karin, I can relate to gardening being good after work. I had a sedentary job for years and gardening was basically my exercise at that time--well, in the months I was able to garden in zone 4.

Kathy, I find I just digging holes in the dirt. If I'm achy, I can hardly go outside because I see work and just start doing it (accidentally). Somehow it's not the same for me in the house, I see those dust bunnies but don't feel compelled to clean, so for me, I think gardening will never be less--unless I grow too old and achy to do it.

Cearbhaill, weed-free! We should start giving awards for that!!!

Thanks to everyone who responded. Husband estimated I put in an average of 20+ hours when I was working FT yet, now it's likely more. I don't just grow hostas, I have other perennials plus a good amount of space devoted to veg gardens as well. My mother asks why I work so hard at it but I can think of little else that produces such great reward for me.

Whatever it is... it is never enough. I kept down the weeds better this year up until about 2 weeks ago. :/

Smorz, it's like cleaning or bill paying, you just get done and it's time to start over. For me, there's much more gratification in looking back to see the garden free of weeds--if only for a couple minutes.

In the spring, 24-30 hours. Taking care of the leaves left over from fall is rough. The I completely weed each bed before adding mulch. I often don't finish that until Memorial weekend. One bed in the wild yard didn't even get that treatment. It's been lucky to get water this year.

Right now, I probably spend 14-20 hours a week. I once had someone ask what I had to "do" in the garden... wasn't I "done" yet? LOL. I started physical therapy last week, this time for my shoulders. She also asked what I had to do. "You move plants??"

I'm very envious of my next door neighbors who have a fabulously perfect yard. They're also 80 years old and were retired before we moved here. I figure I have time to get to that point. Then I can be a full time gardener.

Eleven, sorry to hear you're having problems with your shoulder. Hope it recovers quickly so you can get back to gardening.

In years when I've had to water a lot, my hips gave me trouble. I did have a couple favorites that I gave special treatment by filling an empty milk jug and placing it upside down to slowly water after I was gone. Not sure how much good it actually did as when my surrounding soil was bone dry it wicked up the water.

I'm hoping you can be a full-time gardener before you're 80! Thanks for your descriptive response, I gives me a good picture in my mind.

Never enough time. But it is more important to take time to enjoy and reflect on what you already have accomplished than to worry about weeds and whatnot. I go to other people's gardens and see them bouncing around trying to micro manage every detail and wonder if they have any time to enjoy. It detracts from my enjoyment of their garden watching them bounce around continuing to work while showing me their gardens. That is why you should have a drink in your hand whilst showing your garden; or even all by yourself! After 3 or 4 beers my garden looks fabulous and I don't see weeds.

When I am not with the grandkids, I spend most of the time outdoors. This year, however it has been so hot that the humidity has driven me indoors many, many days against my will! Bah!

Eleven, I think a perfect yard by the age of 80 is a good benchmark, lol! I've got a ways to go to get it "right" but boy, it sure is fun experimenting in an ever-evolving garden.

Rainy day today (finally), slug bait is at the ready, hostas look happy...all is right with the world! :D

who is counting: time spent in the garden is not deducted from life!

At 68 it is getting harder. But, I love my flowers. Sadly I have to do the trimming of the yard also. Hubby doesn't see the necessity of doing it. He doesn't like me spraying around things but I do it anyway. Too big of a yard to keep looking good. I try to go out in the early morning and later in the evening. If we have a nice breeze I can stay out longer. I just kind of follow the shade. I always have a chair close by to rest in.. The hard part is we also have a place in the southern part of our state. I rarely go down so it probably looks pretty bad. Don't know how much longer we can do this.. My reward in all of it is seeing how beautiful it all is when I get it all done..

Isn't this another reason why we like hostas? I have very few issues with weeds in my hosta beds.

On another note, I find it irritating when other people point out to me weeds in MY garden; because first off I didn't notice the weeds, secondly there will always be weeds, and thirdly their perspective is wrong if their focus is on weeds.