Don’t believe everything you read about gardening because you think you’ve got a bad case of the black thumb? With a few gardening hacks, you can master the art of growing flowers and vegetables in no time at all. If you’re looking for some of the most effective gardening tips, you’ve come to the right place! What’s even better is… Many of these ideas are based on things you already have in your home.
Gardening Tips And Tricks To Save You Money, Time, And Messes
Fill your planters with bottles and cans to save dirt
We’ve all wondered how they fill those enormous planters. It’s possible to use a 50-pound bag of expensive potting soil for the job, or you can use an easier, less expensive, and more environmentally friendly alternative. Here’s how to do it: Dump your recycling bin contents into the pot, then top it off with dirt and the remaining cans or bottles. This method saves money and improves the planter’s drainage and aeration by using less expensive soil from the garden center.
Divide your bulbs in half for more flowers
By dividing annual bulbs, you can double the beauty of your garden and save money. If the base of the original bulb is firm to the touch, you may be able to get twice as many blooms without spending any additional money by planting these new bulbs in addition to the original one.
Take your soil’s temperature with a kitchen thermometer
The thermometer in your oven and grill isn’t just for roasting a turkey for Thanksgiving. You can, in fact, stick it in the ground to see if your soil is warm enough to plant in (meaning it is above freezing). Using a slice of meat or digital thermometer that measures temperatures below 40 degrees will suffice, according to Brandt.
Line pots with coffee filters for easy repotting
Changing the location of a plant is a difficult task. What’s the reason for this? When you try to lift them, dirt can fall all over and disturb their delicate root system. All you need are some ordinary coffee filters to make a quick repair like this. One should be placed at the bottom of a pot and then filled with dirt before seeds or plants are planted.
Use zip or twist ties to keep climbing vines in place
Using a few twist ties, you can create a beautiful grid of climbing clematis or other vines (the ones that come with loaves of bread). You’ll be able to arrange the vines in any way you like if you secure the stems to a wire backing, fence, or post.
Crush eggshells and mix with your soil
Formula Landscaping maintenance care manager Oscar Ortega suggests adding a little pulverized shell to each planting hole. Plants in the house can benefit from the addition of potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus found in these delicate wonders. Every few weeks, sprinkle some fertilizer into the soil.
Fill an over-the-door shoe holder with plants
Succulents, ivy, or any other perennial can be grown in an old shoe holder and displayed in a pocket planter. Add soil and seedlings or small plants to each section, and then hang it on a fence, shed wall, or any exterior door that gets good light.
Insert plastic utensils to scare off critters
Regarding this one, it is a mystery to Brandt as to why it is effective; however, he believes that it is because the presence of this small army of plastic forks standing sentry in the soil terrifies rabbits and birds. Experiment with it using some of the food that was left over from your next gathering outside.
Pour vinegar on weeds
Vinegar bottles are a pantry staple, so every home has plenty of them. This essential item for the kitchen contains an acid that can kill weeds like dandelions; therefore, you should apply a small amount of it to each offender in your garden. Even though the pungent odor will continue to be present for some time, it is a small price to pay for weed-free flower beds.
Trap slugs and pill bugs in beer
You can capture and eliminate slimy insects like slugs and other mollusks from your garden by positioning a PBR dish in the vicinity of your plants. They wind up drowning when they come into contact with the beer due to the alluring smell of the beer, which attracts them to it.
