Whether you’re a beginner when it comes to gardening, or you’re more at an intermediate level, there is always something new that you can learn to help dramatically improve your gardening skills.
Here is an overview of 10 gardening hacks that can help you to not only experience more success, but that will also make gardening easier and more enjoyable.
Hack # 1 – Use Lemon Peels as Pots for Plants
Lemon peels are abundant in vital vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that your plants need to thrive.
Simply place the soil and seeds inside the lemon peels, which are the perfect size for germination.
Once the seeds begin to sprout, simply plant the seedling outside, or place it in a large pot, with the lemon peel still attached.
The lemon peel will continue to provide important nutrients to your plants, and since it’s an organic compost, it will remain beneficial for your plants for a year or longer.
Hack # 2 – Muffin Tin to Start Seedlings in Even Space
When starting out as a new gardener, it can be difficult to determine how much space to leave in-between plants. This problem is easily solved by using a muffin tin to start seedlings, as muffin tins have the perfect amount of space between each section.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a tin, and a simple dollar store tin will suffice.
Hack # 3 – Egg Shells to Start Seedlings
Like lemon peels, egg shells also provide an enormous amount of nutrition that seedlings need to thrive.Not only do egg shells provide immense fertilization for your plants, but they also act as a pest control agent.
Certain pests like snails, deer, and slugs dislike egg shells, so they will steer clear if they’re around.
So, the next time you cook with eggs, don’t toss the shells. Instead, save them and plant your seeds directly in them.
Hack # 4 – Use Plastic Knives and Forks to Protect your Plants from Pests
It can be frustrating to spend a great deal of time and effort growing a beautiful garden, only for pests like rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, and other pests to ravage your vegetables. Luckily, there are smart ways to prevent this from happening, and one way is to purchase some plastic knives and forks.
By placing these plastic utensils, sharp side up, around your plants, you’re building a deterrent to just about any pest that might mistake your garden for an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Hack # 5 – Use Baking Soda to Grow Sweeter Tomatoes
When growing tomatoes, the goal is to create the best-tasting, sweet tomatoes that far exceed the taste and quality of your store-bought kinds.
One way to achieve this goal is to sprinkle a teaspoonful of baking soda in the soil surrounding your tomato plants. You will be astounded at how delicious they turn out.
Hack # 6 – Use Egg Water to Water Your Plants
As stated earlier, egg shells provide a significant amount of nutrition for plants. Whether you decide to plant your seedlings in egg shells or not, one way to feed your plants and help them to flourish is to water them with egg water.
To make egg water, simply soak clean, crushed egg shells in water for a few days, and then water your plants. Or you can simply use the water you use to boil eggs with. Just be sure to let it cool down before watering your plants.
Hack # 7 – Sprinkle Cinnamon to Prevent Mold and Fungi
There are many reasons why the soil that your plants are growing in could fall victim to mold and fungi, from over-watering, to bad soil, among others.
One way to prevent the growth of mold and fungi is to sprinkle cinnamon around each plant.
Cinnamon prevents the growth of these compounds due to its natural anti-fungal properties, and any inexpensive dollar-store cinnamon will work.
Hack # 8 – Use Coffee Filters in Your Containers
Drainage holes in pots can sometimes become clogged, resulting in root rot from over-watering. You can easily prevent this from occurring and provide your pots with excellent drainage by lining a couple of coffee filters in your containers.
Hack # 9 – Grow Herbs in Water
If you plan on growing herbs like thyme, basil, oregano and parsley, then growing them in water is recommended. While these herbs can be grown in soil, it’s a lot easier to grow them indoors, in water.
Not only will you not have to contend with pests, but it’s a simple and mess-free method of ensuring that you have quick access to fresh herbs to help flavor your foods.
Hack # 10 – Use Prunings to Keep Pests and Animals Away from your Beds
Pesticides can be dangerous to plants and to you, so if you’re trying to ward off pests, there are ways to do so naturally. In addition to using plastic knives and forks, you can spread prunings around your garden to keep pests away.
These prunings must be from certain plants, as some are natural repellents to certain pests, especially in their dried form, once they’ve become prunings.
