Believe it or not, gardening is good for you. It can help lower your stress hormones and give you a sense of reward. Apart from that, gardening is also great for your mental health.
Now, although gardening is great, a lot of people are still not into it. They think that starting and maintaining a garden takes a lot of work. While that’s true, there are ways to make gardening more fun and less tiring.
Here are 75 gardening hacks you should try ASAP.
1. Make your own watering can.
Don’t throw away those empty milk jugs you have at home. You can turn them into watering cans by poking several holes in the cap with a push pin. To learn more about this DIY project, click here.
2. Use coffee grounds as fertilizer.
Sprinkle some coffee grounds into your soil. The additional nitrogen they make can be a good source of nutrients for the plants in your garden.
3. Experience hassle-free gardening with a DIY raised garden bed.
Believe it or not, you can actually make your own raised garden bed in just 20 minutes. You can find the complete instructions here.
4. Make your own seed starter greenhouse
Greenhouse kits can be expensive if you buy them from the store. If you want something cheaper, you can make your own seed starter greenhouse. It’s super easy to make. You can check out the instructions here.
5. Grow seeds in eggshells.
This activity isn’t just a great project for your garden. It also makes a great craft activity for the family, particularly the kids. And the best part? You won’t need expensive materials to make one. Click here to see the full details of the project.
6. Grow your leftover romaine lettuce.
With this trick and a bit of patience, you’ll be able to grow your romaine lettuce again and again. This means that you won’t have to spend money just to get one. You won’t even need to run to the store each time you’re craving for romaine lettuce.
7. Make a natural fertilizer with egg shells.
Take a large pot, fill it with a gallon of water, and boil it. Add about 10 to 20 eggshells. Turn of the heat and let it sit overnight. The next morning, you can pour the water on your plant’s soil after straining. Try to do this at least once a week.
8. Use banana peels as fertilizers.
Bananas are excellent fertilizers because they contain potassium. In general, this mineral is helpful in promoting the general vigor of your plants. They also have phosporus which promotes excellent root and shoot growth.
9. Grow corn from popcorn kernels.
If you love popcorn, you’ll love this hack as well. For this, you’ll only need popcorn kernels. Plant them in the sunnniest part of your garden. Make sure they are about 1-inche deep and 6 to 8 inches apart. You can check out this guide to know more.
10. Plant strawberries in container pots.
This is a good solution if you don’t have that much space in your garden. However, unlike growing strawberries in a raised garden bed, you won’t be able to get a lot of strawberries.
11. Make an herb garden with mason jars.
Mason jars aren’t just great for organizing things in your kitchen. Based on this hack, mason jars are also handy when it comes to growing herbs at home. It’s cheap and super easy to do. Click here to see the full guide.
12. Add baking soda to make tomatoes taste less tart.
Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda to make your tomatoes taste sweeter. Keep in mind that you only need a small amount. Sprinkling too much can poison the soil.
13. Keep soil most for a few days by laying moist nappies.
Nappies can absorb a large amount of water which will be released as the plants need it. This is a good hack if you’ll be away from home for a couple of days.
14. Before sowing, soak the seeds in warm water.
This method is helpful in breaking seed dormancy. It helps speed up the process of germination in some plants.
15. Make your own compost.
This one’s quite easy. All you need is to mix layers of organic waste in a big bin. You can use grass cuttiings and prunings. Adding fresh farmyard manure is also recommended. If you want to see a complete guide on how to make one, click here.
16. Use vodka to make flowers last longer.
Believe it or not, vodka has the ability to prevent bacterial growth. Adding a few drops of it in your vase of water can help keep its water clean for your flowers. If you don’t have vodka, add a teaspoon of sugar.
17. Add cinnamon powder on your seedlings to keep diseases away.
Cinnamon possesses anti-fungal qualities that can help stop or prevent diseases on your seedlings. And the best part? It smells great! Find out more here.
18. Use your citrus peel to start your seeds.
Before filling your peel with potting soil, remember to poke a hole in the bottom. It’ll serve as drainage. Once the seedling is ready, you can plant the peel directly in your garden. Read more about it here.
19. Add coffee filters to your flower pots.
Before repotting your plant, you can add coffee filters to keep the soil in place. It’s also a good hack to keep the drainage holes from clogging up. Learn more about this hack here.
20. Turn broken planters into plant labels.
Don’t throw away your broken planters right away. With a bit of creativity, you can turn them to unique labels for your plants. Click here to get more ideas.
21. Create a self-cleaning garden tool holder.
With this ingenious hack, you can keep your tools clean and maintained without doing the hard work. Click here to see the full details.
22. Propagate cuttings with honey.
The enzymes found in honey can promote root growth. Apart from that, honey can also help prevent fungal problems.
23. Prevent transplant shock with Epsom salt.
Before planting seedlings, add about a tablespoon of Epsom salt to the soil. Put a thin layer of dirt over it and place your plant.
24. Use cooking water as fertilizer.
When boiling vegetables, don’t pour the water down your drain. Let it cool and pour it on your garden soil to fertilize the plants in the area. You can also do the same thing with boiled egg water.
25. Check the pH of your garden soil.
This hack can give you an idea of whether your soil is alkaline, neutral or acidic, Although you can’t get the exact value, it’ll help you know if you need to do something to adjust the pH of your soil. Read more about it here.
26. Make your mailbox beautiful by planting fragrant blossoms around it.
Apart from making your mailbox looking beautiful and smelling great, it’s also a fun activity to work on your green thumb. With this hack, you can easily update your mailbox.
27. Turn your old jeans into a garden apron.
Your old pair of blue jeans can be an excellent garden apron because of the pockets. Now, don’t worry if you don’t have excellent sewing skills. You can actually make one without sewing.
28. Store seeds in empty medicine bottles.
Peel the label off and clean your empty medication bottles so you can use them to store your seeds. Just remember to add a new label so you’d know what seeds are each one contains.
29. Create a tunnel using your vegetable vines
Build an awning using wires and plant gourdsm peas or green beans along the edges. Once they grow, you’ll have a really nice tunnel in your garden.
30. Make crochet baskets for your watermelons.
This is a really fun idea. By crocheting baskets and using them to hold your watermelons, you’ll be able to keep them from rotting from always sitting on damp soil.
31. Make your own planters with concrete.
Here’s an interesting way to make unique pots at home. You won’t need concrete blocks for this. To see how you can make one, check this guide.
32. Make garden markers using stones.
You won’t have to spend money on this project. If you have leftover paint at home, you can use it to make lovely garden stones.
33. Make a strawberry tower.
You don’t really need to have a lot of space in your garden just to grow strawberries. You can just make a strawberry tower. The full guide is here.
34. Repel bugs in your garden.
If mosquitoes keep bugging you in your garden, you should consider planting lemongrass or catnip. They work quite well in keeping bugs away. You can plant them in pots or grow them in areas where you like to spend time.
35. Set up a rain barrel.
Cut down on your water bill by setting up a rain barrel. It’s an easy system that lets you collect water from the rain and use it whenever you need to water your plants. See the guide here.
36. Use K-cups for your seeds.
The mesh in the cup helps prevent the soil from leaking out. At the same time, it allows water to drain.
37. Lessen the weight of your large outdoor plant pots.
Fill the bottom part with foam peanuts. Place a thin fabric over it before filling the rest of your pots with dirt. Apart from lessening the weight, the foam peanuts also help improve drainage.
38. Make your mini-greenhouses with plastic bins.
Clear plastic bins aren’t just great for organizing things at home. As it turns out, you can also use them in gardening, particularly when making mini-greenhouses.
39. Use toilet paper rolls as seedling starters.
Cut your toilet paper roll and fold the bottom part. Secure it with tape before adding your soil and seeds.
40. Use your pallet as a planter.
You can turn your pallet into a planter for your herbs, vegetables or flowers. Apart from that it’s easy to make, you can also make several of them if you don’t have a lot of space in your yard for the types of plants you want. You can check out this guide to find out more.
41. Turn broken pots into fairy gardens.
Use cracked terra-cotta pots as a base for your fairy garden. You can stuff it with colorful succulents and moss to make it more beautiful. If you’re not sure how to start, you can check out this helpful guide.
42. Attract hummingbirds.
You don’t need to buy hummingbird feeders just to attract birds to your garden. All you need to do is plant flowers that attract hummingbirds. There are so many options to choose from.
43. Transform your planters with new paint.
That’s right. You don’t have to buy new planters just to upgrade the look of your garden. By painting your pots with new colors, you can easily achieve the same effect. Here’s a guide you can check out for this project.
44. Make a vertical garden with a hanging pocket organizer.
Because they are hanged, you can save space in your garden while deterring cats and other pests from destroying your garden. Plus, hanging pocket organizers are cheap so you can buy as many as you need for your garden.
45. Build a water fountain using plant pots.
Take some of your old planters and convert them into a beautiful water fountain. You won’t need a lot of materials and the steps are easy to follow. You can see this guide to know more.
46. Grow your own supply of onions at home.
Take a plastic bottle and cut its neck off. Poke holes and pop some onion bulbs through them. It won’t be long before you can enjoy producing your own onions at home. See this guide to know the full details.
47. Bury an old freezer to preserve vegetables.
Your old freezer is an excellent alternative to a root cellar. You can use it to preserve vegetables like potatoes throughout winter with minimal sprouting. See how a couple used this hack here.
48. Use bathroom organizers as planters.
Hang your bath organizer on your patio wall and use it as a planter. They’re the perfect size for your herbs and succulents.
49. Make your own wasp trap.
It’s a bit difficult to enjoy your garden when wasps are swarming over the area. To solve this, you can make your own wap trap by following this guide. Take note that you’ll only need 2 materials for this.
50. Make a butterfly feeder.
Apart from making your garden look more beautiful, butterflies are also helpful in pollinating your plants. One wat to encourage them to visit your garden is by making a butterfly feeder. Hometalk has an amazing guide you can use.
51. Capture slugs with a dish of beer.
This hack might not look appealing but it’s quite effective in capturing the slugs tormenting your yard. The nice thing about it is that it’s cheap. If you have an extra bottle of beer and a bowl, you can easily make this trap.
52. Layer used sponges at the bottom your terracottapots
By adding a layer of sponges, you can prevent the roots of your plants from rotting. They can help absorb the extra water while allowing extra air at the bottom.
53. Use soap as a deer deterrent.
Use your food processor to shred some soap. Once shredded, sprinkle it around your garden. This should help keep deer and rabbits away.
54. Make fertilizer tea.
Tear up a couple of leaves and put them in a bucket with non-chlorinated water. Make sure to cover the bucket to keep mosquitoes away. Let it steep before pouring.
55. Create your own non-toxic weed killer.
To make a natural weed killer, you’ll need a teaspoon of liquid dish soap, 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of table salt. You can also use apple cider vinegar as an alternative. To see the steps, click here.
56. Use fork to protect your herbs.
Do you always find your neighbor’s cat in your garden? Place a couple of forks in the area. They offer an effective way to let the cat know that your garden isn’t a litter box.
57. Ensure even spacing for your seeds with a muffin tin.
You don’t have to spend a long time measuring out your garden when planting your seeds. Just evenly press your muffin tin and you’ll have evenly spaced holes for your seeds.
58. Prevent invasive plants with plastic pots.
Cut off the bottom part fo your plastic pot before burring it in the ground. With the plastic edging, you can prevent plants that spread from invading. This is also a good way to control the size of your plants.
59. Make your own garden pond with used tires.
Planning on upgrading your garden but don’t have a lot of extra money? Look for used tires. By following this guide, you can make a nice garden pond without burning holes in your wallet.
60. Make your own seed hole maker with wine corks.
This DIY planting board can save you so much time when gardening. You won’t have to spend a long time measuring spaces and marking holes.
61. Edge your lawn with a plank of wood.
This offers a super fast way to get that straight edge for your flower beds. See the full guide here.
62. Store your hose in a DIY planter.
Keep your garden looking neat by keeping your hose in a planter. You can make yours as big or as small as you like with this guide.
63. Use your old purse as a planter.
Get a plastic bag and cut it to the size of your purse. Add about 2 inch of pea gravel inside and add potting soil. After that, you can add your plants. See the full details here.
64. Make your garden appear larger by installing a couple of mirrors.
This is an interesting project. Looking at the results, you wouldn’t believe that it’s made from salvaged materials. You can find the complete details here.
65. Make a flower pot using your colander.
The holes in your colander are great not just as decoration but as a drainage, too. You can hang it near your deck or your patio.
66. Use old tires as flower pots.
The nice thing about tires is that they are made to last. If you turn them into flower pots, you can expect them to last long. just play around with the design and color combinations to match your garden’s theme. See the guide here.
67. Make a natural insect spray.
Most of the time, inspect sprays sold at stores are filled with harmful chemicals. Instead of risking your health and your plants, why not make your own? This site has an easy-to-follow guide.
68. Keep crawling insects away with foil.
Wrap a collar of aluminum foil around your plants, such as squash and tomatoes. Most crawling insects don’t like crawling over metal.
69. Stop fungal diseases with baking soda.
70. Make a self-watering planter with used wine bottles.
Get a regular wine bottle and turn it upside down before placing in your pot. With this, you’ll be able to lessen your work in the garden.
71. Aerate plant pots with used cans.
Place a couple of empty cans in the bottom of your planters. Apart from lessening the amount of soil you’ll need, they also allow air inside the planter.
72. Water dense plants easily with PVC pipe.
Dense plants are more challenging to water than other plants. To make sure that all of them receive enough water, you can use PVC pipe to get water to their roots. Youc an also use it for deep watering
73. Keep your hose in place with croquet wickets.
Instead of leaving your hose on the ground, use croquet wickets to secure them in place. Apart from keeping your lawn clean, it also helps in making sure no one accidentally trips on them.
74. Use zip ties to secure climbing plants.
Climbing plants can easily fall back on themselves if you don’t help them out. To make sure they stay in place, wrap zip ties around them.
75. Store your gardening tools in your mailbox.
By putting your most commonly used gardening tools in your mailbox, you’ll be lessening the time you spend on looking for them. You’ll be able to grab them anytime you want. Plus, it’s a clever way of making sure your tools are out of sight.
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