It’s wintertime and you know what that means. Spring is right around the corner!
If you want to spend the season developing and utilizing your green thumb, you need to start planning out your garden.
Do you find yourself struggling to make things grow (or keep them alive) every year? Does gardening take up too much of your time until it ends up falling by the wayside?
We’ve been there. That’s why we’ve cultivated this list of helpful gardening hacks to make the process easier, more relaxing, and more fun. Try out these gardening tips and hacks for yourself and see what works for you!
Keep reading for our favorite gardening hacks for beginners and experienced gardeners alike.
1. Re-Use: Tiny Greenhouses
Do you have trouble with your new seedlings? Baby plants are delicate, and they’re so easy to over or under-water, break, or kill accidentally with pests and rogue weeds.
We don’t all have fancy greenhouses where we can provide the perfect growing environment for these “newborn” plants, so what can you do?
Use a plastic drink bottle! Find a pot that can fit the circumference of the bottle. Cut the bottle off at the bottom so there’s a large opening. Then, put that opening into the dirt so it encapsulates the plant.
Keep this small “greenhouse” in the sun while you’re growing your new plant so it can thrive.
2. Improve Drainage With “Trash”
Don’t throw away those old soda cans.
When your plants don’t get adequate drainage, they can start to rot. You’ve wasted valuable plants (and valuable soil!) just to end up with a failed garden.
Instead, try to use crushed up cans in the bottom of your planter. These cans will help you use less soil than you need and they’ll provide valuable air space so your soil can drain.
3. Coffee Filters: Not Just for Coffee
Are you tired of your planters leaking dirt all over your windowsills, floors, or deck? We get it. You set up your plant pot with the perfect amount of soil but forget about that pesky drainage hole in the bottom.
You can’t plug that hole or else your planters won’t have any way to drain, so what can you do? Try using coffee filters! Preferably use ones that aren’t bleached or dyed, but anything will work in a pinch.
Line the bottom of the pot, where the hole is, with your coffee filter. This way, your plants can drain but you won’t end up with dirt spilling out.
4. Save Those Wine Bottles
Are you always looking for watering solutions? There are glass watering devices available to tend to your plants when you don’t have time for them, but they can get pricey. Instead, why not use something that you have at home?
Glass wine bottles (or sparkling juice and water bottles) are great for this. Their narrow neck makes them the perfect candidate for watering success.
Fill them with water and plant them into your planter. It’s best if you can tilt the planter to the side to make this an easier process.
This will keep your plants watered and fresh when you’re away.
5. No More Mosquitos
Do you hate having pests around? Those of us who aren’t professional farmers don’t have chemical spraying equipment like Apache sprayers to keep the bugs at bay, so what can the average person do to protect their yards?
Did you know that there are some herbs that may help drive away mosquitos? Using herbs is natural, and they smell great. They also fit right into your garden.
Lavender, citronella, and mint are all popular options for driving away pesky creatures. Even catnip is thought to be an awesome mosquito deterrent (and your cats will thank you).
6. Use Vertical Space
Vertical gardening is all the rage for people who want to get the most out of their space. Whether you have a tiny patio, a large lawn, or something in-between, it’s always a good idea to take advantage of the space that’s available to you.
There are plenty of ways to set up better vertical space.
True vertical gardens can sit up against walls and the plants grow outward. You can make a vertical garden with simple and affordable items like pallets. These are perfect for a gardener on a budget.
This type of vertical garden is best for smaller plants, like herbs and succulents. Larger plants may outgrow this space.
You can also use a ladder with wide steps to utilize your vertical space. If it’s one that stays up on its own, simply set it up in a place with good sunlight and use it as a shelf. If it’s a large one that isn’t freestanding, lean it up against the side of your house so it makes a nice addition to your yard.
We love to do this with old wooden ladders that we don’t use for their primary function anymore.
7. Make a Compost Bin
Are you giving your plants enough nutrition? If you want your garden to thrive and reach its full potential, you need to amp up your soil.
You don’t need expensive soil to do this. Instead, why not use compost?
There are plenty of advantages to making a compost bin. You throw away less garbage, you waste less food, and you provide clean nutrition to the environment. This is a sustainable and eco-friendly way to improve your garden!
Compost bins come in many varieties, but you can make one at home with only a few materials.
Which of These Gardening Hacks Do You Want to Try?
These gardening hacks are fun, easy, and you can make most of them with things you already have lying around the house. What’s not to love?
It’s time to get crafting and get ready to get your hands dirty. Hack your way to the perfect garden this spring!
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