I’ve only been gardening for a few years now, and I’ve already learned so many incredible things! My mom has been thrilled to share all of her garden hacks with me and her wisdom has been greatly appreciated. After all, it can be hard to learn to garden on your own! But that’s why I’m here to help. Regardless of if you are a new gardener, or an expert, knowing these garden hacks is a total necessity.
Simple And Must Know Garden Hacks
Use An Empty Wine Bottle To Water When You’re Away
Don’t trust your neighbors to water your plants appropriately while you’re away on a business trip or vacation? Never fear! Use an empty wine bottle to create an easy self-watering device for the garden. Simply fill an empty wine bottle with water, turn upside down and stick it directly in the soil. The water will slowly be released from the bottle as the plant needs it.
Baking Soda Will Give You Sweeter Tomatoes
What gardener doesn’t want to enjoy sweeter tomatoes? Certainly not me. If your tomatoes are a bit too bitter for your taste, simply sprinkle some baking soda directly into the soil surrounding your plants. The baking soda changes the PH of your soil and you’re left with really sweet tomatoes. And as far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing better.
Protect Plants From Frost With Milk Jugs
Unexpected frosts late in the season can really be detrimental to new plants throughout the garden. Fortunately, there is an easy garden hack. Simply cut a milk jug (after you’ve rinsed out the milk residue, of course) in half and place it lid-side up in the soil, creating a little greenhouse around your plants. This is genius, isn’t it?
Make Your Own Fertilizer
I don’t always trust all of the chemicals found in store-bought fertilizers. Honestly, I’d rather make my own using compost made from my kitchen scraps. But it doesn’t require a big bin to effectively compost, I have a tiny bin under my sink that houses my pile perfectly! I turn the pile regularly, and after a few weeks, it’s ready for the garden. Learn more about composting from Bees and Roses.
Put Your Heavy Squash and Melons In A Sling
Heavy squash and melons can really put a strain on vines when they grow too heavy. In fact, I’ve had several vines break from heavy melons before. Fortunately, there is an easy solution, create a sling out of an old t-shirt to support the melon. Tie the ends of the t-shirt to your fence for extra support.
Sharpen Your Tools Without Doing Extra Work
Sharpening any kind of tool is my least favorite chore. Seriously, my kitchen knives haven’t been touched in years even though I know how horrible that is. So that’s why I was relieved to know that you can create a DIY garden sharpening tool station that will care for your tools without any additional work on your end. Simply fill a terracotta pot with play sand and stick your tools in it sharp sides down.
Use Vinegar For Natural Pest Control
Vinegar can be used for a variety of reasons in the garden. Just check out this post from Bees and Roses to learn more.
