These genius gardening hacks will save you lots of time to get the best out of your garden. Not only that but it should save you some money too as they are low-cost solutions to common problems.
Following these tips will allow you to grow a fabulous garden that is both functional and beautiful at the same time.
So let’s get started now.
1. Sow Your Seeds In Small Pots
Seeds need light and lots of sunshine to germinate. Unfortunately, when you put them in a big pot, they will not get the light they require. As a result, many of these seeds will mold or even rot.
Instead, choose small pots or seed trays where you can see the seedlings. It will be much easier to germinate them in these trays and then transplant them to the garden when they are rooting.
Ensure the pots or seed trays have a depth of a couple of inches to provide enough soil and room. The depth will allow the seeds to grow quickly and be transplanted into easily bigger pots when they are ready.
2. Use Eggshells As A Seed Starter
While seed starter trays aren’t too expensive, if you have a lot of seeds to germinate, you can always use empty eggshells. Eggshells are the perfect seed starters. In addition, egg shells provide adequate seed protection and add calcium to the soil.
They are also semi-permeable to air and water, which helps the young seedlings and protects them from infection.
Place the seed in the shell with soil and add a little water. Then place your seedling eggshells in the sunlight giving them the best chance to germinate. Like any other plant growing from seed, try to monitor seedlings in the early stages and provide them with water regularly.
3. Make Your Own Fertilizer
Fertilizer costs are something you should always be aware of for any gardener. They can rack up quickly.
To save a lot of money, consider making it yourself. It’s not as hard as it seems.
Making it yourself also lets you know what is in it and how much of each ingredient is used. By controlling the number of nutrients in the soil, you can ensure that your plants get what they need.
There are many guides online that show different ways to make homemade fertilizer. Many will work well, but none will be as good as the one you create specifically for your garden.
Typical home fertilizers recipes include using Epsom salts, coffee grounds, and eggshells as prime ingredients. Check out this guide here for more information.
The best part about using this hack is adding more ingredients if needed without spending too much money on other fertilizers.
4. Eliminate Weeds By Using Geraniums
All gardeners of all skill levels will have to deal with weeds at some point.
A great way to eliminate weeds is by using the geranium plant. With suitable fertile soil, you can grow this plant in most areas, and you will notice how they will absorb all the nutrients they need and take over your area.
Geraniums are very competitive and will consume many resources in your garden. They will starve the weeds of nutrients, making them wither and die out.
If the Geraniums start to dominate your garden, you can cut them back fairly easily. This will make room for other plants while still having a beautiful garden bed. Another advantage of geraniums over weeds is that they look ten times better.
5. Upturn Forks As A Deterrent
This innovative hack is not only low cost but very effective against pests.
This hack will do the job when it comes to protecting your crops from unwanted visitors. Purchase inexpensive plastic forks from your local store and place them into your soil spike side up.
This defense will let any pest, like a bird or squirrel, know they will experience a small amount of pain if they come near your veggies again.
While they don’t look too appealing, they will undoubtedly do the job.
6. The Beer Slug Remover
Slugs and snails will always pose a threat to your leafy greens and will mainly attack at night. Under cover of darkness, these slow-moving mollusks can devour your plants if left to it.
They are remarkably elusive for something that moves so slowly.
Unless you want to go out at midnight with torches, there is another low-cost hack that can save your plants. And it involves beer.
Fill a saucer with beer and place it in the garden. The slugs are attracted to things by smell, and the yeast in the beer attracts them. So the slugs will fall into the saucer and can then be disposed of in salt water.
It may not be the nicest ending for the slugs, but it will save your greens.
7. Use Shredded Leaves As Mulch
Many people do not know they can use shredded leaves to cover their plants. Shredded leaves still allow sunlight to get to your plants, but it has the additional benefit of reducing sunlight to the weeds causing them to perish.
A layer of leaf mulch will also lock in the moisture in the soil, giving your plants and vegetables ideal conditions.
It is a good idea to shred your leaves before using them, as this allows for even distribution in the area where you want to put them. You can even let them decompose for a few weeks allowing for more organic matter and better soil composition.Shredded leaves can be an excellent basis for compost and any environment you don’t want to dry out quickly.
8. Use Old Tires As Planters
Using old tires is a great and creative garden hack that is cheap to implement.
This hack is for those who have old tires and want to mix things up in their garden. Brightly painted garden planters can stand out in your garden and become a conversation starter.
Paint the tires a color of your choice and fill them with soil. Add some summer plants; no one will believe these planters were made from old tires. You may even become a trendsetter.
8. Use Diapers For Moisture In Garden Pots
Before you scroll past this idea, please take a moment to listen to the logic.
Diapers are designed to retain as much moisture as possible. Anyone with kids will tell you how good they were at doing it.
This low-cost hack uses the moisture-saving properties of diapers for the good of your plants. Add them to the bottom of a pot or hanging basket, add soil, and it will retain moisture for your plant.
This simple hack will give your potted plants the best chance to bloom. Try it out!
Start Improving Your Garden Now With These Genius Gardening Hacks
These genius hacks won’t just save you time in the garden. They will also keep more money in your pocket.
Getting the most out of your garden shouldn’t cost the earth; these hacks prove it.
What do you think of these hacks? Do you have any more? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
