Tips for easy gardening

General tips

 

1. Keep a journal to record information about planting seeds, any problems or concerns or which plants need to be moved or divided. It also allows you to write down successes or failures. It will help you keep track of what you buy like seeds and keep to a budget. You might want to have a wish list of what you want to buy next year.

2. Edible plants are easy to add to any space in a garden, even if it gets part sun. If the spot gets 4 or 5 hours of sun you can plant beans, carrots, lettuce, peas, radish, swiss chard, raspberries or gooseberries. All of them are worth a try.

3. Recycle old mini blinds to use as plant markers. Use a light color. First cut and remove all the cord, separate all the slats and wash in soapy water to clean. Each slat can be cut in 6-7 inch pieces with scissors and trim one end to a point. This allows you to stick your plant label into pots or soil easily. Use permanent marker to write name and color etc. on the slat.

4. When you change the water in your fish tank don't dump out. Use it to water houseplants or outdoor gardens.

5. Save used lint and dryer sheets to line the bottom of pots or seed trays. They absorb water and keep pots moist longer. Dryer sheets will also keep soil from washing through the bottom holes of large pots every time you water.

6. If you don't have any trees for collecting fall leaves, ask your neighbors or friends to save a few bags. Stockpile them next to your compost pile to be layered with kitchen scraps.

7. Plant flowers like purple coneflower, Shasta daisy, sunflower to attract the good bugs. They will visit your site and eat the harmful pests.

8. Large soda bottles and margarine tubs make good collars for seedlings in spring. The birds can't damage or eat them and you can wash and save them for yearly use by storing them in a shed until needed.

9. An old ironing board is useful to use as a potting table. It's foldable and portable so can be moved and stored easily. You can make the height adjustable so you can sit or stand. Place a plastic tablecloth or old shower curtain on it to make cleanup easy.

10. Save plastic containers that salad greens come in to start seeds in. They make ideal mini greenhouses with lids included.

11. A piece of floral foam placed in the bottom of large pots and planter boxes will help hold moisture just where the roots need it most. You won't have to water the soil so often.

12. To kill ants mix equal parts borax and icing sugar and spread near anthills. They will take it back to the nest to eat and it kills them.