Gardening is more than just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. One that helps you
relax and unwind, while connecting with the nature that surrounds you. Besides,
there’s nothing more refreshing than watching the plants you care so much about, growing
right in front of your eyes. Hi viewers and welcome back to another Bestie video.
We understand the hard work needed to grow a garden can quickly feel like an addition to your
to-do list. Don’t fear though, because in today’s video we will tell you the 17 best gardening hacks
that will help you get the hang of this wonderful hobby and make it part of your daily routine.
From downloading a plant app, making cardboard seed cubes, investing in a heavy tarp,
Using a chopstick to support leaning plants to making your own seed tape and more,
watch till the end to learn about all of them.
Always Water Your Plants After It Rains:
Leaving pots unwatered because it rained is a rookie mistake in the gardening world.
Unless it's a torrential downpour a regular shower won't be an adequate amount to satisfy
a potted plant's needs. They tend to dry out quicker than natural earth flowerbeds,
so a potted plant should be watered, on average, every other day. Read up on your specific plant
for how much water it needs to flourish. Too much can be as damaging as too little.
Do you have plants at home? How often do you water them? Tell us down below in the comments section!
Download A Plant App: Identifying a plant specimen can make a world of difference when it
comes to successful gardening. But with so much to learn, it can be daunting for a novice gardener.
Make like you are a green fingered god or goddess by seeking digital help.
From plant identifiers that can instantly identify over 20,000 plants to garden
trackers and planners, there is a garden app for everything! You just need to find it.
Squeeze Out Weeds: It's common sense that the more flowers you plant the less room there is
for weeds to grow. While this is true, there needs to be a little planning with this method.
Choose ground covering plants that will suit the conditions.
Plant those that prefer shade in dark corners and those that need sun
in well lit spots. Once they flourish and spread,
they'll prevent weeds from getting the sunlight, water and nutrients they need to survive.
Save Your Coffee Grounds for Your Garden:
Coffee grounds are an excellent addition to your gardening routine. You can use them indirectly
in your compost, fertilizer, or mulch. Plus, they are a wonderful deterrent to add around the garden
edge to keep critters away. This is one of the best garden hacks and it’s practically free.
Plant in a Pot Landscaping Design: Ever wish you could reorganize your garden after seeing how
the mature plants look? Here’s a clever way to do it. You’ll need a bunch of pots of the same size,
so they’ll nest in each other. Put your plants in doubled pots, and then bury them at ground level.
Whenever you want a change, lift out the top pot and put in a different one.
This method is also really slick for bringing plants indoors over the winter.
This method is great for quickly changing out seasonal plants,
and allows for easy experimentation with color and placement of plants and flowers.
Cardboard Seed Tubes: For an easy and green way to start seeds, save your toilet
paper and paper towel tubes. Cut the tubes into 2 in. lengths and set them in a waterproof tray.
Fill the tubes with potting soil and plant your seeds. When the seedlings are ready to
move to the garden, plant them right in their cardboard tube. The cardboard will decompose.
Be sure to keep the tube below the soil surface, so it doesn’t wick moisture away from the roots.
Healthy Plant Hydration: Water settling at the bottom of pots can lead to root rot.
To combat this problem, cut up old sponges and put them in the bottom of the pot.
The sponges retain moisture and create necessary air space. They also help prevent water from
flushing out the bottom. The sponge acts as a water reserve and keeps soil moist longer.
Greenhouse from the Salad Bar: The next time you hit up a salad bar for lunch, save the plastic
clamshell container. It can be reused as a mini greenhouse for starting seeds in the spring.
When you’re finished with your lunch, wash the container thoroughly.
Use an awl and hammer to punch a few small holes in the top part of the container for airflow.
Then fill the bottom half with potting mix or your own special seed-starting soil.
Plant your seeds, spreading them out in the container as suggested on the seed packet.
Give the seeds a small drink of water and close the lid. Place the container in a sunny spot,
and patiently wait for your seeds to sprout. The clear plastic container acts like a greenhouse,
allowing the sun and warmth to reach the plants while holding in moisture.
Epsom Salt Fertilizer Trick: Epsom salt is known for its home remedy uses,
but the garden might be the place that it shines the most.
Like store bought fertilizers, Epsom salt contains magnesium, which aids in seed germination,
chlorophyll production and absorption of vital nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.
Most plants grow better with a ratio of two teaspoons to one gallon of water per month.
You can also dilute the Epsom salt with water in a bottle and apply as a foliar spray. Misting
the plant greatly increases its growth. This works especially well on vegetables and roses.
Invest in a Heavy Duty Tarp: Nothing is quite so useful in landscaping projects as a durable tarp.
It’s excellent for moving leaves, weeds, soil, and small rocks quickly and safely
when working in the yard. You can also use it to cover plants or landscaping materials
on a truck bed when transporting them or to protect projects from a fierce storm.
Just don’t leave a tarp laying out on the lawn for too long, or it will kill your grass.
Organize Plant Labels: Are you forever losing plant labels and with them the handy growing
instructions found on the back? Use a hole punch to make a hole at one end of the label
then thread your labels onto a key ring. Hang them up somewhere obvious
in your garage or shed so they are always on hand for easy reference.
Use Extra Play Sand to Store Garden Tools Safely: Fill a container of your choosing with play sand
or construction sand, if it's clean. Plant your garden tools in the pot, point down, with the
handles sticking straight up. This will prevent them from clanging together in a drawer or caddy,
which can dull points and edges. The action of sticking your garden tools into the sand also
will clean them and help prevent rust. Select a container that will accommodate all your tools,
and you may free up valuable storage space in the tool chest.
Use a chopstick to support leaning plants: If your plants need a little help as they grow,
you can use the wooden chopsticks from your takeout like small plant stakes.
Secure them in the soil and use twine or plant tape to string up your droopy stems.
Use water bottle trick to water plants while you’re on vacation:
Fill a water bottle with water, leave the cap off, and quickly turn it upside down
and push it a few inches into the soil. The water will slowly seep into the soil and keep it moist.
You can also buy terracotta plant spikes—they’ll offer more control for finicky plants.
Milk Jug Watering Can: These are excellent for watering seedlings that have just begun to sprout,
seed trays, and even your house plants. They are effortless to fill, pour and carry about.
Plus you won’t have to worry that they’ll leak or drip all over the place like watering cans do.
Another great thing about them is that you can specify the amount of spray required by using a
larger or smaller needle to make the holes. Heat up the needle and begin making holes in the lid of
the bottle. This is a simple and inexpensive idea because you only need a clean milk jug with a lid,
a needle, and a lighter for heating up the needle.
Water at the Right Time: Knowing when to water your garden is also key. Ask any
gardener when you should water your garden, and they’ll all tell you the same thing:
early in the morning or in the evening when the sun goes down.
You should never water your plants in the sunniest part of the afternoon when the
heat is at its peak. It takes time for the water to sink in and soak the soil.
By watering in the morning, your garden will have enough to drink to get through
the hottest part of the afternoon. This goes for vegetable gardens and flower gardens.
You should not restrict greenery to just outdoors. Plants make a great addition to
your house indoors as well. Plus they are healthy too. Don’t believe us? Watch this video titled
“8 Healthiest Plants To Have In Your House” to find out what the healthiest indoor plants are.
Now back to garden hacks that you should know!
Make Your Own Seed Tape: Planting seeds can be hard work, but you can make it easier by
making your own seed tape beforehand. It’s an easy project and it’s pretty fun too.
To make seed tape, you space out the seeds along a roll according to the
planting directions and glue them down. Then when it’s time to plant,
all you have to do is unroll your seed tape and bury it at the proper depth.
Do you like or love gardening? Is it more like a passion
or a hobby? Let us know in the comments section below!