10 Gardening Hacks!

Whether you already have a garden, or would like to make one, these hacks will help you build the garden of your dreams.

1. No watering can? If you don’t have a watering can, or want to make your own, this hack is perfect for you. All you have to do is get an old milk jug, heat up a needle, then poke little holes into the lid (this will make sure the water can flow freely). Once you’ve done that, you’re done!
2. Use egg shells to protect plants against pests. With this hack, you are simply putting the egg shells around the plants that attract the pests. You need to make sure the egg shells are coarsely crumbled so it will be an effective barrier against pests like snails and slugs.
3. Use coffee filters in flower pots. This may seem weird at first, but trust me its a great hack. All you’re doing by putting coffee filters in your flower pots is keeping the soil where it belongs. By lining the flower pot with the filter, you are keeping the draining holes in the bottom free from clogging up. This also allows the soil to not leak out after watering your plants.
4. Broken pot? No problem. If your pot breaks, your first thought is probably to throw it away. But there is a really cool way to reuse your broken pots. You make it into a plant marker. To do this you need to break the pot into desired pieces, and take the pieces then write the names of the plants (in permanent marker). You can decorate it however you’d like. Once you’re done with decorating your new plant markers, bury it half into the soil (in front of the plant it’s marking).
5. Hydrogen Peroxide. Hydrogen Peroxide is surprisingly really useful for plants. It can save plants from root rot and other fungal diseases, and helps to sprout seeds for new plantings. You need to use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution once a day. For more information about how to use Hydrogen Peroxide to help your plants click here: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/using-hydrogen-peroxide-in-garden.htm
6. Epsom salt when transplanting. This is a very easy hack that allows you to save your plants from transplant shock. All you have to do is when planting seedlings or new plants, dig a hole and put about 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt in the bottom of the hole. Then, plant the plant in the hole and finish planting.
7. Use cooking water to fertilize plants. When you boil food like vegetables on the stove top, don’t throw out your water, but instead use it for your plants. First you need to let the water cool down, then pour the water in your plants.
8. Newspapers can smother weeds. If you have lots of weeds in your garden and need to get rid of them, this hack will do the job! First thing you need to do is gather a bunch of newspapers (it will depend on how big your garden is). Then, before you put a layer of mulch on your planting beds, cover it with the newspapers you collected. This will smother the weeds.
9. Have a ladder? If you have a ladder that you’re not using, you can make it into a plant stand. This will create more space and will look really nice. You can make your ladder into a plant stand any way that you want, but one of the ways to do it is to put trays on your stretched-out ladder. Then, you can place your plants on the trays and make it look however you would like.
10. Homemade soil pH checker. This one is also easy, and requires your soil, vinegar, and baking soda. This test will not give you an exact number but it will tell you if your soil is acidic, neutral, or alkaline. If you mix your soil with vinegar and your soil forms bubbles, your soil is alkaline. If you mix your soil with baking soda and your soil forms bubbles, it is acidic.