Some easy-to-do tips that will assist you in the garden.
1. Soda can fillers:
· Use empty aluminum cans to save on potting mix and make large containers lighter. Crush the aluminum cans and place them in the bottom of the pot and cover them with landscape fabric or screen wire. Then pour in potting soil and plant flower. Pots will drain freely if you happen to overwater.
· OR use aluminum cans as planters
2. Save your old screens:
· Use pieces of old screens to keep potting mix from falling through pot draining holes. Simply cut a piece of the screen that is larger than the drainage hole, place it over the hole and add your potting mix and plant. The screen will prevent the potting soil from falling through the hole and it aids in pot drainage.
· Use to shade plants but allow for sunlight to reach plants
3. 2-liter drink bottles:
· Protect young seedlings: Cut the bottoms off 2-liter drink bottles and set them over tender plants in early spring to protect the young plants from the cold. Remove the caps to help ventilate.
· Pop bottle greenhouse:
4. Paper egg cartons:
· These egg cartons work well for starting seeds for spring planting. Cut the top off and place it under the carton with compartments. The lid helps hold moisture. Fill the 12 compartments with starting mix and seeds. When seeds are ready to plant, break or cut each section apart and plant it. The egg carton is biodegradable and will reduce transplanting shock for the young plant.
5. Used plastic water bottles
· Horizontal hanging planter
6. Used dryer sheets:
· Save your used dryer sheets. They are great for placing in the bottoms of planters or flowerpots to keep the potting soil from falling out, some say it keeps pests away as well.
7. Plastic berry containers:
· The plastic berry containers that you get from the produce section of grocery stores make great containers for starting flowers and veggies from seeds. The vented plastic berry boxes provide drainage for the seedlings. The clear cover helps the soil stay moist while the seeds germinate and protect the seedling from cold at night.
8. Used coffee containers:
· Clean the empty coffee container with soap and warm water; allow it to air dry. Drill some 1/4-inch holes on the bottom of container for good drainage. Place soil in container and now you have a pot ready for a plant. Use the lid as the to catch water drainage.
9. Pencil Shavings in the garden
· Take those pencil shaving and work into soil around plants to help keep bugs and other pests away. Pencils are made of cedar (a wood that insects hate), pests tend to avoid soil peppered with pencil shavings. Can use in potted plants, keep those gnats at bay.
Have fun!