Gardening can help reduce one’s stress levels while improving your outdoors. From planting directly on the land to creating container gardens, there are so many gardening activities that you can do that can fill your day. But should this hobby of yours be expensive? Not unless you know some easy and affordable gardening hacks. If you are into making your outdoors beautiful minus the hefty price, here are some tricks that you can pull off that won’t cost you a lot.
- Plastic forks and spoons. Mark your vegetable garden using plastic spoons and forks. Just push the ends into the soil while putting the name of the crop on the handle. This beats having to buy those plastic markers.
- Coffee grounds. If you tend to roast coffee beans for sure you have plenty of coffee grounds to dispose of. Rather than just junk the grounds, use them as part of the soil for your plants because it can help keep those pesky pests away.
- Buy seeds instead of starters. Although there are starter plants being sold in malls or kiosks in the market, it is still better to invest on seeds instead. This way, you will have better choices when it comes to crops plus you will be able to control their growth as well.
- Repurpose old stuff. Another inexpensive way to build your garden is to recycle old furniture like wooden boxes, crates, colanders, and the like to house your plants. Not only will this minimize the amount of trash that you dispose of but you’ll also give your space a unique look.
- Use self-seeding plants. Although gardening requires time and effort, there are some plants that can just grow on their own with minimal help on your part. Take for example cilantro. They usually pop wherever in the garden and all that you need to do is to simply harvest them. Other self-seeding plants include lambs quarters, arugula, and mache.
- Old jug watering can. Do you really need to buy a watering can to water your garden? Not really. If you have an empty plastic jug you can convert it into a watering can. All that you have to do is to put some holes on the cap, fill the jug with water, and start watering.
- Use eggshells. Pests can ruin your garden when left unchecked but did you know that you can ward of these insects with the help of eggshells? Just break them down into smaller pieces and place them around the plant to keep the pests at bay. Another plus to this trick is that you are providing your plant with a source of calcium which it needs to grow.
- Grow new plants from freshly bought produce. Seeds do come in handy when raising vegetables but there are certain types of plants that can grow from their roots. Take for example green onions. Just cut off the lower part where the roots are, let them dry for a few days, then plant. You will see them grow in no time.
- Go organic. Pests and other gardening problems can arise from time to time but spraying your crops with pesticides isn’t really the best way to go as the chemicals can affect the soil and the water source as well. There are far better and safer solutions such as using egg shells, rice wash, and even coffee grounds to help keep insects at bay.
These are just a few gardening tricks that you can try if you plan on beautifying your outdoors minus the cost.
