Handy Garden Tips – You Grow Girl

Roasted Fresh Radishes: Clean as many radishes as needed, pour on Italian dressing, and marinate for 1/2 hr. Next, make ‘foil’ dish, put radishes in and fold well, and cook on hot coals for about 30 minutes. These are very good, believe it or not, almost like a roasted brussel sprout, but not as bitter.
Tip provided by Vickie

Roses Love Bananas: Since roses love potassium, whenever I have an old banana, I plant it near one of my rose bushes. They’ve never done better!
Tip provided by Lynn

Free Rain Barrels: I wanted some rain barrels but could not afford to buy them from the nurseries. Called the local bottling soda pop bottling companies to ask about plastic barrels because I wanted to make a rainwater harvesting system. One company gave me 6 used food grade barrels for free (60 gallons each).

The bottling companies ship their caramel coloring in plastic barrels and it is too expensive for them to clean the barrels out and re-use them. However, for gardening they are just perfect. Cut some holes in the top, drill a hole in the side near the bottom to install a spigot, put fiber screen (like window screen) on the top to keep mosquitoes out, place it underneath your downspout to collect rainwater and you’re all set.
Tip provided by Leon

Keeping the Cute Away: There are tons of little bunnies and kitties that love to eat my herbs and vegetable leaves. If you’re like me, you love bunnies and kitties but don’t love how they leave your garden. My natural remedy: sprinkle human hair (from the next time you go at those bangs or give your friend a trim) around the plants — not a thick layer, just a sprinkle. No more problems! Sometimes it helps to rake it into the soil a bit so the wind doesn’t carry it away.
Tip provided by Naomi, Detroit, MI

Leftover Milk: You might be shocked to know that regular milk is an incredible fungus and virus fighter in the garden. Some plants such as tomatoes and roses are notorious for contracting nasty diseases that can kill the plant or limit fruit and flower production. Start adding a tablespoon of powdered milk to the soil around your plants early in the season BEFORE problems happen. Or make a spray that can be applied to infected leaves using leftover or spoiled milk diluted with water.

Transplant Container Cutworm Collar: Toilet rolls are traditionally used as a cutworm collar since they are readily available and will biodegrade into the soil on their own. However, I was once caught at my community garden with a tray of tomato transplants and no toilet rolls. Since our soil has a history of cutworm problems I did not want to leave my plants unprotected for even a moment. Rather than go all the way home, I cut the ends off the plastic containers my transplants came in and placed them around the stems of each seedling. It was the perfect solution since I never know what to do with all those leftover containers that pile up over the years! Plastic will not degrade so you may need to cut the collars off once the plants are established and all risk of cutworm damage is past.

Ornamental Veggies: Urban dwellers and other small space gardeners can make better use of their space by tucking veggies and edibles in amongst their bedding plants rather than separating them out into distinct gardens. There are lots of unusual edibles available with gorgeous flowers and foliage. Try ‘Red Burgundy Okra’, ‘Bull’s Blood’ Beets, ‘Mascara’ lettuce, and ‘Lipstick’ strawberries, to name a few.

Cheap Plant Tags: I found a good use for old plastic levelor blinds, I cut them up into smaller pieces with an angle on one end and use them as plant markers for seed trays and for markers in the garden.
Tip provided by Anne

Tall Tree Care: If you are a homeowner with tall trees which extend over your neighbour’s property, it’s worth getting an arborist or tree care company to advise you about any potential danger of the tree(s) splitting or dropping large branches which could cause property damage. They can tell you how long the trees are likely to live, and whether the roots will do any damage to the foundations of your home or garage as well. Most will come to the property and provide a quote free of charge. The best time to have major pruning done is during the winter – when the trees are bare, and tree care companies are not as busy, and may offer a discount on their services. If you do have work done, make sure to tell them you want to keep the wood chips they create when they put branches through the chipper/shredder – you’ll have a good quantity of organic mulch in the bargain!.
Tip provided by Agnes V

Useful Bushel Baskets: One of things I always recommend gardeners buy are bushel baskets. They are so handy in the garden clean-up area and can be lined with a plastic bag for a cheap and easy planter. Most of the time the garbage guys leave them behind (although not always!) I tell people to go to their local greengrocer and buy them there — who want’s to pay retail which is about 7-8 dollars. The grocer charges me 1-2 dollars and I find they generally last 2 seasons.
Tip provided by Jocelyn W

Hold Dirt in with Coffee Filters: You can use coffee filters as an alternative to rocks or terracotta shards over holes in containers to keep the dirt from falling out. Useful in hanging baskets. You can even use this method with the “upsidedown tomatoes”. Just cut a slit in the coffee filter and place around the tomato plant before filling the pot with dirt — kind of like skirting on a Christmas tree.
Tip provided by Jen

Lighten Your Containers and Save Soil: To decrease weight and for really good drainage, use foam peanuts or broken pieces of styrofoam in the bottom of your pots, then fill with soil. While no one should go out and buy the stuff, it tends to sneak up on you anyway — at least this way it can be useful and reuseable. I had an old foam cooler that worked great when I broke it up.
Tip provided by Shauna

Cutworm Collar: Are your tomato transplants being chewed in half near the roots by an unknown assailant? You’ve probably got cutworms; the larvae stage of a moth that inhabit the soil surface feeding on fresh, succulent stems. One method of controlling this hungry worm is a simple barrier device made of scrap materials. Cut a toilet paper roll tube in half and place it around the stem of your seedling when you plant. Press the tube into the soil halfway. The paper tube will act as a barrier between your plant’s delicate stem and the jaws of the cutworm.

Pepper Plant Spray: A great way to help along your pepper plant blossoms in setting fruit is to add a bit of espom salts to a spray bottle and spray it directly onto the leaves and buds as they are just developing. Epsom salts contain magnesium which pepper plants need to produce healthy peppers.

Peppers Like Matches: Pepper plants love slightly acidic soil and the simplest way to acheive this is by adding a few matches to the planting hole before putting in your plant. Be sure to cover the matches with a thick layer of soil before putting in your plant. It is important that the plant has access to the sulfur in the matches, but the roots should not have direct contact with the matches right away or they will be damaged.

Magazine Subscription Cards Put to Good Use: Instead of throwing out all those annoying subscription cards that fall out of every magazine, turn them into seed packets. Just fold them over and seal the edges with glue or tape. Make sure to note what is in each packet- unless you like surprises.
Tip provided by Melinda Gibson

Weed Control in Vegetable Gardens: A great way to avoid weeds around vegetable crops such as tomatoes or squash is to plant low growing, quick harvest crops such as lettuce or radish around the base of the larger veggies. This will fill up the empty spaces until the late harvest plants have filled out more, providing less places for weeds to grow. It will also keep the soil around the plant shaded and moist which means less watering.

Natural Herbicides: If you have small areas or cracks and crevices that you need to weed try these natural herbicides. They won’t damage the environment and are nontoxic to mammals and beneficial insects. Vinegar and salt is great for places where you won’t be growing anything in the near future. Spray directly on plants. To remove young plants, pour boiling water directly on them. This is the simplest, yet safest herbicide there is. Just be careful to avoid plants that you don’t want to damage.

Super-size Your Basil: Tired of waiting until midsummer to harvest basil fresh from your garden? While waiting for your seedlings to develop into plants, root some basil cuttings from bundles purchased at your local market. Place a few cuttings in a bottle of fresh water. In a few weeks you’ll have rooted basil plants ready to be grown in your garden or in containers. For more unusual varieties purchase a few plants from a garden centre. Once established in your garden, take cuttings and root them as well. Cuttings rooted from already rooted and thriving plants have a higher success rate.

Growing Tomatoes in Containers: There are two types of tomatoes, determinate and indeterminate. Determinate ripen their fruit all at one time. Indeterminate have fruit production throughout the season. Determinant plants are better for container growing because they will stay compact (also the Husky variety, a dwarf indeterminant, is also great for containers). Indeterminant plants get huge and will need support.
Tip provided by Jane Ward

Fast Rooting: When rooting cuttings in water, you can actually speed up the process by placing a piece of willow branch in the water along with the cutting. Willow contains natural auxins, a hormone that stimulates root growth and development. These chemicals are synthetically produced and used in powdered and gel rooting hormones.

Fast Bulb Planting: Digging bulb holes can be difficult, even with the right tools. Instead try using a drill to get the job done faster and easier. You can purchase extra large drill bits (2 1/2″ to 3″) at hardware stores or through some garden supply stores. Do not try this if you have hard or rocky soil as it could be dangerous.

Cheap Winter Mulch: Use a combination of compost, leaves, and dried plant material from your garden, such as annuals you’ve pulled up. Mound the mulch around the plant you want to keep warm. It’s like a muffler for your plants.

Shredded Paper Mulch: After using your paper shredder, store the paper until you have enough to use as a base layer of mulch with compost or manure spread over it to winterize your plants. Remember not to use glossy paper ads.
Tip provided by Billie Marrs

Line Wire Baskets With Sod: Instead of costly sphagnum moss, use freshly removed sod from your lawn to line wire hanging baskets. This is a great way to make use of all that sod that has been removed when you dig up a new garden. Place the sod grass side facing out, fill the basket with soil and plant.

Mossy Beer-Aged Terracotta Pots: To give terracotta pots that mossy, aged look, brush beer on the sides of unglazed pots with a paintbrush or sponge. Then rub soil from the garden on top of the painted on beer. Keep the pots moist and in a partial shade or shady spot. In a few months green moss will grow where the beer was.

Slug Control: Fill up a plastic margarine or yoghurt container with beer and partially bury it in the soil (with the top of the container level with the soil) near a plant that is being eaten by slugs. The slugs will be attracted to the beer where they will fall into the container and drown.

Secure Your Plants: Do you have a pot that is on a rail and the wind blows it off? Screw the bottom drip pan to the rail. That will hold the pot secure. No more coming home to find out the wind has blown your flower pot off.
Tip provided by Beth Smith

Recycle Your Glass Bottles: Use empty bottles to grow plants such as coleus or philodendron in mini-water gardens. Simply fill the bottle with water, let sit over night, and add nutrients. Soak the roots in lukewarm water in order to remove all soil, and add plants to the bottle. Change the water and nutrients every month or so, and remember that a semi-opaque glass will yield lusher plants than clear glass.
Tip provided by Lisa Ciccarello

Super Sized Containers: Large pots can take a lot of soil to fill and they weigh a ton once they are full. It is unnecessary to completely fill a container with soil if you are planting shallow-rooted plants. Place some styrofoam chunks, styrofoam peanuts, old plastic pots or soda cans in the bottom of the container as filler. It will make the container lighter for easy moving, and save money too.

Save Money: Purchase perennials in mid summer, when it is still early enough to plant. Many garden centers will have sales at this time of year and by next summer they will be larger and in full bloom.

Quick Space Fillers: Often when you start a new perennial garden it will take some time for the plants to grow and your garden may look a little bare. Plant fast growing annuals in the empty spaces until the perennials grow large enough to take over.

Save Your Flower Seeds: You can save money by harvesting seeds from your flowering plants for next year. Snip off seed heads when they are ripe and shake them into a brown paper bag. Make your own seed packets using paper envelopes. You can write the name of the corresponding plant onto the envelope or decorate them to give away to friends. Seeds should be stored in a cool, dark and dry place.

Room Temperature: Plants prefer warm water. And as water sits, soil-harming chlorine evaporates into the air (not good for the air, but it has to go somewhere). Consider letting tap water sit awhile before you use it.

Garbage Collector: Old buckets and bins that make fine containers for patio gardens sometimes end up in the garbage. Get excited about garbage day.

The Potato Box: A simple box made of old two-by-fours or other wood and laid over potato plants will make hilling of potatoes much easier. The soil will be contained in the boxes.

The Mint Pot: Don’t let mint and other invasive herbs take over your garden. Curb their wild tendencies by planting mint in a pot, then planting the pot into the soil.

Tomato Cages: Those cheap wire tomato cages available at garden centres don’t do justice to the vine-growing power of this plant. Use a couple of stakes at least 4 feet tall, buy tomato spirals (they are taller and sturdier) or invent your own sturdy trellis for super-size vines.

Tying Up Plants: Old nylon stockings cut into strips make wonderful plant ties for tomatoes or anything else that needs tying.

Pop Bottle Greenhouse: Reuse two-litre pop bottles. Cut off the bottleneck, and place the ‘greenhouse’ upside down over seedlings to keep them warm in the early spring.

Get Your Indoor Plants Out of the House: Houseplants love a warm summer rain much more than cold tap water.

Pest & Disease Control

Fungal Disease Remedy: Use regular powdered cinnamon to combat bacterial or fungal infections such as powdery mildew on house plants. Lightly dust the powder onto the infected area. The area must be damp so that the cinnamon will stick. Too much can be damaging so be careful to sprinkle lightly and do not pour it on in clumps.

Slug Control: Spread crushed egg shells around the base of plants to protect them from slugs and snails. To protect stemed plants such as tomatoes: cut the top and bottom off of a plastic pop bottle. Place this cylinder around your young tomato plants being sure to bury it slightly into the soil. This will act as a barrier between your plant and slugs.

Stop Tomato Blossom End Rot: If your tomatoes are rotting from the bottom before you can harvest them they may not be getting enough calcium. Calcium deficiency is either caused by under watering your tomato plants (allowing the soil to dry out for short periods of time) or by a calcium deficiency in the soil. To give your soil a calcium boost make a tea from crushed eggshells and pour it on the soil around the plant. To maintain moisture around tomato plants, water regularly and use a soda bottle drip irrigation system.

Bug Prevention: To prevent bugs on your mustard greens / collard greens, spray diluted (not too much though) dishwashing liquid on the leaves. This will prevent bugs eating the leaves. When ready to pick, just wash, cook & eat.
Tip provided by Diane Sexton

Chamomile Tea: Chamomile tea is an excellent cure against damping off and fungal diseases. Make a tea and use it to water your plants or spray infected foliage.

Trap Fruit Flies and Gnats: You can make a trap for gnats and fruit flies using a bit of cider vinegar mixed in a wide-mouthed jar of water. Place the jar near a bowl of fruit or an infested plant and the insects will be lured into the jar where they will drown.

Fight Aphids With Citrus Spray: Everyone knows that citrus oil deters insects. It is also an effective method of killing aphids. Brew up some tea using the peel of any type of citrus fruit. Once it is cool pour it into a spray bottle and use it to spray plants infested with aphids. The citrus burns the soft bodies of the aphids but doesn’t harm your plant.

Garlic Water: Soak cloves of garlic in a large container of water. The longer the cloves soak, the better. Watering your plants with the garlic infused water will repel pests from them.

Garlic in the Garden: Planting garlic in among your other plants will discourage pests. They don’t like the smell.

Martin Bird House: Providing nesting boxes for this bird will reduce the pest population of your garden: these pests are a source of food well-liked by the Martin.

Crop Rotation: Plant your favourite veggies or flowers in a different part of the garden each year. It’s good for the soil, and in the long run it helps to prevent disease and avoid exhausting soil nutrients.

Companion Planting

Dispersing plants that provide a beneficial service to other plants throughout your garden is a natural way to prevent problems before they start.

Plant Lady Bug Attractors: Some plants such as Queen-Anne’s Lace and daisies attract populations of beneficial insects such as lady bugs, that love to dine on aphids (a harmful garden pest). Planting these lady bug attracting plants will help to keep lady bug populations up in your garden and aphid populations down. Your plants will be better for it and you will avoid plant loss and extra work.

Repellant Plants: Some plants will actually repel the insects or diseases that plague other plants in your garden. Marigolds are known for their insect repelling properties as well as Citronella, chrysanthemums, onions and chives.

Short Root Plants and Long Root Plants: Plants with long roots (such as tap roots) will actually bring beneficial minerals up from deep soil levels that short rooted plants would be unable to extract for themselves. Plants with long, far reaching roots will also loosen up and aerate compacted soil. Grow long root plants next to short root plants to provide a helping hand.

Plant Quick Germinating Plants Next to Slow Germinating Plants: Plant radish seeds along with the seeds of root crops like carrots. Radish seeds germinate very fast and prevent the soil from ‘crusting over’, making germination easier for the other seeds.

Natural Fertilizers

Egg Water: Boil an egg, then when the egg is ready let the water you used for boiling cool. Then water your plants with that water. Egg shells contain calcium so during boiling all the calcium blends with the water.
Tip provided by Caui

Liquid Compost: A good tip for those you live in apartments and don’t have their own composter: food scraps – like carrot peels, orange rinds, apple cores etc. can be used directly on your garden and even potted indoor plants. All you need to do is place all your yummy veggies and fruit scraps into a food processor or blender and blend until you get a liquid with a smooth consistency. Mix with an equal part water and pour directly on your plants. If you have pets or are worried about smell or attracting pests cover with a thin layer of peat moss. Be sure to always use a mixture of different fruits and vegitables to ensure a balance of essential nutrients.
Tip provided by Melinda Gibson

Manure Tea for Seedlings: Give your seedlings a good start with homemade manure tea. To make the tea fill up a pillowcase, or some other type of cloth bag with manure. Secure the top of the bag with rope and suspend inside a bucket or container of water. Leave the tea to “brew” for at least several days and up to several weeks. Dump the manure into your compost heap or shovel into freshly dug soil. Dilute the tea concentrate with at least 3 parts fresh water. The tea must be diluted to avoid burning the foliage of tender, young plants. Lightly pour the diluted mix onto the soil around your seedlings.

Ash Fertlizer: If you burn wood, use the ash as fertilizer. Spread it around cedar, evergreen shrubs and other hedges.

Fishy Fertilizer: Use the remains of gutted fish, dead fish from the aquarium or even leftover fish you had for dinner as fertilizer. Dig up about half to an inch of soil around the plant and bury the remains, bones and all. Just as long as you don’t have any outdoor pets, they love diggin up the fish.
Tip provided by Tom Truong

Leave Your Grass Clippings: When you mow your lawn, leave the grass clippings instead of removing them. The clippings will decompose quickly and put all those nutrients back into the soil. As an alternative, spread the clippings over your garden and till into the soil.

Coffee Fertilizer: Plants can get a little perk from coffee too. If you drink coffee then save your grinds and sprinkle them on the soil surface right out of the coffee maker. Coffee grinds are slightly acidic though, so don’t give them to your alkaline loving plants.

Stinky Fertilizer: I’ve found that mixing eggs with manure works as a wonderful fertilizer for veggies and fruit such as strawberries. How I do it so the strawberries don’t get poo on them is put 1-2 inches of the fertilizer on the soil then put about 1/2-1 inch of hay or straw over the fertilizer. This keeps the soil moist and worms like the eggs so they’ll produce more poo too!
Tip provided by Moonshyhne

Aquarium Water: Aquarium owners know that every few weeks a small percentage of the water must be drained and replaced with fresh water. You can use the discarded water to water your plants. This is not only a good conservation method, but a good fertlizer too!

Water Conservation

D.I.Y Rainbarrel: Last year, I noticed that my downspout was aiming right at the foundation of my house, and a big mossy damp spot had formed. Before this turned into a cracked foundation, I rigged up a rainbarrel to catch it all. I bought a big rubbermaid garbage pail at Canadian Tire on sale for about 8 dollars. It has a sturdy lid that snaps on and off. Then I bought a brass spout for 12 bucks at Lee Valley Tools, which comes with a rubber gasket. I took my plumber’s torch and, holding the spout with tongs, heated up the base of the spout (take the gasket off first) until it was hot enough that I could melt it into the side of the barrel, near the bottom, thereby creating a good seal. I fastened the gasket and was done. Then, I took the top off the pail and cut a hole in it exactly the same size and shape of my downspout. I wedged the pail below the downspout, put the lid on the right spot, and sealed it. It works perfectly. And, since it can overflow at times, I attached an old hose to the base of it, leading excess water downhill to an unused part of the yard. If you want to fit a watering can under the spout, just put the pail slightly higher, on a base of wood or something.
Tip provided by Genny Landreville

Reuse Cooking Water: Another great way to conserve water is to water your plants with left-over cooking water. Rather than pouring cooking water down the drain, pour water used to boil or steam veggies onto your potted plants once it has cooled off to room temperature. Don’t try to pour it on while it is hot!

Pop Bottle Irrigation: Instead of purchasing costly aqua spikes, make your own drip irrigation system. It takes minutes and costs nothing. Gradual watering systems are not only a great time saver but they will work wonders during midsummer drought. For full instructions click here.

‘Recycled’ Water: If you are a patio gardener, consider hauling ‘grey water’ instead of tap water from your apartment or house outside to your plants. Mild, diluted dishsoap won’t harm your plants. Water from the bathtub is even better. Conserve!