Gardening
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Make drainage holes in the base of reused plastic food containers before using them as planters.
To prevent root rot.
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Check pallet wood for an HT stamp and avoid any with obvious mold, slime, or chemicals before building raised beds.
Wood is porous.
- One approach that worked well was using pallets previously used for furniture.
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Water small potted plants with 2-3 ice cubes daily to provide a slow release of moisture.
Slow release prevents water from pooling deep enough to drown the plant.
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Use black tarps instead of clear plastic to cover garden beds in winter if you need heat from sunlight absorption.
Black tarps absorb sunlight to warm beds when snow melts and are more durable than plastic; clear plastic is better suited for hoop houses.
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Use 1-liter yogurt tubs as plant pots.
They make great plant pots.
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Ask Starbucks for their used coffee grounds to use as free compost or for gardening.
Apply a food-safe finish, such as a linseed oil blend, to wooden planters to protect against rot.
It proofs the wood against rot.
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Grow mint in a buried plastic pot or an isolated area where you do not mind if it takes over.
Mint will take over your yard and is hard to kill.
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When drilling holes in glass or ceramic, use a diamond drill bit, keep the bit cool with water, and drill slowly with gentle circular motion without using a hammer drill setting.
Water keeps the bit cool and slow pressure prevents damage.
- One person reported using a cordless drill and suggests wearing shoes if possible.
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Fire air-dried clay pots to prevent them from becoming porous and growing mold quickly.
Air-dried pots remain porous and are prone to rapid mold growth if not fired.
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Bake chicken bones after making stock, blend them, and use them as a garden supplement.
This is a zero-waste practice.
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Choose BPA/BPS-free lined cans, such as Muir Glen, when repurposing food containers for growing edible plants.
This is helpful if you are growing food.
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Plant tomato starts deeply, burying up to three-quarters of the stem, to encourage adventitious roots and create a stronger plant.
Adventitious roots grow out of the buried stem, resulting in a much stronger plant.
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Use clear gallon jugs as self-contained greenhouses to start seedlings early.
They act as their own greenhouse.
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Water egg carton seed starters frequently or transplant them early.
Egg cartons wick away moisture quickly and dry out fast, which can kill seedlings.
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Lay down layers of cardboard as a weed barrier or liner alternative.
It yields better results and allows adding more layers without harming plants.
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If you grow heavy crops on a trellis, add cross beams to prevent collapse during wind storms.
One person avoided smushed cucumbers by using this method after a bad storm.
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Use dog food bags as weed cloth or planter liners.
They are free and work.
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Place crushed eggshells on top of soil to prevent slugs from crossing.
Slugs do not like sliding across sharp pieces of shell.
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Cut rigid plastic from used box tops or yard sale signs to create plant markers.
Paper or cardboard name tags get soggy too fast.
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Use empty apple packaging trays as seed starters.
There is enough room to remove the plants with a trowel.
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Cover leaf-mulched beds with black tarps or cardboard.
This traps heat and speeds up the composting process.
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Shred leaves with a mower before applying them to garden beds if you live in a windy area.
It helps quite a bit with keeping them in place.
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Avoid using plastic liners in food planters.
Plastic brings other dangers to food plants.
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Plant lemon or lime basil to deter critters.
Many critters dislike the citrus smell.
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Clean and clear all debris from raised beds before winter to prevent squash bugs from overwintering.
Debris allows squash bugs to survive the winter.
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Call the Starbucks store ahead of time to confirm they will provide coffee grounds.
This practice is no longer pushed corporate-wide.
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Prune basil regularly to improve yield and prevent tall stems with few leaves.
It encourages better yield and prevents sparse growth.
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Paint the bottoms of clear plastic seed starting containers black to provide darkness for roots.
Roots need darkness.
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Propagate plants like tomatoes and peppers by cutting stems.
It is an effective way to propagate these species.
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Use completely opaque containers for hydroponic or soil gardening to prevent light from reaching the roots.
Light exposure causes algae growth and root rot, which can kill the plant.
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- Avoid using transparent containers for plants, or mask them with fabric if you must.1
Use tampon strings as the wicking material for DIY self-watering planters.
Tampon string works best.
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Glue landscaping fabric to the bottom of cement planters to prevent water buildup inside.
Water buildup can lead to winter cracks.
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Ask Starbucks for their used coffee grounds to use as free compost or for gardening.
- Some new employees may not know about it and will need to ask a supervisor.
- Coffee grounds can mold if left out.
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Install the spigot at the bottom of a rain barrel rather than the top.
It works better functionally.
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Place broken plant pieces in a water-filled container to grow new roots for free.
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Place a large mirror behind an unhappy plant in a corner to double the light it receives.
This approach helped one user revive a struggling plant.
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Grow vegetables in a hydroponics unit to increase consumption.
One user found that growing their own veggies increased motivation to eat them and prevented waste.
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Buy half-dead plants from discount sections at stores like Lowe's and revive them to beautify your home cheaply.
One person found they had a greener thumb than expected and successfully revived almost every plant from this section.
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Supplement natural window light for indoor plants with a thrifted 'happy light' or cheap LED grow lights.
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Display fruit in visible locations, such as hanging baskets or colanders, using what you have.
Keeps them visible for the user.
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Use rinsed styrofoam coffee cups as plant starter pots.
They are insulating.
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Decorate plain trash can planters with spray paint and cardboard stencils to create a fancy design.
One person received compliments for doing this.
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Cover egg cartons with cling wrap secured by rubber bands to create a mini greenhouse effect.
It creates a greenhouse environment for the seeds.
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Surround wooden planter boxes with gravel to help maintain them.
Gravel probably helps maintain the wood.
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Use tomato cans for planters because their internal plastic coating prevents rust caused by acidic soil or moisture.
The plastic coating protects against rust that would otherwise occur due to acidity.
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Collect water from a portable air conditioner to flush toilets and water plants.
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Place a low-sided container filled with water in dry parts of the yard to provide drinking water for toads.
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Ask local native plant enthusiasts, especially neighbors, to share seedlings and gardening advice.
They will gladly share plants and advice.
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Cut Gatorade bottles in half to propagate rosemary cuttings.
One person reported this method worked well.
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Use cardboard from Amazon boxes to kill unwanted plants or protect desired ones by cutting slits for stems.
The material is biodegradable and loved by earthworms.
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Store bananas separately from other produce.
Bananas make nearby produce ripen and rot more quickly.
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Research the chemical composition of cinder blocks before using them for edible crops.
Certain cinder blocks contain potentially harmful chemicals.
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Avoid planting succulents in non-porous metal tins; prefer porous containers.
Succulents prefer something porous.
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Seal all exposed edges of cardboard greenhouses to add to durability.
Sealing excludes moisture from the cardboard.
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Install a small fountain or pump to keep water moving in repurposed water features.
Stationary water becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
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Avoid growing food on balconies located above busy traffic routes due to concerns about heavy pollution fumes.
Food grown in such locations may be exposed to heavy pollution fumes.
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Use sturdy takeout containers, such as Red Robin or Costco rotisserie boxes, as seedling trays or mini greenhouses instead of flimsy commercial trays.
Commercial trays are often flimsy, causing unstable bowing from uneven weight distribution; takeout containers are leakproof and sturdier.
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Place plastic pots inside decorative outer planters to hold soil and plants.
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Turn recycled coffee containers into planters or storage by painting them with acrylic paint.
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Consider using an air horn to deter squirrels if you want to avoid accidentally poisoning small animals.
It helps avoid potentially poisoning little animals on accident.
- This is one person's preference; effectiveness may vary.
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