Using What You Have on Gardening

 Good morning to everyone wherever you may be.  It is a chilly morning here, but the sun is out and it looks to be a beautiful day.  Yesterday was near perfect.  I hope everyone is doing good and staying safe.

Some folks think gardening is an expensive hobby.  It doesn't have to be.  Not at all.  You can use a lot of things you have around the house - many of things you would trash, and they will benefit you greatly.  Now that garden season is just starting for a lot of us, these ideas may help someone.

Funny, but somehow it seems true!!!  

Seems critters decide they want a free garden too.  I often have times that squirrels want to plant their peanuts in my garden and dig up a few plants.  Then there are the ground hogs that show up!  UGH.  I did see a jack rabbit the other morning before dawn, running amuck out front.  

In years past I have dealt with groundhogs.  I have tried urine (yes), ammonia, special expensive stuff (did nothing), mothballs, trapping, you name it.  Well, Chuck decided it wasn't too concerned about the cats (even after Persy gave it a talking to).  So, I tried something else I heard of - red pepper flakes.  You sprinkle them around the places they go in and out and they go away.  Well, bingo-bango, so far it seems to have worked!  Once I did that, I haven't seen it again.  We will see.  I had a big jar of the flakes, but they can be purchased at the dollar stores for next to nothing.

Now, THIS year I am going to sprinkle some around the garden plants too - maybe that will keep the squirrels out of the garden.  Worth a try!

You can use grated hand soap as well.  I have always heard using Irish Spring, but animals don't like the taste of any of it.  So try and sprinkle any grated soap around. Need to reapply after rain.

Another idea is placing plastic forks, tines up, around your plants.  It helps deter digging and damage to plants.  You want to place them pretty close together.

A penny for your thoughts!  How about your plants??  Throw a penny in a vase to help prolong the blooms.  Also said to be great for the garden.  The copper is said to work against fungi and plant disease.  In a small garden, place them near tomato roots to help battle blight.  The copper emits goodness into the soil.

Marigolds are a great way to help in the garden to guard against pests and they are pretty too.  I always have a few planted in the garden.

CITRUS peels deter ants and slugs away from plants.  Just place around the garden and around plants.  Citrus also helps prevent ants in the house.  (make your own spray or get citrus oil and spray around)

Keep seeds from one year to the next.  Now you can keep any seed but may not get the exact same plant from them because of cross breeding.  But if you have an heirloom plant - keep the seeds for next year and an heirloom will give you the SAME plant every time.

Many items can be regrown from what could be considered trash.

You can use cardboard or newspaper to keep weeds down in your garden (even old feed bags).  Makes a great weed barrier.  I can get free local papers at the grocery; your area may have the same thing.  You can buy weed barrier (black cloth or plastic) and it works great and helps keep the soil warm.  But FREE is great!

To keep dirt from falling through the bottom of a pot, either for indoor or outdoor plants - place a coffee filter in the bottom of the pot.  You can use a paper towel too.  Works great and practically free.  I have also placed layers of rock in the bottom and even used crushed pop cans in the past.  Use what you have.

Feed your plants in an inexpensive way.  Coffee grounds and tea are good for plants.  Add nutrients.  Make a 'tea' with banana peels.  Drop them in a big jar and fill with water.  Let it steep a week or so, then pour the water around plants.  Just keep adding peels and water.  You can also chop and bury the peels.  Potassium for plants!  Egg shells are great - they add calcium - and help deter slugs, as it cuts them.  Do you have a fish tank?  When you change out the water - use the old water on your plants - loaded with fertilizer.

Compost is great - you can make your own compost pile or make a small one, using an old tote, scraps, water, a little dirt and sunshine - Food rots and make goodies the garden will love.

I always throw 3 or 4 Tums in the hole when I plant tomatoes.  Calcium is added and it seems to help my plants not had blossom end rot.  I have done this for years.

You can make your own Miracle-Gro with no chemicals in it.

No need to buy expensive decorations or pots each year for the yard and garden.  Look around and find things around the home to use.  Pots can be used over and over - clean well each spring, add new dirt and grow away!!!  Buckets, totes, bags, pots, just about anything can be used to plant in.  You don't have to have a big inground garden.

All kinds of things can be used to decorate with.  I am a lover of a relaxed looking garden, nothing formal here, so I use all kinds of things.  I had an old work boot filled with flowers on the front step for years.  It was a boot of a dear friend (and my garden buddy) who passed.

You can make bird feeders and houses out of things. 

I have a clay saucer with glass 'rocks' I keep water in, as a bee waterer. Yes, they need water too.

An old ice cream parlor chair with no seat - makes a great pot holder.  Paint it any color you have available.  See that red arch?  That is an old bed headboard Glen found in the trash years and years ago - I mean it is a flowerbed!  The gazing globe is sitting on a flowerpot.  It now sits on top of a hens & chicken pot.  Don't need a fancy stand.  Old wagons, feed troughs, wash tubs, milk cans, ANYTHING can be turned into a decoration.

I have found many items at curbside 'shopping' on trash day!

All it takes is a little imagination and a little reuse of things to make a productive garden.  Things are expensive, and anything you can grow to eat is a HUGE PLUS to your budget.

I currently have my lettuce and green onions in pots on a baker's rack outside my kitchen door - that is handy to just go out and pick for fresh salads.

You don't need anything big, just some pots with a few plants.  Plants amongst the flowers and the bushes if need be.  I say grass is wasted real estate.  I know we all have our lawns but think if we planted it with food!!!!!  We could feed so many.

Do something to help with your food budget this year if possible. Even growing herbs in a pot helps - it gives your great flavoring.

What are some of your ideas for reuse or getting creative with things for the garden?

Love learning new ideas!

Have a beautiful day and count your blessings!