Time-Tested Gardening Tips from Yesteryears That Deliver Results
With all the fancy gadgets and apps making gardening more convenient, it's easy to forget the true power of old-school hacks. From using coffee grounds as a pest deterrent to transforming an empty wine bottle into a slow, steady watering tool, these tried-and-true garden secrets work just as well as their modern counterparts.
According to Lauren Craig, a gardening expert from Humble Hive Consulting, scattering used coffee grounds around your garden can help ward off pesky insects. Valeria Nyman, gardening expert and chief product officer at Taim.io, agrees and adds that the calcium boost from the coffee grounds can even benefit your plants. Jeremy Yamaguchi, the CEO of Lawn Love, points out that slugs and other soft-bodied pests can't traverse coffee grounds, making them an excellent addition to your garden's defense system.
If you're looking for a creative way to start your seeds, consider using eggshells as mini biodegradable planters. According to Nyman, eggshells hold moisture well, provide a little calcium boost, and can even deter certain pests. Just poke a small hole in the bottom for drainage and crush the shell a bit before planting to help your roots break through.
For gardeners with an eye for recycling, an old wine bottle can be repurposed as a slow and steady watering tool. Simply clean the bottle, fill it with water, and invert it into the soil next to your plant, ensuring the opening is slightly buried. The narrow neck acts as a natural regulator, releasing water gradually to maintain consistent soil moisture.
Andr Porwol, a seasoned gardener and founder of Sapcote Garden Centre, shares that banana peels are packed with potassium, calcium, and phosphorus, which are nutrients that promote strong roots and vibrant blooms in rose plants. By chopping the peels into smaller pieces and burying them near the base of your rose bushes, you can enrich your soil and improve its texture.
Coffee grounds can also be added to your compost to deter pests while providing a nitrogen boost to your plants. According to Craig, coffee grounds work to deter slugs and other pests with their aroma, while their nutrient content benefits your plants and improves soil structure. Make sure to limit the amount of coffee grounds in your compost pile to avoid an overly acidic environment.
Drip irrigation can be an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, but a garden hose with some carefully added punctures can work just as well. By poking holes in a garden hose with a 1/4-inch drill bit, you can create a drip line that allows you to direct water directly into the soil, promoting healthy plant growth.
Finally, forget about expensive compost bins or stinky piles of kitchen scraps. According to Nyman, building a "lazy compost" trench by digging a shallow trench in your garden, tossing in your kitchen scraps, and covering them with soil can create a slow cooker for rich, loose, and nutrient-filled soil that your garden will love. Just make sure to rotate where you bury your kitchen scraps to allow the whole garden to benefit.
Incorporating these simple yet effective old-school hacks into your gardening routine can help you save money, reduce waste, and nurture a healthy and vibrant garden. So don't underestimate the power of the past – give these hacks a try and see the results for yourself.
- If you're an avid outdoor gardener, consider using coffee grounds around your home garden to deter pests, as suggested by gardening expert Lauren Craig.
- For indoor gardeners who enjoy gardening on their windowsill, harnessing the power of coffee grounds can be effective in preventing pests and improving plant health.
- In the article published in RealSimple, Supercharge Your Garden with These Old-School Hacks, garden expert Valeria Nyman highlights the benefits of using eggshells as mini biodegradable planters for starting seeds.
- To maximize your gardening efforts and harness the power of recycling, consider repurposing an old wine bottle as a slow and steady watering tool, as suggested by gardening expert Andr Porwol.
