Carpenter Aprons Are a Gardener's CompanionWear or make a carpenter's type apron with pockets for holding small hand-held garden tools, seed packets, plant ties, and anything else you might need while working in your garden.
Cooling Down in the SummerIn the heat of summer, If you get overheated easily, as I do, soak a thin kitchen towel in cold water, wring well, and place around your neck. Re-wet on occasion to keep cool.
Aphid RepellentCrushed garlic or cayenne pepper flakes will repel aphids on plants.
Make Your Own Aphid SprayTo 1 gallon of water, add: 2 tbsp. Murphy's Oil Soap, 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, and 2 tbsp. isopropyl alcohol. Mix thoroughly and use a hose end sprayer or pour into spray bottle. When using a spray bottle, be sure to label properly with a permanent marker.
Cinder Block Raised BedsHave a few old cinder blocks lying around? They make great tomato or vegetable/herb planters for small spaces. Place in a sunny location, turn them on their side, fill with compost/soil, and pop in your plants. The cement holds in heat around the roots.
Homemade Holiday DecorationsFor easy homemade holiday decorations, collect items from your garden. Pine cones, pruned branches from evergreen shrubs or trees, holly branches with berries attached, and even grape vines are garden items that will work well for simple and easy projects.
A Quick Tip: Garden ToolsKeep a pair of pruning shears handy for those times when you think you are just going to take a short stroll around the garden; there's always something that needs to be snipped or pruned!
A Quick Tip for Seed SowingWhen sowing tiny seeds, dip a pencil eraser in water, then into the seeds and place them on top of the soil.
A Quick Tip About ToolsFavorite tool: Wheelbarrow or small garden cart: When you are done working for the day, pile all those tools in the barrow or cart for one trip back to the shed!
A Quick Tip on Container PlantingSoil Saver: For container gardens, to keep the soil from seeping out of the bottom of the container, use a coffee filter on the bottom before putting soil in the pot. The filters will last for quite a while before decomposing. I've also used mesh window screening (cut a piece to fit over the drainage hole and then add your soil).
A Quick Tip About CompostCompost, Compost, Compost! No need for a special bin. Just find a corner somewhere in the yard away from the house, and start a pile of leaves and food scraps (but no dairy or bones). Pile on another layer of leaves and let it bake. No need to even turn the pile, it will eventually decompose for wonderful compost.
A Quick Tip -- Staking Your PlantsOld panty hose: Cut in thin strips and use for tying vines and tall plants to stakes, they are gentle on the plant tissue and hold up for a long time.
A Quick Water TipKeep a few bottles of water in the kitchen freezer and grab a couple on your way out to the garden on a hot summer day. Keep one at hand and place the other in the mailbox for later. It will thaw slowly but stay cool enough for quenching your thirst while working in the heat.
A Hand-y TipIf you garden barehanded as I often do, keep a bar of soap and nail brush next to the sink (or outside near a garden hose) for quick clean up.
Protect Yourself from the Sun When GardeningWhen working in the sun always wear a hat and sunscreen.
Rain Water HarvestingInvest in a 50 gal drum to use for a rain barrel.
Keep Your Tools HandyKeep a large basket or plastic container in a convenient spot on the porch or deck or in the garden shed for holding small hand tools, yard shoes/boots, pruners, scissors/shears, permanent marker, notepad, pen, gardening gloves, hat, sunscreen, etc.
Eggshells in the GardenCrushed Eggshells: Wash eggshells thoroughly, crush and sprinkle atop the soil beneath plants to repel slugs. Cleaned, crushed eggshells are also a great source of calcium for backyard birds, mix in with birdseed or place in an old pie tin and place in the garden.
Use Banana Peels To Feed Your PlantsChopped Banana Peels: Mix into the soil of potassium-loving plants.
Feeding BirdsWhen I toast a bagel for me, I eat the top half and donate the bottom to my backyard feathered friends. I toast that half too, smother it in plain or crunchy peanut butter, sprinkle bird seed over the top and gently pat it into the peanut butter with my finger, then hang the bagel on a tree branch. The birds love it! I sometimes add raisins to the seed and peanut butter mixture too.
Use Coffee Grounds for Acid-Loving PlantsCoffee Grounds: Mix into the soil of acid-loving plants like gardenias, azaleas, etc.
Grow MintGrow Mint. It's not only a great herb, but also a natural pesticide, and using natural pesticides whenever possible means less chemicals to harm the earth. Pinch and crush a few mint leaves and place under cabinets and around doors where ants might enter. Other natural pesticides: A thin amount of lemon juice along door jambs will keep out ants also. Garlic or Cayenne Pepper sprinkled on plants keeps aphids at bay.
Attract Birds to Your Home and GardenBirds can be a great asset to gardeners. Plant berry-producing shrubs and trees on your property. They offer nesting spots as well as food for the birds. Supply additional housing by making or purchasing inexpensive birdhouses to place on your property. Place nesting material around the property for the birds to use when building their nests. Cotton fabric or string, straw, human hair strands, pet fur ... but NO DRYER LINT, as it can contain perfumes and dyes and is not good for baby birds.
