Traditional gardening ideas and suggestions are nice, but they’re not always the best and most effective ways to get things done. Through my own experience and some internet research, these great vegetable garden hacks will help you have a high yield for years to come.
Vegetable Garden Hacks: Small
Start Seeds In Eggshells
To make sure seedlings are properly cared for, it’s often a good idea to grow them outside of the garden and then transplant them once they are big enough. Start your seedlings in an eggshell. The eggshell will provide plenty of nutrients for continued growth.
Citrus Rind Starters
If you don’t have any extra eggshells lying around, you could also use a citrus rind. Again, the lemon rind provides nutrients that help the seedling grow and be healthy.
Vegetable Garden Hacks: How To Grow
For Sweeter Tomatoes
If you want sweeter tomatoes, mix a bit of baking soda into the soil around them! The baking soda will make sour or bitter tomatoes and turn them much sweeter!
Propagate Kitchen Scraps
Speaking of scraps, you can actually regrow some store-bought veggies like onions and lettuce. Simply cut off the tops leaving only the roots and place them in a few inches of water. In a few days, roots should form. Once formed, move the scraps outside into soil for a continued harvest.
Make A Melon Sling
If you’re growing any kind of melon or large plant, then prepare a sling for them! This will keep the stem healthy because it won’t bend under all the weight of the melon. To make, simply prop the watermelon up with a pantyhose, tying it off on a wooden stake.
Vegetable Garden Hacks: Tips
For A Pest-Free Garden
If you have an issue with garden pests like mosquitoes, I recommend planting herbs like citronella around the garden to repel them.
Start Composting ASAP
Try your hand at composting in order to give your plants tons of nutrients and vitamins! It doesn’t take a lot of effort to start a compost pile, and you’ll feel great that your food scraps are going to good use! This article can help.
If you’re about to plant, then soak the seeds in warm water 24 hours before they go into the ground. This helps encourage growth and helps the seeds better take root in the garden!
Vegetable Garden Hacks: DIY
Coffee Grounds As Pest Control
You can also spread coffee grounds around your garden if you’re having a pest problem. Some animals and bugs don’t like the smell of the coffee grounds, so they’ll avoid your garden.
Eggshells Work Too
If the above tip doesn’t work, then take eggshells, crush them up, and sprinkle them around the base of your plants. The shells act as sharp and jagged protectors so snails and other such pests can’t climb up onto your plants.
Cinnamon As Fertilizer
To help prevent disease in younger plants, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon over them every now and then.
Forks As Pest Control
If none of the above have helped your pest issue try putting plastic forks into the soil. This will ward off any creeping animals because they won’t be able to step around in your garden without getting their paws poked!
Vegetable Garden Hacks: Good Ideas
Test Your Seeds First
Before you plant all of your seeds, make sure you test them if they’re a bit old. To test, simply put a few on a wet paper towel and see if they sprout little roots. If so, then they’re still good. If not, then you’ll probably want to buy new seeds.
Keep Your Instructions Organized
If you’re growing a lot of different types of veggies, then it can be confusing to keep all their instructions and preferences straight. Instead of running to the Internet or a book to remind yourself, cut out the information from a seed packet and string it through a key ring. That way, the information is all in one spot whenever you need it.
DIY Self Watering Device
Build or buy a self-watering device to keep your plants well hydrated and taken care of. You can make one out of an old wine bottle or water bottle with this tutorial from YouTube.
For plants growing in pots, put a coffee filter on the bottom of the planter to soak up any extra water. This allows enough water to stay in and hydrate your plant well slowly letting out any excess!