Gardening Hacks

Learn a few gardening hacks and ideas from experienced gardeners that will help you save time and money this season.

Are you new to gardening? Maybe you have some experience gardening, but feel frustrated with all the "musts" or "must not" to-dos in the garden. Today, I wanted to share with you a few gardening hacks and tips from some fellow garden bloggers. These tried and true tricks may be just the thing to help you with your garden this season.

Gardening Hacks, Tricks and Ideas

Mason Jar Soil Test

This article from Preparedness Momma shows you an easy way to get a feel of the type of soil you are dealing with when working in a new or existing garden. No need to send it out or buy a soil test to figure out the basics.

Fill Large Planters with Aluminum Cans

I've been doing this forever with summer annuals, which really don't need much root space. Large containers are quite stunning with their ability to hold many different plants, but the cost of filling them with soil and the weight to move it around is tough. You can even use the softer plastic nursery six packs (turned upside down) that the transplants came in to get the same effect. 

Soda Bottle Drip Feeder

The Gardening Cook has a great post about how to submerge a plastic bottle into the ground, near your plant's roots, to help water and establish new plants. I've done this with new shrubs, and it works very well.

Using Pool Noodles in the Garden

The Thrifty Couple has found great ways to use dollar store pool noodles to help in the garden. Like this one, where the noodle protects the top of the lattice, so the vines can easily grow over them and not get crimped or intertwined for a better harvest.

Help Out Transplants Using Puddling

This technique was taught to me by my mother when I started my first garden as a newlywed. When planting transplants, flowers, and herbs, dig a hole and add water first, aka "puddling," before setting the plant into the hole, ensuring plenty of moisture to the roots.

Trick for a Sparkling Clean Pond

Try this easy trick shared by The Empress of Dirt for your backyard pond. A small investment of just a few dollars, with no chemicals or additives, will clear up your pond in no time.

Make Your Hydrangeas Change Color

Stephanie from Garden Therapy has a nifty trick to turn your blue hydrangeas pink, or your pink ones blue. A simple, inexpensive solution to make sure your pretty shrubs are just the right color for you.

Use Old Sheets to Protect Plants from Late Frosts

This trick pertains to those of us in the north. I live in Pennsylvania. While Mother's Day, mid-May, is a pretty good time to start planting in my area, I need to keep an eye out for a late frost, or many plants will take a direct hit from the cold. Thankfully, the weatherman is pretty good at letting us know when a frost is coming. So, if I have any tender or newly planted shrubs or pots, I get out old bed sheets and cover them overnight. Trash bags work well too, but I like the size of the sheets more, and they can easily be washed and used over and over again.

Fast Garden Makeover Tips

North Coast Gardening has some great tips on fast ways to spruce up the garden when you are short on time. I especially love the trick about  "skirting" to quickly and easily shape up plants.

Root Lilacs From Cuttings

Flower Patch Farmhouse has a great trick on how to create the perfect environment for rooting semi-softwood shrubs such as lilacs. Now you can ask a friend or neighbor for a small cutting from their gorgeous lilac, and grow one or two for yourself.

Keep Your Nails Clean with Soap

Do you wear gloves? I do, but so often I find my hands in the dirt without gloves, and the dirt does a number on my nails and skin. Try scraping a bar of soap with your fingernails before your venture into the garden. This will prevent the dirt from getting under your nails and make for a quick and easy cleanup.

DIY Garden Hose Pot

Pam from House of Hawthornes has a great idea for keeping your garden hose nice and tidy while also looking good in the garden.

Hanging Flower Basket Trick

Susan from Momcrieff shows you how to cut down on the watering chore of your summer hanging baskets so they don't dry out too quickly with this great hack.

Create a Makeshift Water Station

Lastly, I learned this trick as a child during day camp with the Girl Scouts. Place a piece of soap into the bottom of a pantyhose. Tie it to the handle of a gallon water bottle. Then use a golf tee and some twine, also tied to the handle, and insert the tee into the corner of the water jug. Hang the jug of water on a hook or tree branch in the garden. Now you have soap and water while working in the garden. Just pull out the golf tee, and water will trickle out the bottom.

What do you think? Did you learn something new that you'll want to try this year?