With spring right around the corner, it’s time to start focusing on the garden. We here at The River Club love gardening, and are pleased to share some of our favorite hacks with you . . .
1.Lemon peel starter pot- Many of you already know this trick, but it’s such a good one it’s worth repeating. Not only does it save money on pots, but the acidity of the lemon peel creates the perfectly acidic environment for the seedling to flourish.
2. The best way to prevent dirty fingernails- Nothing is worse than going to a dinner party and realizing you still have dirt encrusted fingernails from an afternoon spent in the garden. Keep your nails clean by scraping a little soap underneath your nails before you venture outside.
3. Use toilet paper instead of expensive seed tape- Seed tape can be so expensive. Here’s how to save a lot of money by using toilet paper instead.
4. Use paper towels to water your plants while on vacation- This doesn’t look glamorous, but it works extremely well and is a lot better than coming home to wilting or dead plants. Just make sure to roll the paper towel very tightly.
5. Water plants continuously with a wine bottle- This is another clever watering trick, this time for your outdoor plants. Fill the wine bottle with water, cover it with your finger, turn over then quickly insert into the ground.
6. Water bottle sprinkler- Instead of spending money on a sprinkler, poke holes in an empty soda bottle and fix to your hose. Cheap and an excellent way to recycle.
7. Turn your rake into a measuring stick- Ever need to stop your gardening to search for a measuring stick when spacing your seeds? Pre-mark your rake and those days will be over.
8. Sweeten your tomatoes with baking soda- The baking soda absorbs soil’s acidity, which makes your tomatoes sweet. To do this, just sprinkle a small amount of baking soda (less than a quarter of a cup per plant) around the base of the plant, making sure not to get it on the plant itself. Do it when the tomatoes are about an inch in diameter, and then when they are about halfway grown.
9. Use empty milk jugs to protect plants from frost- Cut the bottoms of old milk jugs and place carefully over your newly-planted plants. Make sure to pile the dirt generously around the jugs to keep them from blowing away. You can water the plants through the open hole in the top! Not only do the milk jugs protect seedlings from frost, but they encourage growth by acting like little greenhouses.
10. Use old toilet paper rolls to make biodegradable planters- Not only are these cheap and good for the environment, but since they’re biodegradable it means no transplanting! Here’s how to make them.
