There are few things more pleasant than connecting with the earth and growing something out of nothing. For this reason, the cost of gardening may not be important to you. But every now and then, it’s nice to find ways to enjoy your garden while saving money in the process. Here are some money-saving and other tips:
• Be creative with the pots you use to start seedlings. The choice is endless. Use plastic containers, vitamin pill bottles, juice bottles and milk bottles. When covered with florist’s foil wrap, the containers can perk up your garden.
• Add 1 tsp. hydrogen peroxide per litre to water plants. This increases the oxygen going to the soil, thus inhibiting fungal and bacterial soil diseases.
• When choosing your vegetable seeds, consider how long the growing season is in your area and plant varieties that will mature in the amount of frost free days that you have.
• Egg shells placed around the bottoms of plants will add calcium to the soil and discourage pests and small bugs from attacking your plants.
• Add coffee grounds directly to the soil. It will break down during the growing season and nourish your plants. The coffee grounds will improve drainage, water retention and aeration in the soil.
• Water your seedlings with old coffee and tea, rich in nitrogen, and use it on your potted plants. This supplies nitrogen to the soil.
• Mulching is a must! It reduces your needs for fertilizer, water and weeding, holds moister in soil and nourishes your plants and prevents weed germination.
• If you live in a cooler climate, you can insulate your tomato plants with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect and help the plants thrive.
• In the Spring, when your soil is cool, plastic mulches will allow heat through which can warm the soil. Once the soil is warmed up, apply straw or wood chip mulches once your plants are off to a good start. These mulches cool the soil and keep in moisture.
• A diaper placed in the soil in potted plants will help them retain moisture.
• An old golf bag is a great way to store your garden tools, and if it has wheels on it, you can bring all your garden tools out at one time.
• To rid your garden of slugs, get them drunk! Place a shallow dish of beer in a depression in your garden. Check often and pick out the dead ones, particularly in the early morning and during the night when they are active. One slug can destroy weeks of work.
• Spread out plants out to allow for maximum growth so they don’t complete with other plants in the same area.
• Harvest your vegetables when they are at their peak to maximize nutritional content.
When you’re finished gardening and it’s time to take a vacation, we’d love to have you stay with us at The Stockade Bed and Breakfast. Book now!