Plan-Ahead Projects for Next Year's Garden
Winter is a great time for planning, preparing, and organizing next year's garden. Here are some plan-ahead projects for the winter months that will help you get a jump on next year's growing season.
Choosing the Right Groundcover
Groundcovers are useful for covering large areas in the landscape. They can also be useful for solving specific landscaping problems, like replacing grass in shady locations, providing erosion control on steep slopes, and providing cover in spaces where it's difficult to mow.
Water Plants With Leftover Coffee
When you have leftover coffee, add some water and use it to water your plants (houseplants or garden). It acts like plant food. Coffee grounds can be mixed in your garden soil for a boost.
Picking Up Branches While Mowing the Lawn
When I'm out mowing on the riding the tractor and come across twigs/small branches, I use my grabber that I use inside for getting things out of the cabinets. Even though I've already gone around and picked up a majority of them, it is kind of hard with 2 acres.
Use Flat Bottom Sled for Garden Waste
I use a flat bottom sled for garden waste. I find it very easy to pull all year round, and it holds tools as well as garden weeds. I put an old dog leash on the sled by using hooks through each end to put through the holes on each side of the sled.
This is a great tip for gardeners. Take an old pair of pantyhose (or old knee high) and put a bar of soap inside. Tie a knot, keeping the soap in place in the toe (foot). Then tie around water spigot and knot.
I use pretty plastic chopsticks from the nearby Asian market as stakes for my houseplants. They don't warp or rot, and the chopsticks come in all sorts of pretty colors and designs for around $2.
If you need to lighten potting soil, instead of using pearlite you can make your own. Simply grind some Styrofoam packing peanuts in a food processor for a few seconds and add them to the soil.
I've been wanting garden stakes, but I wanted to make my own. So I finally came up with this idea. It's cheap and it works for me, just might work for you too.
Since we live in a condo, our gardening is limited to potted plants. When I get a new plant, I always make at least 2, sometimes 3, pots out of it. I divide them and re-pot them with new soil.
Pinestraw to Protect New Plants
During hot days, put pinestraw on top of new trees or plants to keep the sun from burning them.
I like to use old cinder blocks to plant things in. When they get big enough, I move them. It is hard for the birds to get into the block or the cats to dig them out before they have grown big enough to transplant.
I came up with an idea and it's made life so much easier on me and on my plants. They don't get neglected like they did before when I just didn't feel like climbing up to do them.
I had just moved in at the beginning of summer last year and found a fabulous deal on flowers! There wasn't a flower bed on my acre! So right over my grass, I laid Eco Friendly roofing paper.
My Frugal Life: Recycling In the Garden
There is nothing better than something cold in the hot weather, and ice cream fills the bill for us! I frequently plant pinto beans in these wonderful containers.
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My Frugal Life: Recycling In the Garden
There is nothing better than something cold in the hot weather, and ice cream fills the bill for us! I frequently plant pinto beans in these wonderful containers.
Ornamental kales are said to be the "daffodils and tulips" of the fall garden, and a great way to fill in gaps and brighten up fading flower beds. They laugh in the face of dropping temperatures and frost, in fact, cooler weather only serves to intensify their color.
Craft Project: Useful Items From Tree Limbs
I've had a lot of oleander bushes in the yard for years. I wanted to re-landscape some parts so the bushes had to go. The limbs of this bush are very soft and can be milled into useful items to use around the house and studio.
One of my favorite garden crafts is making homemade plant labels from aluminum cans and wire clothes hangers. Not only are they inexpensive and durable, but these labels are actually attractive and fun to make.
