25+ Clever Ideas Gardeners Won’t Want To Miss
28 Comments 
Did you know you can make your own rooting hormone using willow twigs? Or that geraniums can be overwintered? How about a few ideas for soil savers, pest control and fighting weeds? You’ll find all that and more in this collection!
First, here’s an interesting tip I came across while reading the book “The Essential Urban Farmer”, did you know that willow trees contain a lot of natural rooting hormone that you can tap into for your own cuttings? Here’s how to make it:
15 to 20 thin twigs (any variety of willow tree)
gallon of water
Directions: Place the twigs in a bucket then top with water, cover with lid. Let this sit for at least 24 hours then strain out the twigs.
To Use: Place cuttings in the water solution a day before potting.
Storage: Can be refrigerated for up to one month.
Ready to check out the rest of the goodies? Here’s a bunch that I’ve handpicked from around the net or highlighted from here on Tipnut…(and don’t miss the vintage tip at the bottom of the page for growing your own dishcloths with luffa gourds!).
PS: I’ll be adding more goodies to this list as I find them so you may want to bookmark this page!
ladybirdln.com
14 Simple Tricks: Includes a great idea to mark long handles on garden tools so you can use them as measuring sticks.
hgtv.com
marthastewart.com
Coffee Filters: Line flowerpots with coffee filters before adding soil, this will help prevent soil leakage through the drainage holes.
thisoldhouse.com
bhg.com
Tablecloth Mover: (slide #5) No wheelbarrow? No problem! Use a tablecloth to move heavy bags of soil.
bhg.com
tipnut.com
You can combat aphids, spiders and other pests by steeping onion or garlic skins and peels in water then using as a spray. Plenty more helpers on this page.
tipnut.com
thisoldhouse.com
Staggering Bulbs: Plant bulbs in layers for weeks of blooms (choose varieties that flower a few weeks apart).
thisoldhouse.com
pinterest.com
You can test soil to see if it’s acidic or alkaline by using vinegar and baking soda. Details found here.
tipnut.com
marthastewart.com
Use For Plastic Nursery Pots: Save the six pack or nursery pots, bag them up and use to fill the bottom of large pots (soil saver).
awaytogarden.com
bhg.com
Kill weeds with common household items such as vinegar, salt, liquid detergent and more. Lots of ideas are found here.
tipnut.com
thisoldhouse.com
Leftover coffee can be sprayed on plants to help deter slugs. More ideas listed here.
tipnut.com
rosemaryonthetv.com
Water Bucket Warmers: Unexpected cool nights? Warm your garden naturally with buckets filled with water.
budget101.com
flickr.com/photos/megz/
Plastic Milk Jug Ollas: Bury plastic milk jugs that have holes in the bottom and fill with water for an easy irrigation method. More ideas on this page.
howstuffworks.com
funinthemaking.net
DIY Watermelon Sling: Support swelling melons with slings made from old t-shirts.
oregonlive.com
gardengatenotes.com
Easy Digging: Moisten the ground a few hours before you start digging and the job will be easier.
philadelphia.cbslocal.com
beeskneesbungalow.com
Bagged Tomatoes: Grow them right in a bag of soil, add a cage and you’re set to go.
cookingwithmykid.com
hortmag.com
Grow Mushrooms In A Laundry Basket: A nice tutorial showing you how to get started including how to pasteurize the straw, load the basket, cloning and more.
velacreations.com
cozylittlehouse.com
Pot-In-Pot Planting: Lots of reasons why this is so smart, you’ll find more info on this page.
floridafriendlyplants.com
bluebirdgardens.com
Do You Grow Dishcloths? Luffa Acutangula Gourd
*First published October 30, 2009 and moved to this page for better organization
The gourd Luffa acutangula is easily grown from seed and produces a very satisfactory, sanitary dishcloth. Most seed catalogs list it.
Image Source: Wikipedia.org
Plant the seed of the Luffa vine about the middle of May, or the time you plant your cucumbers should be right.
In the fall the gourds produced on this vine may be cut open lengthwise, the fibrous mass inside taken out, thoroughly washed in hot soapy water to remove pulp and seeds, then dried in sun and there you have the dishcloth ready for use.
These are very durable and easily kept sweet and clean as long as they last. Dirt and grease do not penetrate the fibers as they do in an ordinary cloth, this makes it more desirable for separator and milk utensils.
When saturated with water the Luffa is agreeable to the touch. The smaller ones may be used for bath sponges, those of medium size for dishes, and the largest for “rags” to scrub automobiles. I have heard of people selling the prepared “rags.”
These vines are vigorous growers. One or two vines, if given room, will produce many gourds, which are often a foot or more long.
Let the children have plants of their own. Any child who can handle a small saw or a knife to whittle, can make handles for Luffa dish mops. Our children had lots of fun preparing these mops and giving them away for Christmas presents.
Source: The Farmer’s Wife (May, 1933)
You’ll find tips for growing this plant at groovygreen.com.
On the packing peanut idea. I have a home business and many businesses that ship are environmentally aware. Many of the packing peanuts that business are using will dissolve in water. Many will include a note saying that the peanut will dissolve, many won’t bother, though they are fun to watch dissolve to nothing in the sink. When the peanuts are trashed the rain will dissolve them to a corn flour or rice flour mixture, not harming the environment. If you want packing peanuts to stay around May want to toss some in water first to see if they dissolve. Otherwise on the first watering in a garden they will be gone!
RJF
Richard is corrrect. You want the S shaped peanuts not the figure 8 shaped ones.
i was told to use milk jugs to do thiw
I put the peanuts in a heavy duty plastic bag and tie it closed before putting in the bottom of a large pot or planter, usually taking up the bottom third of the pot. Then I add potting soil, super phosphate, plant food and I’m ready to plant.
I found these gardening tips to be very helpful. Thank you!
These hints are great especially like the slings for acorns ,last year mine climbed the trees and were hanging about 15 feet up..
However, putting packing peanuts in the ground that aren’t biodegradeble is a stupid idea, same with the diapers.. It’s putting plastics in the ground! A better idea is to just put in some rocks or shards from pottery –> old way to do it. The plastic nusery pots might work better because you can more easily seperate. Otherwise, some very nice ideas, especially the luffa plant, didn’t know how that worked!
They didn’t say to put the packing peanuts or the diapers in the ground, they said put them into a pot. They are great ideas. Thank you tipnut.
The purpose of the diapers are not for drainage, but rather to retain water, especially, helpful in hanging baskets. I love the idea.
Read the above comment about dissolved peanuts….what do you think about using wine corks – we have millions and that might be a way to use them?
Would love to have some of the corks.
I noticed that the type of hanging planter that was pictured in the diaper advice portion is one that I used every year and every year my plants die.
I water religiously but find that those type of planters promotes quick drainage so the heat and sun here fries the plants anyway. so for me I will be trying the diaper idea!
I have used diapers in all of my hanging baskets for years. It does help, but I have found once we get into the hundred degree days, because they are on the west side of my house, they still need a lot of water. I soak them every morning around 5:30 and then a brief shower in the evenings as the sun is going down. If they are on the north or east side or temperatures are below 100, one watering a day works just fine. Good luck!!
I have been using diapers in my potted plants for years. However I take the plastic cover off and mix in the cotton and water absorbing crystals directly in to the soil
I also have been using this for years and agree to take the plastic cover of. I also soak the jel pack in water before adding to the damp soil. Wonderful for all potted planters and indoor plants.
I use plastic pots inside my coconut husk lined baskets to help retain water. I’ve also heard put the packing peanuts inside a dollar store laundry bag–so when you empty your pots the peanuts are “contained” inside the bag. Would work for the corks too.
To help keep fire ants out of potted plants, line the bottom of the pot with some weed barrier cloth, the kind that allows water to pass thru. Then add the layer of pebbles and fill the rest of the pot with dirt. Putting a piece of the weed barrier under the pot helps some too. I have pets so I try and avoid the use of fire ant poisons and I definitley can’t us Amdro and similar poisons around my potted herbs.
THANKS FOR THE TIP ON PREVENTING FIRE ANTS FROM GETTING IN POTS. tHEY ARE IN MY STRAWBERRIES AND HAVE CHICKENS ROAMING SO CAN’T USE ANT POISIN.
I learned a great trick for the ants. I filled a turkey baster with baby powder and stuck it into the ant bed and squeezed it deep into the bed. The powder dries out the ants even the queen. I had a large ant mound move into the middle of my eggplants shortly after they were planted. I also sprinkled the powder around the mound so when they came out they had to cross the powder. It worked like a charm. I have since eliminated a few other mounds around my property.
Sprinkle instant grits over a fire ant hill. When the grits get wet they expand, killing the queen in the mound.
I have used the packing peanuts to take up room in the bottom of big pots. Either anchor the pot to the ground, or put a few bricks or rocks in the bottom. The pots can get top heavy. Also, put the peanuts in recycled grocery bags and tie them shut. Otherwise they get mixed in with your soil and you have to sort them out when you turn over that soil the next year. (All hints learned the hard way.)
We use the packing peanuts in a very large outdoor pot,not only to reduce the amount of potting soil needed, but also to keep the planter weight down to a managable limit.
Maxi pads work also. Just toss them in the garbage at end of season.
Be careful with the non- biodegradeable peanuts when emptying pots at end of season they will blow around when you dump the dirt…
Also be careful if you toss your old potting soil into the compost heap. I did not consider that when I used them, and ended out having to pick through the soil, which was a pain in the rear! Alternately, you could dump the soil out over a sifter and sift them out, but again, a lot of work.
If packing peanuts are an issue for you, I suggest milk jugs or 2 liter bottles in the bottom of your big pots. It really reduces the amount of potting soil you use. Of course they are reusable year after year.
Useful tips! Thanks for compiling. Also, FYI, the loofa pod is edible. Pick before pod turns fibrous, peel and use in soups. Makes a naturally sweet, delicious, healthful soup.
I dont think i would use packing peanuts/diapers/plastic containers or cans in any garden. All of those things would leach toxins damaging your soil. I definitly would not use any of those things when planting edibles. I could see them used in containers for flowers only.
I do like the loofa tip. I think i will try planting some of those!
I garden almost everyday because I live I so calif , gardening is on of my great loves and I found your ideas to be wonderful !!! Thank you very much