21 Garden Hacks That’ll Turn Any Thumb Green

Use these garden tips for a perfect and healthy garden this spring. Your friends will be begging to hear your secrets!

1. DIY Strawberry Planter

Using a wooden pallet, hand saw, and nails, you can create a great contained strawberry planter. Simply cut the pallet to any size and nail into a box! You’ll have an abundance of strawberries growing through every open hole.

The great thing about strawberries is that they’ll come back every year with minimal effort.

2. Vertical Tube Planter

You can also use a vertical tube to grow strawberries by cutting round holes throughout the tube, allowing space for the strawberries to grow outward.

This is a great way to grow strawberries in the city as it takes up little space.

Vertical Planter — Image Source: homesthetics

3. Rubbermaid Container Gardens

Fill a Rubbermaid container with soil to make a cute porch garden and save space. Hint: Use hack #14 to keep the container light and moveable.

4. Cute Bike Rim Trellis

This is a great idea for urban gardens! Place a steel rod in the middle of two recycled bike rims. Tie lines of garden twine from one tire to the other, at least 2 inches apart. Place vertically in your garden and watch as your growing vines prosper on this sturdy trellis.

Bike Trellis — Image Source: Homesthetics

5. Epsom Salt is Healthy

Not only for your skin, but also for your garden. It’s rich in magnesium and sulfate, two minerals plants need to stay healthy and thriving.

6. Propagate Roses with Potatoes

The best way to have your rose cuttings survive is by using potatoes. Simply place the cutting into a potato before burying it in the ground and the extra moisture from the vegetable will help cultivate a beautiful rose plant.

7. 1 Pot, 100 Pounds of Potatoes

So now you need potatoes to grow roses? No problem!

Growing potatoes in a barrel reduces pests and fungi and eliminates shovel damaged potatoes.

8. Switching Plants Made Easy

A pot-in-pot method is exactly what it sounds like. Use buried pots in your garden to place grown, potted plants into.

This has many benefits, including being able to switch seasonal plants, as well as experimenting with plant placement in spots of shade or sunlight.

9. Start Seedling in Lemon

Your plants will have a better chance of survival if you start them out in a lemon. Cut a lemon in half, scoop out the middle (put it on the side for other uses), add soil and seed and watch as your new plant grows.

10. Or Start in Eggshells

Eggshells have the minerals needed to help seedlings survive before being transferred to your garden. The best part is that these natural pots are completely free and recycled!

11. Added Bonus to Ground Eggshells

Grind up recycled eggshells to make a healthy and natural fertilizer. Your garden will absolutely thank you for all the extra calcium!

12. Diapers Retain Moisture in Potted Plants

Place a diaper at the bottom of your planter before adding soil to retain moisture.

13. Coffee Filters Also Work

Alternatively, you could use coffee filers to keep the moisture in your potted plants. I’d suggest using whatever you have around the house to keep costs low and saves a trip to the store.

coffee filter garden tip — Image Source: Homesthetics

14. Milk Jugs Make a Perfect Watering Container

Recycle empty milk jugs and turn them into a water container. Simply poke holes in the lid and fill with water. It’s easy to hold and free!

15. They Also Save Potting Soil

Place recycled milk jugs in the bottom of your pot to reduce the amount of soil needed. It will keep your potted plants lighter and easy to move, and save you money.

16. Create a Planting Template

Start with a square, wooden board and add wooden spools to easily “punch” seed holes into soil. This will save time and keep your lines straight, so your garden looks neat and organized.

Garden Hack — Image Source: homesthetics

17. Collect Rain Water

Cut down on water bills by collecting rain water and using it to water your plants.

18. Cinder Block Bed

Using cinder blocks can add height to your garden bed for extra space. Get creative with the kids and use chalks on the blocks to add extra life!

19. Easy to Grow Squash

Dig a hole and place a pot into the soil (make sure the pot has holes in the bottom). Plant squash seeds around the base of the pot. Water into the pot to get water straight to the root of the squash! This will keep them hydrated and happy.