Budget-Friendly Garden Hacks and Tips to Keep Things Organized

Winning tip:Handy garden tool tote

Several years ago while shop at a vainglorious - box store , I fleck this tote in the household - cleaning section . In accession to carrying cleaning supplies , it can be used as a exhibitor caddy , but I envision it as a garden - prick tote — balanced , sturdy , comfortable to contain , and with hole in each compartment for drainage . I ’ve used it for a few years now , switching tools as needed so that I ’m always ready for the current job . pick the tote in bound or fall is as well-fixed as removing the dick and spraying it out with a hosiery .

— Lynn Dampman , Glenrock , Wyoming

Make those tools stand out

I ’m sometimes careless in the garden , and I used to lose tools because I could n’t find them . After see a set of brilliantly colored putz , I arrive up with an estimate that was much cheap than buy a whole new set — bright - colored duct taping on the handle . I ’m still working on being less careless , but at least now I can see my tools when I leave them in queer places .

— Susie Narkis , River Forest , Illinois

Color-coded bulbs

I plant one C of bulb each year , and invariably fault happen : The color do n’t tally the verbal description , the result is n’t quite what I want , or I mix up the package of incandescent lamp . I have to grasp up and move those electric-light bulb . But I would never remember which ones to dig up come proceed time in the fall , so I wrap coloured metallic twist linkup around the bulbs ’ stems below the leaves . The color of each twist tie touch the bulb , and the draw are gentle to dispatch once the medulla oblongata are in their novel place .

— Julie Scandora , Seattle

A chandelier planter

Many people are deepen out their old pendant for new ones , and I found an old one online for free . I murder the light bulbs and added planting soil and strawberry plants . Now that I ’ve hung the pendent , the slug ca n’t reach the plants . I really enjoy recycle items . Plus , I got some free light bulbs !

— Seelah Poling , Marysville , Washington

Overwintering dahlia bulbs

I live in Minnesota , and every year I undertake to overwinter my dahlia bulbs . I ’ve tried following directions and also seek fresh method . I am pleased to say that I ’ve had great succeeder this twelvemonth with a method acting that was in part create by acedia . Last twilight I dug up the bulbs and leave them in the vast dirt clumps that were attached to them . I put the clumps with the bulbs into remnant summer one-year sens . I store them in a space in the basement that is under the stairs and persist cool but does n’t immobilize . That ’s it . The bulbs really just liked staying in the soil . When I took them out and picked away the dried stain , underneath were courteous chubby bulbs , and several were sprouting .

— Vicky Swanson , Tonka Bay , Minnesota

Securing an open bag

When I apply a large bag of weed and provender , potting soil , or grass seed , I cut across the bag but bequeath some of the fabric attached . This creates a tail that I then use to ensure the cup of tea tightly .

— Sheila Abair , St. Albans , Vermont

Broken main stems on young pepper plants

A mother turtle visited my vegetable garden in spring to hollow a hole for her egg . In the process , she uprooted and recrudesce several of my pepper . If I find the uprooted plants before they wilted , I replanted them and they recovered . I wrapped the crushed stems that were still attach by even a few togs with a match of adhesive bandages while I held the top one-half in place . A few calendar week later when I removed the bandages , I found mended base . The plants grew and produced a good crop .

— Mary Crum , Fort Myers , Florida

Weeding with a hula hoop

I have a tenacious garden bed with small , young plants . In the outflow there are still widow’s weeds that want a spot . I use a hula basketball hoop with my different weed tools to houseclean up the bed . I put the hula-hula hoop on the ground to help me “ see ” a specific area that I involve to weed before moving on to the next one . Before using the hoop I used to get distracted by every weed that caught my heart and so would n’t in full weed an area . You could also trip the light fantastic with the basketball hoop in the garden , but I have no comment on that .

— Tracy Leach , Cobourg , Ontario

From birdbath to pedestal planter

The top of my birdbath broke , so I found a large kitty of a similar color and used it as a pedestal planter . In the photo , you’re able to see the dichondra spill over the boundary like shimmering water . African daisy and central flush are in the pot with the dichondra .

— JoAnn Atwell , Branchburg , New Jersey

Contribute to a bird’s home

When it is time to refresh the coco roughage liners in hanging hoop , the remnants of the old liner can be reprocess as bird nesting material . Just tuck what is leave behind of the old lining between the wire frame and the new lining . During the other - give nesting time of year in my area , birds raid the liners for these remnant fibers .

— Jeffrey Steiner , Albany , Oregon

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