7 Reasons Why I Loath Garden Centers

It's pretty frustrating for me to visit a garden center.  Why I don't like to purchase flowers and shrubs there:

# 1:

Plants are offered in garden centers that don't fit in our climate. I often find plants for hardiness zone 11 (Southern border and Mexico) offered in Canada, which has a maximum of zone 5 with very cold winters.

Plants for shade are placed in full sun...   The regional management always has their say about how the plants are to be displayed, and often they don't know the difference between a shade plant and a sun plant, either, or they don't care about the well-being of the flowers. 

Just recently I discovered a whole shipment of Columbines sitting out in the south and western nursery front on the tables in the blazing sun. I mentioned to the staff that these plants needed to be under the shade building in the nursery and they told me that when they contacted corporate headquarters with this, and that the "planogram" was inaccurate, he was told that "we know where we want the plants this year. Put them where we tell you so that customers will see them and buy them and there won't be as many plants to throw out and in loss."

# 2:

None of the employees knows anything about plants, and they are not trained in any way. The big-box stores will hire people who can't tell roots from blossoms to work in their garden centers.  I blame the managers and the low pay for it.  Employees are not trained.  They might work in the paint or wood aisles and then be sent to the garden center for the summer season. 

You have to ask the manager (first find him/her!) because employees have no clue what the plants are all about.  When I search for a certain plant, using the common as well as the Latin name, they stare at me like a deer in headlights. 

# 3:

Not watering the plants - or between 11 am and 4 pm with the ice-cold shower over delicate blooms. On top of that, customers need to wear rainboots to wade through the aisles.  I talked with so many garden center managers, some don't even know how to water plants, and if they know they don't train their staff to do it right: watering the soil in the pots, not over the flower heads.

# 4: 

Too many annuals are offered in garden centers and barely any perennials and shrubs. They often don't care about the quality of the plants or lack staff that can help customers with knowledgeable advice.  Another customer told me: "Why would you buy plants from anyone but a grower?  You want an interesting selection, well-grown stock, earth-friendly growing practices, and sometimes some information or help to make your selection. So why buy from anyone but a grower/nursery?  

At a box store, plants are just another commodity... Like watering hoses, tools, or insecticides. They often don't care about the quality of the plants or lack staff that can help customers with knowledgeable advice.

# 5: 

Big box garden centers are bad for the environment: If not cared for properly, or shade plants are placed in full sun or displayed too early in spring and get the frost, they are discarded and thrown into the garbage bin - plants and pots together... so that no one could come at night and get them. That is why at Lowes, WalMart, or Home Depot plants are not watered or cared for...

Fact is that a lot of these "big box stores" have an agreement with the plant suppliers that they have to take back the dead, unsold, damaged, etc. plants and are NOT paid for.  The plant suppliers agree to this because who can get by without selling to the "big box stores?  Plant vendors bring them in from various nurseries, and when the plants sell the nurseries give Lowes, HomeDepot, Loblaws, or Walmart a profit.  

# 6: 

Pricing is often not found on plants, but rather overhead and only visible in one direction. Or no prices are given.  In these cases, I pack everything that I am interested in in my cart and then ask the cashier what the price is - and think about it if I like to pay that price or not.  What I don't buy they have to carry back to the shelf. It would be easier if they would price them in the first place.

Nursery retailers' prices are not out of line; in many cases, I found them often lower than in big box stores.  And I do a lot of comparison shopping!  Locally owned nurseries are where quality plants are offered.  The main business of plant nurseries is to grow plants for local people's gardens.  The business of garden centers is to sell plants and lots of other related products. 

# 7:

The plant grower/vendor is the loser.  Some of the big box stores (Home Depot, Lowes, or Canadian Tire for example) commission - and do NOT own the plants they are selling until they are actually sold to a customer (called pay-by-scan).  Then and only then does the store pay for them. So they don't really have an investment in how well the plants are doing. If they die, they lose nothing. The plant vendor is the loser. 

People are often buying plants at big-box stores. That will not change. The plants that are still alive will be purchased and taken home to die - because the poor treatment at the store has weakened them. 

I just hate to see plants tossed away.  Even selling them at a discount, many plants would probably be sold to a person who could spend the time and care to revive them.

I don't buy at stores anymore that don't seem to care about 

the needs of the plants - and their customers.

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Shakespeare's Gardens in Prescott, ON

 

The town of Prescott is located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River across from Ogdensburg, NY, on Road #2 and just 5 minutes from the U.S. border.

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Next to the marina, on Water Street, are the beautiful gardens that feature the many plants and flowers from famous Shakespearean plays.

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The Lighthouse, an Amphitheater, tables and benches, BBQ places, and the garden trail invite visitors and locals alike to spend some time in this beautiful spot.

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Stroll the banks of the St. Lawrence River amongst the beautiful gardens featuring many flowers, plants, and quotations from famous Shakespearean plays. 

"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin"
~ William Shakespeare in "Trolls and Cressida"

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1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail:  

Not far away from Prescott are more gardens to admire: 

In Brockville,  Gananoque, and  Maitland. 

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Fabulous & Carefree Perennials for English Cottage Gardens

"To say those who garden are passionate about their hobby is an understatement.  Those who garden live and breathe horticulture, always seeking to improve their plantings and create beauty around each corner."
~Jane Goodger

While formal gardens are all about order and well-defined spaces, English Cottage Gardens bubble in cheerful tangles of flowers that form a kaleidoscope of hue and texture.  To create an English Garden go big on color, but light on labor with this classic, informal garden style, using these plants:

For SUN:

False Sunflowers
Sun-Loving, easy to grow, hardy, heat and drought-tolerant,  False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) with its brilliant yellow daisy-like flowers add cheery color to a garden bed or border. 

https://www.gardenia.net/plant-variety/heliopsis-helianthoides-false-sunflower

Salvia - Vibrant Blue or Pink Flower Spikes

This plant will rev your garden with big, electrified vibrant blue or pink flower spikes above a dense mound of lush foliage.  Extras include its appeal to butterflies and hummingbirds. 

https://www.bluestoneperennials.com/SAMM.html

Yarrow

Drought-tolerant common yarrow (Achillea) grows well in poor soil, making it an ideal plant for xeriscaping, especially if you live in a desert environment.  Yarrow is most often sold as a potted plant but can be easily grown from seed and doesn't need much attention once established. 

https://www.almanac.com/plant/yarrow

Echinacea
An adaptable, easy-to-grow wildflower for your garden.  Grows in a variety of soil types and moistures but is intolerant to long, dry periods and might begin to droop.  The stunning blooms are long-lasting throughout the summer.  Highly attractive to the Monarch butterfly and large seed heads attract small birds later in the season.

https://onplants.ca/product/echinacea-purpurea/

Shasta Daisies

Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum) are an old-fashioned favorite for planting in a cutting garden, along a fencerow, or in a half-wild, meadow-inspired cottage garden.  They will not attract the deer wandering through but will draw in butterflies when bursting with blooms in spring and summer.  Shasta daisies are tough and tolerant but prefer well-drained soil and require full sun (at least six hours).

https://www.southernliving.com/garden/flowers/daisy-flower-plant

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SHADE / HALF-SHADE

Siberian Iris

Like all irises, Siberians (Iris sibirica) have strappy, sword-like foliage, but the leaves of Siberian iris remain quite attractive long after the flowers have faded, offering a texture similar to that of ornamental grass.  Siberian irises are also somewhat more cold-hardy than most bearded iris.

https://www.thespruce.com/growing-siberian-iris-5089592

Japanese Anemones 

Japanese Anemones (Anemone hupehensis) do best in semi-shade, in rich soil with lots of organic matter dug in to improve their structure.  They’re very easy to care for – simply cut the old flower stems back to the base in autumn to keep the plants looking tidy, and remove any tatty-looking old leaves in spring once new leaves start to appear.  They don’t like being dug up and transplanted, and also don’t respond well to being divided, so if you want to propagate them the best way is by taking root cuttings in spring.  Ironically, given that Japanese anemones can be difficult to establish and don’t like disruption, once they are settled in.

https://www.radwaybridgegardencentre.com/news/902/garden-plant-of-the-moment-anemone

Astilbe 

Astilbe (Astilbe spp and hybrids) varieties are hardy. Plant in spring to early fall in a part sun or part shade location spaced 1 to 3 feet apart depending on the variety. Astilbe plants can take more sun but need more shade in warmer locations. Astilbe will grow in a full-shade location, but may not flower well. An East-facing location with morning sun is usually best. Astilbe grows well in moist, fertile soil with a slightly acidic pH. Keep plants well-watered and mulched with a layer of bark mulch. Replenish the mulch each spring and fertilize in spring with compost spread around the plant roots.

https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/best-astilbe-varieties/

Lady's Mantle

Absolutely enchanting after the morning dew, the fuzzy leaves of Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) catch the tiny water droplets which glimmer like tiny crystals. The foliage is a soft grey-green and nearly round with deep lobes, giving them a scalloped look.  From late spring to early summer, masses of finely textured, star-shaped, yellow-green flowers are held in small clusters above the foliage. They work well as a filler in cut flower bouquets or can be dried for fall and winter arrangements.

https://www.greatgardenplants.com/products/ladys-mantle?variant=37358152581287

This is just a small list of flowering plants for an English Cottage Garden.  Here are more that I can suggest, such as Shrub Roses,  Lupins,  Delphiniums,  Lavender,  Poppy,  Hollyhock,  Peonies, Snapdragon,  Foxglove,  Bee Balm,  Loosestrife,  Hydrangeas,  Sage,  Flox,  Goatsbeard,  Spiderwort,  Castor Plants,  Salvias, etc.

Planting and Design Tips:

• Plant in clumps. Avoid individual plants, group your flowers and plants in clumps.
• Mix flower typs. Never have a single flower species in a flower bed, so, mix them all up.
• Mix colors! You can mix all colors. Make sure you choose a wide range of colors too.
• Flowers are the real protagonist. You can have trees and shrubs etc. but you will need lots of flowers in English cottage gardens! They are the real heart of a cottage garden.
• Get rid of large lawn areas. Install more flower beds and have lawns only for footpaths - if at all.

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Savvy Gardening: How to Avoid Plastic

 

Trying to cut back on your plastic use?  Don’t overlook your garden! Have you ever wondered what happens to all the plastic waste we generate in our gardens?  Using less garden plastic will help slow demand for single-use plastics, reduce waste, and also keep plastic chemicals from leaching into your soil.  Over 350,000 pounds of horticultural plastic enters the waste stream each year in the United States alone.

Keep Plastic out of the Garden in the First Place

Recycling is not the solution to dealing with garden plastic.  But how?  Here are effective ways to use less in the future.  Cut demand for horticultural plastics.

Make Your Own Fertilizer - Known as Compost.

Make your own fertilizer, known more commonly as compost.  If you’re not already turning food scraps and garden waste into a nutrient-packed soil additive that plants love, you’re missing out.  It’s a vital and necessary sustainability strategy for reducing waste, closing the nutrient cycle, and preventing air pollution that causes climate change.  Remove plastic stickers from your fruits and vegetables before you compost.  You can make simple homemade fertilizers from food scraps like banana peels, coffee grounds, and eggshells.  If you have a fireplace, wood ash is also a great addition to garden soil.  Leaf mold may be used as a soil conditioner, made from nothing more than composted tree leaves.

Make Your own Mulch

One easy way to cut down on plastic in the garden and save money is to skip bagged mulch and make use of the free materials growing in your yard all season.  Not only do mulches look good and help reduce the number of weeds that pop up, but they also preserve soil moisture and add nutrients and organic matter to your beds over time.  Use seaweed, pine needles, cut-down twigs, or chipped wood.  Many municipalities also offer free wood chips by the truckload at community compost sites.

Pass on Plastic Nursery Pots

If you buy transplants from a garden center, odds are you’re bringing home plants in plastic pots. While some are recyclable or can be brought back to the nursery for reuse, most wind up in the trash.  

• Get divisions from friends, neighbors, plant swaps, social networking groups, and Freecycle.org
• Start your own seeds at home with seed starter pots made from newspaper or toilet paper tubes, or repurpose a cardboard egg carton
• Buy bare-root plants
• Propagate flowers and shrubs from your existing plants
• Look for pots made from compostable materials like coir or paper

Pick Non-plastic Growing Containers

Are you a container gardener? When you’re buying new pots or planters, skip the plastic and go for terracotta, wood, ceramic, or metal. You can repurpose metal tubs or oak barrels you find at flea markets and thrift shops as well.

Choose Plastic-free Tools and Gear

When you have the choice, go for durable metal and wood tools. Plastic tools are more likely to break in the short term and need replacing.  You can often find rakes, shovels, trowels, garden carts, and trimmers made without plastic. I found lots at garage sales for a few bucks or for free.  

Look for Ash handles in tools featuring wood since Ash is one of the strongest and long-lasting woods available.  When buying a tool featuring metal, avoid aluminum and opt for forged carbon, or stainless steel.  Pick cotton garden gloves.  When they wear out, they can be composted along with your food scraps.

Use Plastic-free Weed Barriers

While plastic sheeting suppresses weeds, it also keeps moisture from getting to your plants and can leach chemicals into your soil. Commonly-used “landscape fabric,” while more porous, is made out of woven plastic. Weed roots like to clinch through these tiny holes and it is almost impossible to get the weeds out. “Landscape fabric is one of the worst items a gardener can purchase!"  Instead, use thick layers of newspapers or cardboard and cover them with mulch.  It works well for garden pathways and is good for in-between perennial plantings, too.

Another plastic-free weed barrier that works well when covered with bark mulch is the repurposed burlap sacks from organic coffee roasters.  These are usually made from jute or hemp and will biodegrade into your garden soil, adding nutrients along the way.  Check-in with your local coffee company for more information. 

Enjoy Non-plastic Composters

Plastic composters are widely available but many options exist for composting without plastic.  You can build your own compost bin from up-cycled pallets or other scrap wood, or metal wires, or help speed the composting process with a metal compost tumbler.

Gardening with less plastic can take a little extra thought, but it isn’t difficult.  Try some of these simple swaps and enjoy a plastic-free garden.  You will have the double pleasure of a healthier garden and the knowledge that you have helped to slow the demand for unnecessary plastic.

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Beautiful Blooming Ground Covers That Suppress Weeds

 

Weeds are usually controlled only after they have already spread. However, removal is a never-ending cycle. To nip the troublemakers in the bud (literally), you can take preventive measures - and plant decorative as well as bee-friendly ground covers. 

Even though the name suggests that groundcovers are only planted at ground level, the natural weed fighters are versatile: whether in a perennial bed, along a stone wall, or between paving joints - the dense plant covers can grow anywhere.  They will fill in bare spots, preventing wild weeds from sprouting in the first place.  Best of all, groundcovers are not only practical, as many varieties are hardy and evergreen, but also beautiful to look at.  Especially if you choose flowering perennials, shrubs, or climbers.  Learn about plant carpets that are equally suitable for gardens and patios.

These groundcovers help keep weeds at bay:

Blue or Pink Carpet Phlox 

The plants develop into a beautiful (often pink) carpet of blooms during the spring - right into June.  After that, the natural weed killer remains evergreen, making it a beautiful sight all year round.  It's also good to know that the ground cover is drought-resistant and hardy, making it a low-maintenance and undemanding plant.  In addition, it prefers a sunny to semi-shady spot in order to achieve - literally meaning - its full bloom.

Hardy Ivy

Ivy is known for its tenacity - making it an ideal ground cover against weeds.  The hardy and evergreen climbing plant is particularly easy to care for.  So you don't have to do anything but watch the sturdy ivy develop into an impenetrable carpet of plants with its adhesive roots.  The ground cover is also pretty uncomplicated when it comes to location: a shady spot will do.  It is also good to know that after a few years, the ivy begins to form umbel-shaped flowers in late summer.  These, in turn, serve as a source of food for bees and insects.

Ground Cover Thyme

Groundcover thyme - Thymus serpyllum - also called Sand Thyme is an evergreen, ground-covering semi-shrub with a growth height of 5 to 10 inches.  The branches are heavily branched to form beautiful, dense cushions. The fragrance of the flowers & the evergreen leaves is impressive.  The ground cover thyme is hardy.  With its beautiful floral bloom, it is ideal as an underplanting for taller perennials, or as a groundcover in the rock garden & perennial bed.  Thyme's fresh or dried leaves can also be used for cooking.

Small-leaved evergreen groundcover thyme blooms from June to August and loves a sunny location with well-drained soil in the garden. Hardy perennials, this groundcover is low maintenance and has low water requirements.

Goldmoss Stonecrop

Goldmoss Stonecrop - Sedum Acre - the name says it all: the small plant likes to grow on rocks, in joints, or on the dry stone wall.  It is satisfied with few nutrients, prefers a sunny location, and is drought resistant.  The tiny perennial grows just five to ten centimeters high and is also suitable as a ground cover.  Wall pepper can be planted all year round and captivates from June to July with yellow flowers that are insect-friendly.  The wall plant is hardy and evergreen - so it visually enhances the dry stone wall even in the cold season.

Basket of Gold

Basket of Gold - Alyssum saxatile - Early blooming begins in April and is both a treat for the eyes and for insects in search of food.  Although the bloom is short-lived, the rockweed is evergreen and hardy.  It can be planted all year round and reaches a height of about 20 centimeters.  The fragrant plant thrives best in sunny locations. It is essential that you avoid waterlogging.

Planting ground cover - this is what you need to consider.

If you decide to use a ground cover against weeds, you should follow the following steps in advance: Root weeds have a bad habit of spreading rapidly in the soil, even if only tiny remnants of them are still in the soil.  Therefore, it is advisable to sift the soil before planting.  This way, you can be confident that you haven't missed any roots.  To be on the safe side, you should cover the soil with some compost and wait for a while to see if the weeds start sprouting again.  If it does, you can remove the remains before planting the ground cover.

If you want to create an impenetrable carpet of flowers in a short time, you should choose the smallest possible distances between individual plants.  This is because the greater the spacing, the longer it will take for the ground cover to spread over the entire area - and thus for weeds to stop growing back.  As long as this is not the case, the undesirable weeds will naturally continue to grow and must be weeded again regularly.  However, it is important here that you adhere to the recommended number of pieces per square meter, which the appropriate nursery will give you.

When planting ground covers, keep in mind that it takes time for them to grow together into an area-wide carpet of flowers.  By the time they do, pesky weeds have an easy time of it - accordingly, it may make sense to put the plants in the ground as early as fall.  This gives them more time to spread their roots and cover all the areas where the unloved wild weeds normally spread by next spring.  This head start is helpful, but not necessary.

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Micro Clover for a Perfect Lawn

If you are tired of constantly mowing the lawn during the summer season like me, a solution might be to over-seed and grow clover.  Having no clue about the varieties of clover, I bought White Clover: Also called Trifolium repens or Dutch clover.  Thanks to my healthy and rich soil, it grew well - almost too well: it spread and bloomed and I had to mow again.  The next garden year, I inquired at a nursery about shorter clovers and learned that there is a Micro Clover.  However, the nursery didn't have it for sale and instead gave me the producer's name so I could order it online.  

I balked first at the high price compared to Dutch Clover but then ordered it. 

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Micro Clover is an incredibly beneficial plant that not only looks fantastic but supplies your lawn with nitrogen. Micro Clover converts nitrogen gas from the air and enriches it into the soil, resulting in a green, healthy lawn. While most lawns stop growing once the summer is over, Micro Clover lawns are incredibly tolerant to both lower temperatures and harsher conditions. When grass is starting to die off at the end of the season, Micro Clover is still green. 

100% Micro Clover "Lawns" Have Many Benefits: 

• Not only do they grow with ease and reliability, but they also require significantly less care.
  
  
• A benefit that all homeowners would appreciate is fewer weeds. Micro Clover is a broad-leaf plant that out-competes unwanted weeds. 
  
  
• It's almost an evergreen. Immediately after the snow melts it shows its vibrant green color and stays that way even during the hot summers - when grasses are getting brown - until the first snow.
  
  
• It is the best choice to replace turf grass, but you can seed it into an existing lawn as well.
  
  
• Having clover on your lawn acts almost as a sort of fertilizer. You may find you don’t even have to apply extra fertilization when you have lots of clovers, as it delivers nitrogen from its roots to the neighboring grass.
  
  
• It can hold up better in overly shaded areas or areas that don’t have enough drainage for conventional grass to thrive.
  
  
• If you have pets, you’re probably familiar with the dreaded pet spot. Clover is more resistant to turning yellow than grass.
  
  
• Adding clover to your lawn can rejuvenate your grass, fill in bare patches, and make the entire yard look healthier and more resilient.
  
  
• Micro-clover is better able to handle a greater amount of foot traffic than white Clover. However, it has very few blooms.
  
  
• In lawns that contain both clover and grass, the clover usually performs satisfactory re-seeding on its own.
  
  
• In one sentence: It offers a host of cost-saving, maintenance-reducing, and environmental benefits.

How to Prepare Your Lawn for MicroClover Seeding

• Don't seed clover during the hot days of summer. Spring is the best time at temperatures of 16 - 20 degrees (65F) and not below 8 - 12 degrees (47F) at night.
  
  
• The first step is to cut any existing lawn very short. Then clear out all weeds.  A stand-up dandelion remover helps with this chore and saves you from back pain.
  
  
• Water your lawn really well - or let the rain do it, then spread fine garden soil thinly over any bare spots. 
  
  
• Water once more to moist the soil, and then apply the MicroClover seeds. 
  
  
• I use an old kitchen mesh strainer (or buy one in a dollar store) and "powder" a bit of light soil over the seeded area (max. 2 mm or 1/8") to avoid that birds picking the seeds.     
            
• For two weeks at least sprinkle water every day when it is not raining, and after that every third day until the clover is established.

Happy Gardening : )

Enjoy your new green "lawn".

Amazing English Gardens

 

Imagine masses of hollyhocks, daisies, phlox, catmint, and foxgloves mingling together and spilling out of garden beds.  English cottage gardens invite wandering and evoke whimsy.  Their designs often include curving pathways, rose-covered arbors, and white picket fences.  When planning your informal flower garden, start with a list of cottage garden plants like foxgloves, Shasta daisies, catmint, lavender, hollyhocks, sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias, nasturtiums, and cornflowers.

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Aim for plenty of variety

Tall plants, short plants, pink flowers, white or blue flowers—all of these things can be placed next to one another in an English garden.  Of course, you'll have to make some adjustments to ensure that all of your plants have access to sunlight and aren't too crowded, but in general, it's best not to overthink a garden like this one.  Instead, opt for a free-flowing plan.

Meandering paths are a lovely touch

At first glance, a garden path might seem like too much work.  But actually, it couldn't be simpler to source and lay the right one for your garden—and the payoff is big.  Not only will you give yourself an easy route in and out of the space, but you'll also be afforded the luxury of watering your plants without having to step into tall grasses or get your shoes muddy.  It's a win-win!

Add a gate

There are few things more magical in an English garden than a simple gateway. They're easy enough to purchase and install, and the visual impact is huge. Don't have a wall into which to install your new structure? You can also buy stand-alone designs that can be surrounded by simple bushes and vines.

Think vertically too

It's not just about what's on the ground! Be sure to think about the "y-axis" of your space as well. Consider adding a trellis or simply twisting ivy, draping wisteria, and high-flying vines around a shed or other already-existing structure.

Incorporate seating

English gardens are meant to be enjoyed and savored, which is why they often include benches.  What better way to sit and take in all the beauty around you?  Wooden, stone, and metal structures all work beautifully in these spaces.

Replicate a country garden 

Plant a variety of flowers—roses, lavender, delphinium, and other colorful options—close together to replicate a garden you would find in the countryside.   A dense and rich garden with plenty of character is what you're after.  When it comes to gardening, nothing's more English than a fragrant rose bush. Avoid the temptation to snap up every variety that catches your eye. You can achieve a lavish look like this with just two types of climbing roses: 'William Baffin' and 'New Dawn.'  You only need to plant a few kinds of things, but do it in big sweeps.

Color is important

While citrus-hued daylilies are already pretty splashy on their own, buck conventional wisdom by pairing them with alliums in equally assertive but seemingly contradictory shades of purple—to brilliant results. Color is particularly important where you don't have structure.

After planting, mulch the soil with an organic mulch like bark or compost to reduce weed growth and hold soil moisture.

Happy gardening : )

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A Dozen Garden Hacks That Save Money and Time

 

Watering Flowers When on Vacation

For example, what happens if you go on vacation and can't find anyone to water the garden for you?  All you have to do is fill an empty bottle with water, drill a hole in the cork or cap, and stick it in the ground. The water will slowly seep out and keep the soil moist.

Sweet Tomatoes

If you grow tomatoes, there is an age-old trick that could help. Take a small bag of baking soda and sprinkle it on the soil around the tomatoes for a bigger, sweeter yield.

Cookie Cutter Tomato Shaper

Tomatoes are naturally round, but what if you could change that?  As the tomatoes grow, place cookie cutters around the fruit.  As they continue to grow, the tomatoes take on the same shape, creating hearts, stars, and everything in between!

Glow-in-the-dark Planters

When summer comes around, garden lighting can be a nice way to enhance the atmosphere, but getting creative can often mean spending a lot of money. In fact, the solution to a chic outdoor space might actually be a coat or two of paint. Simply paint the pots and planters with the color and watch your garden come to life at night!

Empty Cans

They can be a very valuable - and totally free - resource for the garden.  Placing a few old Coca-Cola cans at the bottom of a planter before filling it with soil will act as a drainage aid and ensure your plants don't wither.  A thick layer of newspaper will keep the soil separate from the cans.

Eggshell Seed Starter

Eggshells provide the perfect safe, warm place for seeds to start.  All you have to do is carefully place soil and seeds in the tray and wait for the magic to happen.  The box itself can serve as a stand. 

Potato Rose Bushes

Wash them, put the rose bush section in the top part of the potato, and plant it in the ground.  The potato not only keeps the cuttings in place but also supposedly makes wonderful bushes grow.

Muffin Tin as a Plant Spacer

Creating perfectly spaced plants can be time-consuming. If you use the tin to push off the soil, you'll have a perfect guide to where to plant.

Vinegar Weed Killer

It's easy to be seduced by the big (extremely toxic) weed-killer brands when we want to keep our driveway or garden paths looking perfect.  Take a 2-liter bottle of White Vinegar and pour it directly on the growing green nuisance.  The vinegar works just as well as any commercial weed killer - but is not harmful to the environment or to you.

Hanging Strainer baskets

Not only does it look good, but it has perfect drainage built in.  Just add chains, line the screen with a little bit of floss or moss, add your compost and plants, and you're done.  It's a great way to reuse something that would otherwise end up in the landfill.  As the tomatoes grow, place cookie cutters around the fruit. As they continue to grow, the tomatoes take on the same shape, creating hearts, stars, and everything in between!

Mirrors Enlarge the Garden

All you need are two retired old window frames, preferably with rustic accents like peeling paint.  You'll also need two mirrors cut to fit inside the window frame.  Then hang them on the sides of your shed or fence.  This will create an illusion of space as they reflect the forest or your garden.

Grow Green Onions

Materials needed: leftover green onions.  Thanks to this trick, you'll never have to buy green onions at the store again, because they're easy to replant over and over again.  All you need are leftover green bulbs, a sunny spot in your garden, and potting soil (or just good soil).  Place the scraps in a pot or raised bed in the garden.  Make sure the roots and bulb are completely covered.  Water the plant scraps regularly, at least three to five times a week.  They will grow quickly, and the next time you need them for a recipe, just go outside and cut off the parts you need.  Repeat this process to grow them again.

Growing Corn From Popcorn Kernels

There are always a few kernels in the popcorn bag that don't pop, even when the microwave is beeping.  Perhaps you can grow corn from these kernels.  Place the kernels between two damp paper towels to let them germinate.  You can tell when a seed has germinated because it will form a tiny root and a stalk with leaves.  After the seeds have germinated, plant them in the ground in blocks of three (corn is wind pollinated).  Each short row should be spaced half a meter apart.  Keep the corn watered during dry periods as it grows.  Leave the ears on the corn until the leaves of the corn have turned brown.

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