Hey there, it’s Jessica from Mom 4 Real, back to share some more tips with you! Oh, what a long winter it has been. Snow, snow and more snow all across the country. Well, I’ve had it! I’m ready for pretty flowers, green grass and sunshine! So, let’s talk gardens, shall we? I could live in my garden. There is just something special about planting a seed and watching it grow. My Grandmother taught me all I know about gardening, and today I’d like to share some the the Vintage Gardening Tips she shared with me!
1. This one is my absolute favorite, and a true time saver. To get seeds to germinate quickly, simply snip the end of each seed with a pair of nail clippers and soak in water over night! Then plant and watch them germinate in a few days!
2. Add crushed eggshells to your soil…the eggshells add calcium to the soil and keep unwanted critters away.
3. Clean out your hairbrush and lay human hair around your plants to keep rabbits away. I know it sounds kind of icky, and rabbits are cute, but they will eat your flower and plants.
4. When there is a cold snap coming and temps are going to dive down into freezing, cover outdoor plants with painter’s plastic. It works like a greenhouse does and keeps frost from killing your plants.
5. Add an aluminum pan filled with beer to your garden to deter slugs from getting to your plants. Slugs love beer 😉
6. To stop mosquitoes and other insect larvae from breeding in birdbaths or rainwater barrels, put a few drops of vegetable oil on top of the water. It spreads to form a film over the surface of the water so the larvae cannot lay eggs, but won’t bother the birds!
7. Hang an aluminum pan in your fruit trees to keep birds from eating the fruit! The birds do not like the reflection of the sun in the pans.
8. Spray cabbage and other vegetables targeted by caterpillars with onion juice! Simply grate an onion and mix it with water, then spray down your veggies!
9. Add coffee grounds to plants to flowers that won’t bloom and ivy that is not spreading very quickly. It will help the flowers bloom and really get your ivy growing!
10. Use aspirin and water to repel aphids and other sucking insects as well as promote strong plant growth. Simply mix an aspirin and water in a spray bottle and spray down plants … this really works on my roses!
I hope you can use some of these gardening tips in your garden this year!
Click HERE to read my post on How To Start Seeds In 3 Days!
If you have any gardening tips, I’d love to here them…just leave them in the comments below!
See y’all next month!
P.S. You might also like this post showing you how to make your own Insect Repellent Spray for Plants HERE!
Ansh says
Tip #6 is very helpful! I always have the issue of insects laying eggs around my birdbath. Thank you for the information.
graphicsfairy says
Thanks Ansh, so glad you found it helpful 🙂
Jane says
Awesome tips. These seem to be new to me. It inspires me alot. Thanks. I will check them out and apply for my own garden.
Jack Ford says
Wow, tip #3 blew my mind! Never knew hair could be used to keep rabbits away, it’s especially helpful since there are a bunch of them year round where I live. Thanks for another great post Fairy!
graphicsfairy says
My pleasure Jack 🙂
Momo says
This is another great use for coffe. I take coffe grounds and sprinkle them areound garden, especially the edges. Cats don’t like the smell and it keeps them out. And they are great for plants.
graphicsfairy says
That is a great tip, thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Jason says
I love to garden! Thanks for sharing some awesome tips.
graphicsfairy says
My pleasure Jason have fun!!
Jane Anderson says
Hello Jessica, thanks for sharing these tips with us. I am beginner of gardening and I don’t have any knowledge about it except a few things. Your tips will help me to do better gardening. Keep sharing.
graphicsfairy says
Thanks Jane, I’ll pass your kind words on to Jessica, I know she will be thrilled 🙂
Gery says
Dear Graphic Fairy, Just a little info on your repellent aspirin spray.
Do not use it on members of the Pea family as they tend to die when you give them a dose of aspirin.
Cheers
Gery
graphicsfairy says
Thank you so much for sharing that information Gery, so good to know!! Have a great day!
Patricia says
I had problems with bugs eating my roses and I shredded old fashion yellow laundry soap around the bottom and it seems to have helped.
Karen Watson says
Thanks for the tip Patricia! I’ll have to give that a try!
Cynthia says
Jessica,
I love gardening and there are a few tips, here, that I didn’t know about. Thank you~
Peta says
Hi Jessica, I have clicked on the Here to go direct to your site for the seed trick. Twice it has come up that this page doesn’t exist. Instead I clicked on the latest posts tab & got there that way. I don’t know whether this is happening to other people or just me? P.S. Thanks for the trick. I will give it a shot on Spring. I live in Australia., although sweet peas need to be planted now.
Karen Watson says
Thanks for letting us know Peta! We just fixed the link!
Cynthia Banessa says
Thanks for all the great tips…I love to garden!
Colorado Cook says
Plant your seeds when the moon is waxing!
Shirley Clement says
Does anyone have a tip to stop cats pooing in my garden as the neighbour has eight cats . I am forever scooping the poop.
Brooke Alberts says
I took small lawn anchors or even cut and bend hangers in to small loops on one end, the placed them every 6 inches or so around the edges. Then took strong fishing line and strung it randomly cris crossing the garden around the plants. Keep it a few inches off the ground. Plants will still grow and you can still work in garden but cats can’t walk or dig as long as the spaces between line are small enough. No chemicals, no crazy motion sirens or sprinklers worked for me but this did. Good luck.