ECOgardener Blog

Weeds, almost every garden has them. The problem with weeds is that they are a stubborn lot. If you’d rather not use chemicals to get rid of weeds, chances are, you are tired of pulling weeds one by one. Apart from stealing nutrients from your plants, masses of weeds make a yard appear untended, messy. A chemical-free route may take more effort but it will make your garden space safe for people, pets, and the local wildlife alike. If that's what you strive for, we're happy to report that there are amazing alternatives to chemical herbicides:

One of the most effective natural weed killers happens to be a kitchen staple so it’s widely accessible anywhere: white vinegar! Vinegar is packed with acetic acid that kills even the most stubborn weeds. In fact, acetic acid will kill most vegetation so be careful with the application.

We recommend using the vinegar's full strength to kill weeds. Use 18% acidity vinegar. You could also create a concoction of vinegar and soap then transfer the solution to a spray bottle. This concoction pulls double duty as an insecticide. Apply on weedy areas; the weeds should die in no time at all. It’s best to time the application at a period when your region gets several days of sunshine. This way, the rain won’t wash the vinegar away.

No first aid kit is complete without rubbing alcohol and this stuff makes a potent weed killer. Rubbing alcohol works so well as a weed killer because it draws moisture away from the weed foliage. As the foliage dries out, the weeds become weaker and eventually, they die.

To make your own weed killer using rubbing alcohol, mix two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol in a quart of plain water. Transfer in a spray bottle and spritz away. Again, be sure to apply the solution when you get several sunny days in a week. Spray the solution directly on the weeds, try not to spray the vegetation near the weeds so your plants won’t be affected.

What could be simpler than plain, boiling water to kill weeds? This homemade weed killing solution does not require mixing at all. You can apply it any time of the day, even in the pouring rain. As long as the weed roots are exposed to high temps, they will die.

Just bring a pot of water to a boil. Pour directly into a patch of weeds. The key to making this solution effective is the precision of the pouring. This goes especially if the weeds are growing near the plants. You don’t want to harm the vegetation near the weeds! In addition, be sure that you boiled enough water so that the liquid will seep deep into the roots.

Another kitchen staple that makes an effective weed killer is table salt. Salting the earth has been used for millennia to punish serious crimes in some countries. That’s because any vegetation that salt touches will die almost instantly. Its effects are so long lasting that the salted soil will be unsuitable for future plant growth for a long time.

Just a sprinkle of salt on any unwanted plant is enough to kill it. But if you are covering a large expanse of space, try diluting the salt in water and then spraying the solution directly on the weeds. Once the rain comes, it will wash away the excess salt.

Bleach is an excellent stain remover but it’s an even more efficient weed killer. No preparation needed to rid the yard of weeds using bleach. Just transfer the bleach in a spray bottle and give any weedy spots a spritz.

Weed will kill any vegetation it touches so be sure to spray only in places where you want to remove the weeds. The great thing about using bleach as a weed killer is that the chemicals will evaporate within a day or two. This means the treated area will be safe for planting as soon as the chemical dissipates.

That’s right, even old newspaper makes a mean solution for pesky weeds! As a mulch material, newspaper blocks sunlight and air, effectively killing weeds. No special prep needed, just lay the old newspaper on your weedy yard. Add a layer of mulch on top of the newspaper, making sure that the weeds are completely covered.

The newspaper should be at least 4 sheets thick (or thicker if you have extra stacks of newspaper). When done right, the weeds won’t sprout again because the seeds won’t have access to sunlight at all. The best part? There is absolutely no clean up because the newspaper will break down into the soil.

Isn’t it amazing that some of the best natural weed killers in the world are found in your kitchen? Baking soda makes an incredible weed killer especially when it is mixed with other kitchen staples, like vinegar or lemon juice. Just dissolve 1 ½ cup of baking soda and a tablespoon or two of vinegar in a gallon of water. Transfer the concoction in a spray bottle and spritz away!

This solution works better as a preventive treatment so spray away on areas that are prone to weeds at weekly intervals for best results. This concoction could be used on areas with plants but be sure to cover the foliage and base of the plants so these won’t dry out.

Any type of acidic compound is a natural enemy of weeds. Lemon juice kill weeds so effectively that it’s considered as one of the best natural weed killers there is. The citric acid in lemon juice dries out weed foliage until the weeds shrivel up and die in just a matter of a day or two.

You could use fresh lemon juice or buy a bottle of lemon juice drink. Just pour the juice directly on the weedy spots and you’re done. If you want to make the juice even more potent, mix a little white vinegar. Be sure to avoid the nearby vegetation when spraying or pouring the juice on the weedy spots.

Garlic is incredibly beneficial to the garden. It helps deter pests, prevents the spread of diseases, and improve the health of your outdoor space. Garlic is also a potent weed killer. To use garlic as a weed killer, blend 3 cloves of garlic with a little water in the blender until nice and smooth. Strain the processed garlic (set this aside) and pour the essence in a spray bottle.

The strained garlic bits could be mixed with a gallon of water for later use. To make the mixture extra sticky, add a tablespoon or two of molasses. This way, the solution will adhere to the weeds and won’t be washed away easily. Apply on any weedy areas of the yard, starting from the base to the foliage.

Try any of these weed killing solutions and you will never use chemical herbicides again. Tune in for more gardening tips by subscribing to our weekly newsletter today!

The great thing about growing plants is that you could use kitchen wastes as fertilizers. Of course, not all household wastes make good plant fertilizers so be mindful of the types of wastes that you use to enrich the soil. In this guide, we are listing down some of the best items that make wonderful organic fertilizers:

Used coffee grounds are one of the best materials for composting. The used coffee grounds are naturally rich in nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. Enriching your soil with used coffee grounds helps the plants absorb more nutrients. When used as a fertilizer, used coffee grounds supports photosynthesis as well.

There is no special preparation needed to use coffee grounds as plant fertilizer but we recommend mixing the coffee grounds with the soil. The nitrogen from the used coffee grounds won’t be released right away. The soil microbes have to break down the coffee grounds first before the nutrients become available for plants to absorb.

Love bananas? Who doesn't? Bananas are a healthy snack and if you’ve got lots of banana peels, do not throw these away! Use the banana peels as fertilizers to give your soil a boost of potassium. Banana peels are also a rich source of calcium and magnesium, nutrients that will strengthen your plants and boost photosynthesis. The nutrients in banana peels also support chloroform formation, which makes food available for your plants.

To use banana peels as a plant fertilizer, let the peels steep in plain water for 3 to 7 days. Use the water to hydrate your plants, the nutrients from the peels will be absorbed by the plants much more quickly this way. The peels should still be good to use for your compost heap.

We are huge fans of eggshells as a plant fertilizer. And why not? Eggshells are not only widely available; they’re also affordable and easy to use. Eggshells are naturally rich in calcium, magnesium, and nitrogen. These nutrients boost soil fertility while strengthening plant cell walls. In addition, calcium, magnesium, and nitrogen minimize the risk of blossom end rot.

Do note, however, that the nutrients from eggshells are not bio-available, which means the eggshells have to break down first so the vitamins are absorbed by the plant roots. To use, just give the eggshells a good rinse, crush and microwave for 2 minutes to kill harmful bacteria then mix the crushed eggshells into the soil or in the compost pit.

A great tip would be to process the eggshells in a high-powered blender to make a fine powder. By crushing the eggshells into a fine powder, the nutrients are more easily absorbed into the soil. Do not sprinkle the crushed eggshells on top of the soil unless you are discouraging slugs from invading your garden.

This kitchen staple makes an excellent plant fertilizer because it is packed with sulfur and magnesium. These nutrients boost chlorophyll production and supports photosynthesis. In addition, magnesium and sulfur promote better root growth while enhancing the flavor of crops. The best thing about using Epsom salt as a plant fertilizer? The plant roots absorb the nutrients easily.

Just mix a tablespoon of Epsom salt in lukewarm water until fully dissolved. Pour the solution to the plant foliage. The plant leaves will absorb the salt water. If you are replanting young plants, try adding a tablespoon of Epsom salt directly into the hole you made for the plant. The plant roots will absorb the nutrients from the salt.

If you think that table salt could be used in place of Epsom salt, these salts have different nutrient profiles. Table salt could kill plants because it raises the salinity level of the soil. Always use Epsom salt for plants and do not use other salt alternatives.

Got heaps of wood ash after a backyard BBQ with the family? You could use the leftover ash to boost the health of your plants. Wood ash is a great source of lime, calcium carbonate, and potassium, nutrients that promote healthy growth! No special preparation is necessary for using wood ash as fertilizer, just collect the ash and keep it in a tin. Once you are ready to use, sprinkle a handful over the soil and you’re done.

Some crops prefer alkaline soils and if your soil is acidic, you could neutralize its pH by mixing a little wood ash into the soil. Crops that love alkaline soils include asparagus, parsley, okra, and mock oranges. Amending the soil with wood ash will guarantee a better yield.

Yes, unflavored gelatin makes a terrific fertilizer especially when you have lots of indoor plants. Unflavored gelatin is surprisingly rich in nitrogen, the natural and non-polluting kind. What’s more, gelatin releases the nitrogen slowly so the plant roots won’t burn.

If your houseplants’ foliage is turning yellow, dissolve unflavored gelatin in the plant water. Pour the solution into the soil and the plants should bounce back within a day or so. Be sure that you are using unflavored gelatin because the flavored kind could do more harm than good. The added sugars, dyes, and chemicals are quite damaging to plants.

Coconut water is a great source of electrolytes, which aid in better plant health while also encouraging good bacteria to thrive in the soil. Apart from electrolytes, coconut water is a good source of calcium, magnesium, and trace minerals that plant need to grow healthily.

Coconut water is so beneficial to the garden that it could replace any grow formula. Plants that are hydrated with coconut water regularly grow much faster and more vigorously compared to plants that are hydrated with plain water. To use coconut water to grow your plants, just mix a tablespoon of dried coconut powder to 5 gallons of water. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least a day then water your plants with it.

White vinegar is incredibly useful in the garden. It could raise the acidity of the soil for your acid-loving plants. It could also discourage weed growth, keep pests away, and prevent the fungal disease from spreading all over the garden.

If you are using white vinegar to amend the pH level of the soil, test the soil first. If the pH of the soil is already low, you don’t need to add vinegar. If the soil has to be amended, just mix a tablespoon of white vinegar in a gallon of water. Use the solution to feed your acid-loving plants like roses, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, gardenias, and azaleas.

Blackstrap molasses is a great source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which are minerals that plants need to thrive. Apart from keeping plants healthy, blackstrap molasses could also encourage the growth of garden-friendly microorganisms, which further enhance the health of your garden.

To use blackstrap molasses as a plant fertilizer, just dilute about 1/2 cup of blackstrap molasses in a gallon of water. Pour the solution in a spray bottle and spritz on the soil. If your crops are beginning to produce flowers, spritz the solution along the roots to boost your yield.

Why spend money on chemical fertilizers when you can look for these common kitchen items and use them to improve the health of your garden? Tune in for more gardening tips! Subscribe to our newsletter today to get the freshest resources on eco-gardening.

It pays to prepare your garden from the bitter cold well in advance. The fact is, freezing weather and frosts could harm and often, kill plants and crops. Seedlings, new transplants, and new plants are particularly vulnerable to the cold weather, especially hard freezes. But as long as you prepared your garden well, the plants within it could survive the winter cold. But before we get into that, let’s talk about hard freezes and frost, two common problems that inflict serious winter injuries among crops and plants:

A freeze occurs when the temperature drops 32° F or 0° C or below the freezing point of water. When the temperature drops, the water inside a plant freezes too. The freeze could cause plant cells to burst, which leads to irreparable damage. Although different varieties of plants react differently to freezing temperatures, tropical plants, annuals, and hardy perennials are vulnerable to the freezing cold.

Plants, trees, and shrubs that enter a dormant state are likely to survive the winter cold but once new blooms grow during the spring season; they will be affected by late-season freezes. Root hardy perennials that were seriously affected by winter freeze could survive the damage if they are in a dormant state until spring.

Frost is common on clear, cold nights when the air temperature drops to near freezing but the surface temperature dips below freezing. The shift in temperatures causes the ice crystals in the air to form. Although frost is common when the temperature is freezing, this is not the case all the time. That’s why it’s important to check the weather forecast so you could prepare your garden beforehand.

Different types of frost affect plants differently. Hoarfrost is a type of light, feathery frost that occurs on chilly mornings. This type of frost happens when the water in the air becomes ice crystals. Rime occurs when water freezes rapidly in a cloud or fog. This gives the frost its distinct glazed appearance. Black frost is a non-visible, dry kind of frost that turns plants into blackened vegetation.

Plants need 3 things to survive hard frost and freezes: shelter, insulation, and warm air. If you want to keep your plants cozy and warm during the winter season, make sure that the microclimate has warm air and soil. Microclimate refers to an area with a different climate from the surrounding area. Here are ways to reduce the effects of cold weather on plants and crops:

Frost is most common in low lying areas when the soil is more exposed to the elements, particularly dry and strong winter winds. Setting your plants in elevated areas minimizes frost pockets that could otherwise cause irreparable winter damage. It’s also a good idea to check your outdoor space to see which spots are prone to hard freezes.  

Raised beds are the perfect solution for low-lying gardens with zero elevation for plants. Raised beds protect the plants from the harsh elements while keeping the soil warm during the winter season. In the summer season, raised beds keep the soil cool.

That said, always keep your watering schedule in mind when growing plants in raised beds because the soil tends to dry out much more quickly. You can enhance the insulating properties of raised beds by adding a layer of mulch near the plant bases. You could make your own raised beds or buy a couple if you are pressed for time.

This technique may be an oldie but it remains as one of the most effective ways of protecting plants from the cold. Use hot compost to warm up the soil so the plants won’t be too cold when exposed to freezing temps. The compost helps insulate the plants while also boosting plant growth. Do this by working the partially finished compost in the center of the raised bed. Do not plant the seeds or transplant young plants directly into the hot compost because this would kill the plants.

Soil preheating absorbs and retains heat, keeping the ground warm enough to encourage better germination rates and easy transplanting. To preheat the soil, use dark cover material such as black plastic mulch, landscape fabric, or even Infra-Red Transmitting plastic mulch to trap the heat from the sun. The material works so well in terms of keeping the soil warm throughout the night and beyond the winter season.

What’s more, the plastic material inhibits weed growth so this technique will definitely lighten your yard work. The only thing to keep in mind when preheating your soil is knowing the preferred growing temperatures of the plants. You might end up killing delicate plants if these were exposed to high heat for an extended period.

There is a significant difference between the ground and air temperature. The air temperature could be above freezing but the ground temperature won’t be as cold. To ensure the health of your plants, be mindful of your region’s planting conditions. It might be tempting to plant ahead but your garden will fare better if the plants were planted at the right time.

Check your region’s plant hardiness zone and microclimate according to the USDA and stick to the right planting schedule. You could also check the average date of the last frost in your local area or search for weather updates online. If you bought seed packets, check the back for planting instructions.

Finally, count back from your average last frost date to determine the right planting schedule. Slow growing herbs and flowering plants could be grown indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost. On the other hand, peppers and tomatoes could be started indoors 4 to 8 weeks before the last frost. If you are starting from seed for fall, you could also do this indoors if the temperature isn’t suitable for germination.

Growing plants during the colder months can be challenging but as long as you prepped your garden well in advance, it is possible to tend to a thriving garden when the temperature drops.

Did you know that modern medicine is based on herbal medicine? When it comes to treating sickness, people don’t have pharmacies to run to back in the day. People relied on medicinal herbs to cure a variety of health ailments.

If you love growing plants and you’re keen on starting your own kitchen garden, why not throw in a few healing herbs and spices into the mix? With these medicinal herbs and spices, you could season your favorite dishes with aromatic herbs freshly plucked from your own garden while treating a variety of health ailments in a pinch:

Thyme is easily one of the most popular of all aromatic herbs. This healing herb grows like weeds but it's packed with flavor. Medicinally, thyme is used to treat inflammation. It soothes mouth sores and swollen gums when prepared as a mouth gargle or as a tea. It is a powerful decongestant too so it's a great remedy for common colds and coughs. It works by thinning out thick mucus so it can be expelled easily.

Thyme is so easy to grow. It thrives in sunny spots and requires a well-draining potting mix. Because thyme loves a slightly alkaline soil, add a little lime in the soil. Thyme doesn't grow too big so it’s a perfect addition to a small container garden or kitchen garden.

Chamomile is best known as a calming tea that promotes better sleep. This plant comes in two varieties, German chamomile and Roman chamomile. Roman chamomile is often used as a groundcover while German chamomile is taken as an herbal tea.

The soothing scent of German chamomile helps alleviate stress and anxiety. Its calming effects promote sleep and ease the digestion. Chamomile extracts are also used to minimize skin allergies and reduce inflammation, itchiness, or redness.

German chamomile is so easy to grow despite its wispy, delicate appearance! The herb produces beautiful, daisy-like blossoms and floppy foliage. German chamomile can be grown as an annual plant but it re-seeds itself like a perennial plant. This herb could also become invasive if left on its own.

Parsley isn't used for garnishing alone! This medicinal herb has been used throughout history to improve digestion and promote better bladder and kidney health. You see, parsley is packed with essential nutrients such as vitamins A, B, and C as well as iron and potassium. Parsley helps lower the blood pressure, keeping the heart, arteries, and nerves healthy.

Growing parsley is easy, just use organic-rich, well-drained soils. This herb loves the full sun but it will thrive in partially shady environments too. Parsley will require little maintenance, just water occasionally and you're done!

Peppermint belongs to the genus Metha, plants that are known to impart a cooling sensation when applied on the skin or added to certain foods. Peppermint can be mixed in sauces, salads, desserts, and drinks. This herb is packed with vitamin A, a fat-soluble nutrient that promotes better eye health. In addition, vitamin A works as an antioxidant, protecting the healthy cells from oxidative stress.

Peppermint is an excellent source of menthol, a compound that alleviates irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and relieves indigestion. Menthol is an effective decongestant too. Growing peppermint will require more involvement but it's not a high-maintenance plant. Just water the peppermint plant regularly and use nutrient-rich soils. This herb cannot tolerate dry conditions so set a pot in a partially shady spot. That said, if you are growing peppermint plants to harvest its oil, set the plant in the full sun to increase its potency and medicinal qualities.

Holiday dishes are not complete without a generous sprinkling of rosemary leaves! Rosemary leaves are often used fresh or dry when cooking a variety of meats and poultry. The leaves could also be used as an ingredient in seasoning, sauces, and marinades. The rich aroma of rosemary perks up the senses and sends the stomach grumbling!

Apart from being used as an herb, rosemary is also prized for its medicinal qualities. This herb boosts brain and heart health. It stimulates the central nervous system and the circulatory system, ensuring that every organ in the body is supplied with oxygen-rich blood. In addition, rosemary is used to treat low blood pressure, painful joints, and sciatic pain.

Rosemary thrives in mild to cool climate and it loves bright light. Always prune the foliage so the plant stems won't grow too lanky. It's best to grow rosemary indoors in a pot during the winter season.

Sage is often used to season Thanksgiving dishes because its pine-like aroma makes holiday stuffing even more delicious! This herb is perfect for seasoning a variety of meat and poultry dishes too. Sage is also prized for its antiseptic properties. It aids in digestion, heals mouth sores and gum inflammation as well as promote better oral health. Sage supports memory and brain performance while also protecting from certain cancers.

The best part? Sage is so easy to grow because it’s incredibly drought tolerant. This plant has a long growing season so you can harvest sage for months on end! Sage loves well-drained soil and it can tolerate the cold. It is, however, prone to mildew so try not to over-water the plant to discourage fungal growth.

Turmeric, which is similar to ginger, is prized for its potent medicinal properties. This root crop is renowned for its powerful antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Turmeric protects from common infections, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Cooking with turmeric reduces your risk of heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and certain cancers. This spice is used the same way as ginger but it imparts a golden yellow color to dishes.

Just like ginger, turmeric is so easy to grow. All you need is a few pieces of rhizome to grow pots of turmeric. Turmeric can be grown indoors and outdoors. You can use fresh turmeric to season a variety of dishes or make your own turmeric powder for curries, garam masala, and other spice mixes.

Cumin is a spice made from the dried seeds of the Cuminum cyminum plant. This spice is often used in Latin American, Middle Eastern, North African, and Indian cuisines. This spice is prized for its earthy, warm flavor and aroma. Cumin can be used on its own or mixed in a spice blend such as garam masala and curry powder blends.

Cooking with cumin minimizes your risk of diabetes, hypertension, and digestive problems. This spice promotes better digestion and is a rich source of iron. Studies show that cumin normalizes cholesterol levels.

Growing cumin is relatively easy. Just sow the seeds indoors or outdoors in a sunny spot. Keep the soil moist but never wet. It will take about 4 to 5 months to prepare the cumin plant for harvest. Carefully harvest the tiny, elongated fruits then dry them in the sun and clean the cumin fruits by winnowing.

Fennel is a type of perennial plant with a bulbous base that imparts a sweet, almost-anise flavor. From the pollen to the seeds, all parts of the fennel plant are edible but the bulb is the most sought after by chefs. Dried fennel seeds are often used in whipping up savory dishes but are also used in salads and slaws.

Cooking with fennel improves heart and bone health because the seeds are packed with nutrients that promote normal blood pressure and healthy bone structure. In addition, fennel minimizes the risk of inflammation, digestion problems, and certain cancers. Fennel can be tricky to transplant so it's best to grow the seeds directly into pots. Use nutrient-rich, well-draining soils for best results.

Rounding up our list of healing herbs and spices that you should add to your kitchen garden is mustard! Mustard is a great source of essential nutrients and antioxidants that protect healthy cells from oxidative stress. Used as a spice, mustard reduces internal and external inflammation. It also boosts the heart, artery, and bone health. Mustard also reduces your risk of certain cancers.

Mustard is best grown from seeds using a shallow tray. Transplant the seedlings once they are established or until the plants have developed two sets of true leaves. Always set the pots in a sunny location and water regularly.

Most of the herbs and spices in this list are available in your local supermarket but wouldn’t it be better to have your own fresh supply right in your kitchen? With these gardening tips, you can grow your favorite herbs and spices that you can harvest to season everyday dishes.

No one likes coming home to a dead garden after spending weeks away from home! Unfortunately, not all of us could afford a gardener who could look after our plants while we’re away. You can always ask a friend or a neighbor to keep an eye on your plants while you’re away but what if you cannot find anyone who’s free to garden-sit for you? What can you do to keep your garden green and alive while you are on a holiday? We’ve already outlined some tips in this guide but we’ve got more gardening tips to keep your plants healthy while on a break:

Assuming that you will only be away for a few days to a week, you can probably get away with deep watering your plants to keep your garden alive until you are back. This goes if your plants are the drought-resistant kind otherwise this strategy might not work. It’s also worth checking out the weather a day or two before you leave. Deep watering will work on mild weathers when the soil and plants are not drying out too much from extended sun exposure.

If you are watering the plants deeply before leaving for a short break, expect some plants to wilt. You can still rescue wilting or stressed plants with lots of TLC. However, you might still end up losing a plant or two due to the intense heat if the weather is extra dry or it’s in the middle of the summer season.

Did you know that un-mulched plants lose about 25% water than mulched plants? A layer of mulch helps keep the soil moist for longer, which is helpful if you are not at home to water your plants. Mulch helps insulate plants during the cold season in case you are planning to head to a warm destination during the winter months.

You can either use organic or inorganic mulch to prep your garden before your break. Before adding a layer of mulch, check if the soil in several areas of the garden is moist. Using a shovel, push through the soil to check for moisture. The soil should be wet several inches below the surface prior to mulching. and check

If your garden has a few inches of mulch already, there is no need to add more. You don’t want to add too much mulch because it’s unhealthy to bury the plants too deeply. If your garden beds have to be re-mulched, there is no need to layer the mulch on the entire bed. Just layer the mulch around the plant roots.

If you have time, we highly recommend installing drip irrigation before your trip to save your garden while you’re away. A drip irrigation system could be put together in just a few hours. You can either DIY your way into installing a drip irrigation system or buy a kit to make your life easier. Either way is fine!

However, it is important to install the drip irrigation system at the start of the growing season. That’s because laying the hoses is much harder when the plants are already fully grown. Still, you can do this in the middle of the growing season; just know that laying the hoses will be taxing. Also, this system is designed to care for individual plants. If you want to cover a larger expanse of space, you should opt for sprinklers and soaker hoses instead.

If you want to lighten your watering load just before you go on a holiday, make a point to collect rainwater using rain barrels, a large tub, or even a few pails. Set the rain barrel under a downspout to collect rainwater and attach a soaker hose so the water runs through your garden. Water your plants deeply before you go and let the soaker take care of the rest.

Do note that collecting rainwater in some regions is illegal due to water rights restrictions. In the US, most states allow rainwater collection except for states like Nevada, which requires a water right to harvest rainwater in rain barrels. Our advice is to check your local region’s water rights restrictions before building your own rain catching system.

If say, your garden does not need a drip irrigation system, install a timer on your sprinkler system instead. A timer will automate the plant watering and most timers work well with regular garden sprinklers. However, you may have to purchase a couple of connector hoses and more sprinklers if you have to cover a larger expanse of space.

If you are installing a drip irrigation system, you should also install a timer for the spigot. This way, you can automate the watering and adjust it according to the weather. Some timers could sense the volume of the collected rainwater and will adjust the watering accordingly.

If you’ll be away for a few days and you have a garden full of plants to take care of, consider making your own self-watering jugs to keep your plants happy while you are gone. You can use any type of plastic beverage containers to make self-watering jugs. Just poke tiny pinholes in the lower side of each container then dig a hole near the plant and bury the holey side of the jug. When you are about to leave, fill each jug with water. The water will slowly drip into the soil, keeping the plant roots nicely hydrated for several days.

If you have a large garden, you’ll have to make several self-watering jugs. You can use one jug to water about 4 plants. But for thirsty plants that demand constant hydration, they’ll need a jug each. Installing self-watering jugs are best for plants that are planted in-ground but the system could also work in a container garden.

This tip is for growers with a container garden. Instead of scattering your potted plants all over the garden, set the plants closer together. This way, the plants will get more water from the sprinklers.

Clustering potted plants inhibit moisture loss, which keeps the soil nice and moist for longer. When the plants are set near each other, they also create their own humidity, which keeps their growing environment ideal for plant growth. In addition, grouping plants together minimize wilting during the day because the dense foliage protects delicate leaves from sun exposure.

Delicate plant foliage could wilt or turn brown from excessive heat and extended exposure to sunlight. If you are off to a vacation and you cannot keep an eye on your plants, take your potted plants away from direct sunlight. Set your houseplants near a window with sheer curtains to filter the sunlight. You can also take some of your yard plants indoors to protect them from harsh winds.

Keeping the soil moist is critical to maintaining healthy plant growth even when you are away. If you are not there to water your plants, we highly recommend mixing moisture-retaining polymers with the soil. These polymers absorb more water, keeping thirsty plants hydrated for days on end. You can buy moisture-retaining polymers at your local nursery.

Avoid the horror of coming home to a dead garden. With these gardening tips, you can plan out your water-saving strategies to keep your plants well hydrated even in your short absence. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest gardening tips.

The secret to building a good plant community is to foster plant relationships between crops. Just like people, plants have friends and enemies. When paired with some plants, specific crops and plant varieties thrive. However, there are cases when plants that are grown near each other do not get along. That’s because plants, like all living things, compete for food, space, and resources!

Specific plants benefit from some varieties of plants. Companion planting is an agricultural strategy that involves pairing friendly plants together for higher yield or for pest control. Certain crops need a helper plant to thrive. For instance, grains are often grown alongside legumes as nurse crops. The grains provide weed control while the legumes protect the grains from harsh weather conditions.

Most people think that companion planting is reserved for fruit-bearing plants but flowering plants could also benefit from this farming method. You can apply companion planting in small gardens and in full-scale fields!

On the flip side, some plants tend to wreak havoc on other plants. There are plants that grow too quickly, which could overwhelm nearby plants. Others secrete toxins that are harmful to neighboring plants. By knowing which plants complement your crops, you can build a thriving plant community right in your own garden!

The Three Sister is a planting strategy that exemplifies the benefits of plant relationships. This planting strategy involves growing corn, beans, and squash in close proximity. The beans could climb the growing corn stalks while the squash prevents weed growth. The beans rebalance the nitrogen in the soil, allowing the corn and squash to grow healthily.

Some plants work as a natural defense against harsh weather conditions. Legumes, for instance, could ease the weight of snow on grains or minimize the impact of harsh wind. Some plants have wide foliage that works as a barrier to minimize heat and light exposure. By planting tougher plants alongside delicate crops, you can minimize die-offs and increase your crops’ yield.

Every gardener worth his salt wants to grow a diverse collection of plants. Implementing companion planting helps maximize space, something that will be useful for small gardens. This strategy usually involves planting taller plants alongside shorter plants, which saves you more garden space. You can also grow crops in between rows of slow-growing plants. By pairing crops with slow growing plants, you can harvest more crops throughout the growing season!

Growing more plants reduce water evaporation because the plant foliage protects the ground from sun exposure. Companion planting helps keep the soil nice and moist longer because you are able to maximize more space in your garden. Climbing and trailing plants, in particular, work so great in shading the soil. If you live in a dry region where rain is rare and droughts are frequent, your garden will benefit from companion gardening.

If your garden is prone to soil erosion, planting complementing varieties of crops will prove to be supremely beneficial to your outdoor landscape. Companion planting allows you to grow more varieties of plants, plants with complex root systems that will hold the soil and reduce erosion. In addition, companion planting shades the soil, which minimizes moisture loss and reduces the risk of erosion. Companion planting is highly recommended for gardens situated in dry, drought-prone regions.

That’s right, companion planting keeps the weeds out of your garden! The Three Sisters planting method demonstrates how the vining squash kept the weeds from growing and overwhelming the garden. That’s because the climbing crop blocks sunlight from the soil, causing growing weeds to die. The added shade from taller plants could also block sunlight and inhibit weed growth!

The traditional monoculture garden layout is more prone to infestations. This layout gives the pests solid patches of their favorite food with no barriers that could keep these critters from snacking on your crops. The same thing cannot be said with the companion planting method. Growing plants that could deter certain pests reduces, if not prevents, infestations completely.

For example, planting wormwood among cabbages and other green leafy crops deter cabbage moths. Marigold can be grown to inhibit the spread of Mexican bean beetles. Planting basil and tomatoes side by side deter whiteflies, mosquitoes, tomato hornworms, aphids, houseflies, and asparagus beetles.

Diseases spread more quickly when the same varieties of plants are grown so closely together. By introducing different varieties of plants, you can break up your garden and make the plants resistant to diseases. In addition, companion planting could also slow down the spread of diseases. Although science has yet to define how plants interact with each other, most plants become healthier when they are grown alongside different species of plants.

Citing the three sister planting method, the corn and squash become more resistant to diseases because the beans are boosting the nitrogen in the soil. Growing basil alongside tomatoes makes the latter resistant to bugs, which increases the yield. Some plants could also attract pollinators and beneficial insects to the garden! If a garden has a great collection of flowering plants, crops, and shrubs, pollinators will have more food and shelter.

Nitrogen is essential for plant growth and some plants take nitrogen from the air rather than the soil. All types of legumes, for example, have the ability to take nitrogen from the air with the help of certain soil microbes. In turn, the legumes would share the oxygen supplied by the air into other plants. This is the reason why clovers and vetches are used as cover crops.

You can maximize legumes’ ability to get nitrogen from the air by growing them in different areas of the garden. This strategy helps improve the nutrient profile of the soil. Intercropping beans with other vegetables could also boost plant health and improve yield. Using legumes as a cover crop during the winter season also gives the soil a boost of nitrogen with plenty of green compost come springtime!

Some plants tend to have softer stems or delicate roots that need more protection from the elements. Shade tolerant plants like lettuce, for instance, need protection from taller, sun-loving plants like tomatoes and peppers. Sturdy bushes could protect young bush beans from the wind. A tall plant works as a support for smaller, weaker plants. Tall plants could also serve as a pole for climbing plants.

Nasturtiums emit a unique scent that repels garden pests while attracting beneficial insects. The nasturtium blooms add texture and color to your garden setup too.

Flowering herbs like fennel, parsley, and dill attract pollinators. Grown together with melons and squash, these flowering herbs help increase the season's yield while boosting plant health!

Calendula flowers secrete a sticky substance that lures and traps aphids. Planting calendula near broccoli and other green leafy vegetables minimize aphid infestation while attracting ladybugs, which prey on aphids.

Tomatoes and eggplants grow tall, which add shade to delicate, low-lying plants like lettuces. Lettuces tend to burn when exposed to direct sunlight. By adding shade, you can extend your lettuce season. The shade also cools the soil, promoting better plant root growth.

Chives emit a strong scent that repels a variety of nibbling insects that feast on roses. Growing chives and roses side by side protect the flowering plants from pests while also extending their blooming season!

We all want a pristine lawn that’s nice and green all year round but maintaining the lawn is by no means an easy feat. Sadly, the lawn could turn patchy and unsightly if the conditions aren’t right or if your outdoor space is ill-maintained. Certain situations are, of course, out of our control but there are ways to get around the problem and build a healthy, lush lawn!

The good news is, most lawn problems are easy to fix. From brown spots to uneven growth, here are 10 common lawn problems and solutions to fix them:

Uneven growth is inevitable in shady spots because the grass will not grow in these areas. If the trees are blocking out the sun and causing these shady areas, consider pruning the tree foliage regularly. However, do not prune the trees aggressively because this could stress out the trees.

If proper and regular tree pruning is not helping, we highly suggest using shade-tolerant varieties of turf grass. Do your research to determine what type of grass is best grown in your region. You can also turn to shade-tolerant ground covers to conceal the shady areas like Ajuca, creeping golden Jenny or Vinca. If you are not keen on using shade-tolerant ground covers, just add a layer of gravel or perennial blade on the shady areas and make these spots a part of the landscape.

Nothing ruins the look of the lawn quite like uncontrolled weeds. Weeds are a pain to get rid of especially if you have a large lawn. Practicing healthy lawn habits is key to a pristine yard. Start by mowing the lawn regularly. Make sure the lawn mower’s blade is sharp at all times.

Most lawns need about an inch of water every week. Get regular weather updates to check for rainfall and measure the rainfall so you can hydrate the yard as needed. During dry spells, water the lawn in the morning, just before the temperature rises to prevent weed growth. Add fertilizer when needed. You can also leave some of the grass clippings on the lawn, these will biodegrade nicely.

Avoid using chemical herbicides if you could. Use organic herbicides that are formulated with clove oils or citrus extracts. However, limit the application to the weed-ridden areas only as these herbicides could kill the grass and plants nearby.

Oftentimes, foot traffic and diseases cause bare spots. These bare areas could make a yard appear ill-maintained and patchy. One of the simplest solutions for bare spots is to reseed these areas.

You have to work quickly to cover these bald spots because weeds could grow in these areas and ruin the look of your outdoor space. Start by digging up the bald spots and at least 6 inches of the surrounding area. Enrich the soil with organic compost and fertilizers. Add the grass seeds, cover them with straw and keep the soil nice and moist until the new grass sprouts.

For sloped areas where the grass would not grow, try deep watering the slope especially during the summer season. Laying sod in these areas may help establish grass growth. Stepping the incline also helps minimize runoffs, which could encourage grass growth.

Patchy, browning grass has a way of standing out from a verdant yard, which ruins the look of your lawn. If this issue is persistent then the root cause of the problem could be the soil’s pH. Bad soil causes grass to thin out and slowly die, which leads to a patchy, messy-looking lawn. The wrong type of grass could also be the culprit behind your sad-looking lawn.

To prevent browning grass, conduct a soil test in different parts of the lawn. A soil test gives an accurate assessment of your soil’s pH levels so you can amend the soil pH in key areas of your outdoor space. The test could also identify any missing nutrients as well as recommend the best course of treatment. You can either take the soil samples to a testing facility or have it done yourself using DIY soil testing kits. If say, the issue is caused by the wrong type of grass, do your research on the best lawn grass to grow in your region.

Cats, dogs, and other pets tend to cause a lot of damage to the lawn. Pets could wander off to the yard and dig around, pee all over the grass to mark their territories and defecate. Pet urine, more than feces, presents more problem to the yard because it can deliver a concentrated dose of nitrogen, causing burn spots and yellowed or browned grass. In most cases, pee spots cause grass to die. Removing cat or dog poop to minimize yard damage is easy but for pet urine, that’s a different story.

To protect your lawn from pet damage, designate a spot for your pets to play outside. Make sure that the play area is isolated so your dog or cat will not wander off to the lawn. For pee spots, try digging out the affected area then layer in the topsoil. Reseed and amend the soil using high-quality fertilizers. You can also sprinkle sawdust on the urine spots and dampen the area. The damp sawdust could absorb the extra nitrogen from the soil.

It's amazing how moss could sprout and spread all over the yard within a few short weeks. Usually, lawns that are always shaded, under-fertilized, and/or wet have severe moss problem because moss thrives in dank environments. You can eliminate moss in the yard by reducing the shaded areas. Always prune the trees and shrubs regularly to avoid moss growth. Regular pruning helps aerate dank, shaded areas in the garden.

De-thatching the lawn is also recommended if your outdoor space is prone to moss growth. De-thatching helps improve grass health and prevent compacted soil. It helps to till the ground lightly to discourage moss growth. Finally, check the soil pH and keep an eye on the amount of water the yard receives to prevent moss from taking over the lawn.

Voles, moles, raccoons, and other pests tend to dig all over the lawn in search of food, causing unsightly patches and holes that ruin the look of the yard. To address the problem, you have to eliminate these pests’ foods, such as grubs or insect larvae. Depending on the level of infestation, you can either treat the grubs or remove the affected areas and reseed. Our advice is to conduct a weekly check for grubs. This way, the grubs won’t attract unwanted guests to the yard.

Rusts are plant diseases that cause yellow-orange, powdery spots all over the yard. These are caused by fungal spores, which can cause grass to discolor or die. Extremely under-watered or over-watered lawns are prone to rusts so water your lawn appropriately. Try using fertilizers to protect the grass from infestations and make sure the lawn is aerated. Mowing the lawn regularly also helps reduce the risk of rusts.

An annual soil test is also recommended for lawns that are prone to rusts. Adding a balanced combination of phosphorus and potassium can make the lawn resilient to rusts.

Caring for the lawn is a full-time job but with these gardening tips, you can address common lawn problems and enhance the look of the yard! Subscribe to our newsletter right now to get the latest gardening tips and resources straight to your inbox.

Nothing beats waking up to freshly brewed coffee in the morning and if you love coffee as much as the rest of us do, you probably have packs of used coffee grounds lying around just waiting to be thrown in the trash. Gardeners know that coffee grounds can be used in many ways so don’t throw the coffee grounds just yet. Coffee grounds have so many uses in the garden! In today’s guide, we are listing down ingenious ways of using coffee grounds in and around the garden:

Covering certain areas of the garden with mulch helps retain soil moisture, protect delicate root systems, and insulate the plants. Coffee grounds happen to be an excellent mulching material so if you have packs of used coffee grounds then go ahead and use these as mulching material. Some gardeners are wary of using coffee grounds as mulching material because coffee is naturally acidic.

However, pH tests show that coffee grounds are only mildly acidic to mildly alkaline, which makes these ideal for growing a variety of fruits and vegetables that love slightly acidic soils. It’s also worth noting that coffee grounds lose their acidity as they break down into the soil. If you are still worried, try layering coffee grounds over a thick blanket of mulch.

Some growers say that the caffeine in coffee grounds could suppress plant growth and while some plants are sensitive to caffeine, this claim remains debatable. Our advice is to simply avoid spreading the coffee ground mulch around seedlings. We also recommend mixing coffee ground with organic matter, particularly compost or leaf mold before using it as mulch so water and air could penetrate the mulch easily.

Coffee grounds are teeming with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and other nutrients that promote proper plant growth. Even better, coffee grounds tend to release these nutrients into the soil slowly, preventing plant burning and shock.

When used as a natural fertilizer, coffee grounds can be applied in several ways. You can simply sprinkle the coffee grounds directly into the garden soil. You can also mix the coffee grounds into your compost heap to boost the compost’s nitrogen content. It’s worth noting that coffee grounds are best mixed with dry materials to get them to give up their nitrogen content. Also, keep your compost pit’s nutrient profile balanced by adding enough brown materials into the compost such as dried leaves, wood chips, or newspaper.

Finally, you can also steep the coffee ground in water (2 cups to a 5-gallon bucket of water) overnight to make your own liquid fertilizer. Spritz the coffee-based liquid fertilizer directly onto the plant leaves and stems to keep nibbling critters from feasting on your plants.

If you have backyard compost, you could mix your discarded coffee grounds to enrich your compost pile. Coffee grounds contain nitrogen so these could be used to balance the nutrients in the compost. Just mix the coffee grounds with equal amounts of green and brown compost materials. If you don't, the compost pile won't break down properly and it might even develop a foul odor.

Manure, grass clippings, and kitchen scraps are green compost materials that are high in nitrogen. Brown compost materials like wood chips, sawdust, and hay are loaded with carbon. Keep the brown and green ratio at 4:1 to ensure that the nutrients in your compost pile remains balanced.

Is your garden plagued by snails and slugs? These slow-moving mollusks would nibble at tender leaves, leaving your plants and seedlings sickly and vulnerable to the elements. You can use coffee grounds to keep these pests away. Snails and slugs have soft bodies so they hate crawling on abrasive surfaces. Sprinkling coffee grounds around plants may keep these nibbling pests away because the coffee grounds add texture to the ground. The caffeine in coffee grounds may also repel slugs and snails.

Coffee grounds could also discourage rabbits and cats from wreaking havoc in the garden. Cats and rabbits dislike the perky fragrance of coffee that we love!

Some experts say this technique isn’t as effective and if it doesn't work for you, have a backup plan prepared. If you’re using coffee grounds for pest control, use the coffee grounds in moderation to keep the nutrients in the soil well-balanced.

Some crops thrive in naturally acidic soils; others do better in alkaline soil. Flowering plants such as hydrangeas, roses, rhododendrons, azaleas, and lily of the valley, for instance, produce more flowers in slightly acidic soils. The same thing is true for crops like blueberries, carrots, and radishes.

If you want to give your yield a boost, mix a little scoop of coffee grounds into the soil. The coffee grounds will enhance the acidity of the soil. Same thing if your soil is slightly alkaline and you’d like to make your soil slightly acidic, use fresh coffee grounds. As an added bonus, a sprinkling of coffee grounds in the garden will suppress weed growth!

Earthworms are beneficial to the garden because they aerate the soil as they move below the ground. The castings that these critters excrete also enrich the soil, adding important nutrients that the plants need for healthy growth. You can encourage earthworms to make your garden their home by mixing coffee grounds into the soil.

Since coffee grounds are organic matter, they will attract all sorts of beneficial garden critters, including earthworms. Earthworms happen to love coffee grounds! If you keep a worm bin, just add a cup of coffee ground in the bin each week. Do not add more because the growing environment might turn acidic, which may harm the earthworms. Using coffee grounds as plant fertilizers will also encourage worms to make their way to your garden!

Although coffee grounds can be used in many ways to boost plant health, always keep an eye on the amount of coffee grounds that you use. Large doses of caffeine may harm pets, particularly cats and dogs. If you keep several pets in the garden, it’s best to use the coffee grounds as compost material rather than organic fertilizer.

Some crops produce more fruits with a little dose of caffeine but tomatoes hate coffee grounds so keep them away if you have a lot of tomato plants.

As you can see, fresh coffee grounds have many uses in the garden. Most cafes often give packs of used coffee grounds away so you can score sacks of it at no cost to you. If you always drink freshly brewed coffee in the mornings, save the coffee grounds for later!

No matter how hard you try to protect your plants against invaders, destructive critters have a way of sneaking into and wreaking havoc on the garden. While some insects are beneficial to certain plants, there are those that would happily feast on young leaves and ripening fruits!

Most growers use chemical-based insecticides or pesticides to keep unfriendly critters from ruining their plants. These products are the most popular because they are sold everywhere! But there are ways of discouraging and managing destructive garden pests without using chemicals.

The key to maintaining a pest-free garden is knowing the enemy and finding the most effective, albeit non-toxic, way of getting rid of it. In this guide, let’s take a look at some of the most destructive garden pests and how to get rid of them naturally:

Aphids are some of the most common garden pests and are quite destructive too! These pear-shaped insects love to suck out plant saps! Worse, aphids reproduce quickly because these critters do not need a mate to build a colony. No wonder a few aphids are enough to destroy an entire garden. These destructive pests love fruit-bearing plants, flowers, ornamentals, and shade trees.

You know you have an aphid problem when your plants have puckered leaves and the foliage starts to drop. To get rid of aphids, wash the affected plants with a strong spray of water. The water will dislodge the stubborn critters from the plant stems/leaves. You could also trim the plants to remove the affected parts. Some of the most effective natural solutions for aphids are garlic or pepper-based sprays, neem oil, and vegetable-based horticultural oil.

Cutworms are the caterpillar forms of several species of night-flying moths. These caterpillars are often found underneath leaves or on top of the soil during the day. At night, cutworms feed on young plants, zeroing on the stems at or below the soil surface. One sign of a cutworm problem is when seedlings have been felled like a tree in a forest.

It's easy to keep cutworms at bay, just use a plant collar made from repurposed plastic or toilet paper rolls when transplanting the seedlings. You can also pick the cutworms one by one. These critters feed at night and they are easy to spot during the day. You can also install a birdbath or a bird feeder to encourage birds, such as robins, to eat the moth larvae along with other garden pests. Finally, transplant your seedlings only when they are established. This way, the seedlings have grown thicker stems that could resist nibbling pests like cutworms.

Japanese beetles are small, metallic blue-green/bronze insects that feed on plant leaves and flowers. Japanese beetle larvae and adult beetles are equally destructive. The larvae will feed on the roots of grass and garden plants while adult beetles will skeletonize plant leaves and chew the blossoms. In most cases, adult Japanese beetles could defoliate plants completely!

To get rid of these pests, you can either pick them off one by one during the day or shake them from the plants and into a jar of soapy water. You can also install floating row covers to deter Japanese beetles or set baited traps on either side of the garden.

The Cabbage Maggot is an agricultural pest that feasts on a wide variety of crops, including turnips, kale, broccoli, and of course, cabbage. At its larval stage, the cabbage maggot resembles that of a seed corn maggot. However, it feeds on the roots of cole crops. Cabbage maggot causes damage to crops by tunneling into the roots. As the maggot burrows into crops and creates entryways, crops become more vulnerable to damage, diseases, and rot.

To eradicate cabbage maggots in the garden, try installing floating row covers or delay the planting period until the crops have been established. You could also burn the roots from harvested plants to control the spread of cabbage maggots. Mounding wood ashes or red pepper dust around the steps of your crops could also discourage cabbage maggots from feasting on your plants.

Scale is a type of plant sap-loving pest that destroys plant branches and fruits. Often found in colonies, scales look like odd bumps on plant stems, leaves, or fruit. As the scale insects suck on the plant host's sap, the stems weaken, causing the foliage to turn yellow before dropping off. Eventually, honeydew accumulates on the leaves and fruits, causing diseases to set in.

To get rid of scale insects, remove and destroy the infested plant parts by hand. You can also use soapy water to scrub these nasty critters away. You can use neem-based leaf shine as well as vegetable-based horticultural oil to control a minor infestation. For a widespread infestation, try using summer oil spray.

Slugs are slimy, slow-moving mollusks that love chewing their way into any garden plant. You can tell that you have a slug problem when the plant foliage is ridden with holes! Slugs are much easier to control than other garden pests because they have a weakness for beer.

To lure slugs, fill an empty can with beer and bury the can near the plants, leaving the can rim exposed. As the slugs detect the beer, they will make a beeline to the trap, drowning themselves in the process. In the morning, throw out the entire can and replace with a fresh batch. This trick will only work for slugs that are nearest to the plants.

For a serious infestation, you have to set multiple traps around the garden. We highly recommend sprinkling crushed eggshells, wood ashes, coarse sand, or diatomaceous earth around the plant stems. Slugs have soft bodies that are easily damaged by rough surfaces. By spreading coarse materials around plant stems, the slugs will keep their distance.

The caterpillar is easily the most recognizable of all garden pests because of its bright coloring and fleshy body. These soft, segmented larvae are often found nibbling at fruits, flowering plants, vegetables, even shade trees, and ornamental plants.

Thankfully, getting rid of caterpillars is easy. You can either pick these critters by hand or install floating row covers. You can also plant thyme, oregano, and other aromatics to keep these destructive critters at bay. Attracting caterpillars’ natural predators like birds into your garden will also discourage these pests from destroying your plants.

Earwigs are nasty-looking creepy crawlies that are considered as garden pests and helpers at the same time. Earwigs can be beneficial to plants because they eat other garden pests like slugs, snails, aphids, as well as certain types of insect larvae. However, these critters also nibble on plant flowers and leaves. As long as earwigs aren’t taking over the garden, these can be beneficial to plant growth.

To control earwigs, try rolling up sheets of wet newspaper in the evening and then lay the newspaper around the garden. These critters thrive in damp, dark places and the soggy newspaper will lure the earwigs in. In the morning, collect the newspaper - earwigs and all - and either burn the newspaper or shake the earwigs into the toilet and flush them out. If you don’t dispose of the newspaper properly, the earwigs will just make their way back into your garden.

Spider mites are tiny bugs that belong to the arachnid class and are closely related to ticks and spiders. These creepy crawlies love sucking plant sap from the bottom of the leaves. Once the affected plant is sucked dry, the plant will turn brown or yellow then die. If you are seeing fine silk webs underneath plant leaves, you have a spider mite infestation in your hand. Spider mites could reproduce quickly and it will only take a little time before these pests overtake a garden.  

One of the quickest and most practical ways of getting rid of spider mites is to rub a rubbing alcohol-based solution directly on the plant leaves. Just mix one part rubbing alcohol and one part water. Spray liberally on the plant leaves. You can also use liquid dish soap to kill spider mites. Introducing predatory insects like praying mantises, assassin bugs, and lady beetles is also an effective way of solving a spider mite infestation!

Squash bugs are destructive critters that feed on cucumbers, pumpkins, and winter squash. This garden pest sucks plant juices from the foliage, causing plant hosts to wilt and die. Worse, squash bugs would secrete a toxic substance that causes plant stems to turn black and dry, a condition called anasa wilt. Small and young plants are the most vulnerable to a squash bug infestation. Established plants, on the other hand, could recover from an infestation as long as the pests are contained.

To kill squash bugs, try spraying neem oil directly onto juvenile squash bugs and egg clusters. You can also install floating row covers after the pollinating season. You can also pick the bugs individually by hand, dropping the pests into a jar filled with soapy water.

These garden pests may be deadly but it is possible to keep these unwelcome guests under control the natural way! Try these all-natural pest repellants to keep your garden blooming all season long. For more gardening tips and resources, sign up for our newsletter today!

It can be a struggle to maintain the yard especially with the changing weather paving way for weed growth and pests. Even when you are doing all your daily garden chores religiously, – cutting the grass, pulling out weeds, watering the plants, etc. – keeping the garden or yard pristine still feels like an uphill battle. The yard is still ridden with thatch problems, brown spots, and patchy areas! To keep your lawn looking good for longer, avoid doing these practices:

Regardless if you are using a mower to cut the grass, pruning shears for trimming plant foliage or thorn snipers, never use dull blades. The problem with using dull blades is that it rips the plant foliage instead of giving a clean cut. A dull mower blade, for example, tends to mash the grass, turning it into a frayed mess. The dull blade stresses the grass, causing it to turn an ugly brown. A pair of dull pruning shears won't cut the plant foliage properly, which again, stresses the plants. This in turn, affects plant growth and attracts pests.

Take time maintaining your gardening tools and equipment so they are always in tip top shade when you need them the most. Keep all the gardening blades nice and sharp so you don’t end up doing more damage to the yard.

You might think that it's a good idea to remove grass clippings after mowing but don't. Contrary to popular belief, leaving grass clippings on the lawn won't lead to thatch problems. Leave some of the grass clippings because these transform into natural fertilizers. When broken down completely, grass clippings will improve the health and structure of the soil. As an added bonus, leaving some of the grass clippings lightens your gardening chore!

You can also use the grass clippings as organic mulch for the garden. Lay the garden clippings over the garden, working around the plants. As organic mulch, grass clippings help insulate the soil, minimizing moisture loss and retaining just the right level of heat for the plant roots to grow.

It seems like a great idea to use chemical-based insecticides, herbicides, or pesticides, to keep unwanted plants and critters away from the yard but the toxic chemicals do more harm than good. Poison could penetrate the soil or leach into waterways, causing pollution and contamination. In addition, chemical-based weed and pest killers do not discriminate; they could kill garden-friendly critters like earthworms, bees, and butterflies too.

Instead of using chemical products to eliminate weeds and/or pests, opt for natural deterrents. We encourage you to search online for ways to control weeds or garden pests naturally. Try mixing dish detergent and vegetable oil with vinegar. Transfer the solution in a spritz bottle and spritz away to eliminate pests. Certain plants deter pests naturally too.  

The yard’s soil structure has to be checked regularly to make sure that vital nutrients are reaching the plant roots. Moisture, air, and nutrients are unable to seep into the soil if the soil texture is dry, hard and compact. You have to restore healthy soil conditions by loosening and aerating the soil.

Using a rake, loosen the compacted soil until the soil texture is ideal for plant growth. For soil that’s incredibly hard to work with, you might have to rent a power core aerator. This tool will loosen and aerate the soil at a much faster pace, allowing you to cover more ground. After aerating the soil, amend it with natural fertilizers to boost the soil nutrients.

You might think that watering the yard every day is a good idea but too much watering can be problematic too. For one thing, the lawn could become dependent and needy when your daily watering is too long. On top of that, daily watering may cause the grass to develop weak and shallow plant roots that are prone to diseases.

Instead of watering the lawn for 15 minutes every day, try watering once a week for an entire hour. Watering deeply will make the grass more drought-resistant. The grass will also develop deeper root systems that are resistant to diseases and rot! On top of that, watering deeply helps minimize your water consumption, allowing you to care for your yard without wasting water.

Thatch is a layer of grass stems, roots, and organic garden debris that are slow to decompose. Because thatch takes too long to break down completely, layers of it accumulate on top of the soil, which chokes healthy grass to death. Lawns that are over-fertilized or overwatered tend to develop thick and stubborn thatch that cut off nutrient penetration, killing the grass. Thick thatch could also restrict water penetration and increase the risk of infestation. That’s why you have to make a point to dethatch the lawn regularly.

Thatch is much harder to remove than other types of garden debris so you have to use a thatching rake to cut into the thatch and remove the hardened dead materials from the top soil. When using a thatching rake, always rake in one direction to avoid damaging the grass roots. After dethatching, use a leaf rake to clean the lawn and aerate the soil.

It’s tempting to do all your yard work in one go to save time but some chores are best done at different times. For instance, if you are thinking about mowing the lawn after watering it, don’t. The results could turn disastrous! It’s best to do the mowing only when the lawn is dry. For one thing, wet grass becomes slippery and you could hurt yourself while mowing. The grass clippings could also clump up, which ruins the appearance of the lawn.

In addition, the wet grass is weighed down by water so the blades bend, making mowing difficult. And if you accidentally cut the blades too short, you end up scalping your lawn. Scalping the lawn could weaken the grass roots, causing the grass to turn an unsightly brown and eventually, die.

It’s hard to grow grass under shaded areas but your yard could look uneven or patchy if you ignore these spots. If you want the yard to look pristine then the grassy areas have to be established, even in shady areas. Some grass varieties will grow in shady or semi-shady spots. You can also ask your local garden centers for grass seed mixes that are made specifically for shady yards. If you are growing cool season grasses, the late summer season and mid-spring season are the best periods to establish these grass varieties.

It might be hard to keep your yard green and pristine all the time but with these tips, you can minimize problems that affect the appearance of your outdoor landscape. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest gardening tips straight to your inbox!

Maintaining a pristine outdoor space means doing a lot of spring and summer weeding, watering, fertilizing, and pruning. Thankfully, it is possible to maintain a stunning landscape while reducing your gardening load, just plant easy to grow perennials, trees, and shrubs that flourish with minimal effort on your part.

Perennial plants help create a worry-free landscape, allowing you to enjoy your garden space more by spending less time tending the garden. In today's post, we are listing down some of our favorite landscape shrubs, trees, and perennials that are a cinch to grow:

Canna lily is known for its vividly hued blossoms, its deep green, glossy foliage, and its resilient nature. It's a lovely plant to decorate your outdoor landscape with because it adds energy, excitement, and a pop of color to your outdoor space. Ideally, canna lily should be planted early in the spring season, just as the threat of frost has passed.

Once established and matured, this plant will yield beautiful blossoms that'll define your landscape. Canna lily is best planted in moist soil. It's a relatively thirsty plant although it’s surprisingly drought resistant too. Water only as needed to keep its flowers blooming and its foliage glossy and beautiful. Canna lily will thrive in a pot that gets the full sun as well as partially shady areas of the garden.

If you are looking for a fabulous landscape plant that would thrive in poor soil, look no further: the coneflower makes the perfect accent plant in any garden because of its resilience. This flowering plant is known for its striking purple flowers that attract friendly garden insects, particularly pollinators and birds. Also, coneflower helps repel deer and other nibbling critters.

Coneflower's blooms remain robust and colorful from summer to fall season so longevity is not an issue. It will thrive in a variety of growing conditions and it suits any type of outdoor setting. This North American perennial does not require much watering and it grows like weeds when the growing conditions are right.

Wild lilac, also known as Texas Ranger or Heavenly Cloud, is a type of evergreen shrub that features dense, gray-green foliage and beautiful lavender, magenta, or deep purple blossoms. Wild lilac makes the perfect accent for your outdoor space because of its striking, thick blooms that add splashes of color to the garden, particularly in pathways and walkways.

Wild Lilac is a repeat bloomer; it will yield purple blooms that will last for several weeks. It’s so low maintenance too! This purple flowering shrub only requires the full sun and regular watering during the summer season. Wild lilac is drought resistant so it will thrive even in the driest growing environments.

Roses aren't exactly known for being low maintenance but this particular variety doesn't require much coddling unlike other rose varieties. Candy Oh! rose bush goes by many names, including Vivid Red and OSO Happy. It’s a great rose variety to grow if you want to add pops of colors to your landscape.

This deciduous flowering shrub is a type of hybrid plant that's grown specifically as a "landscape rose." It produces clusters of bright red or hot pink flowers that stay blooming throughout the summer season and into fall. Candy Oh! is not as fragrant as some rose varieties but it's incredibly low maintenance. It doesn't grow too big, although it will require regular pruning to maintain its shape. It's worth noting that Candy Oh! Rose is disease and deer resistant!

If you are looking for a bushy plant that adds a nice color to your outdoor space, consider adding gold mound spirea to your landscape. This eye-catching shrub is known for its fabulous foliage and light pink blooms. Most spirea varieties (and there are many!) are easy to grow.

This particular variety will wrap your landscape in a blanket of dainty, frothy blooms, almost acting as a hedge thanks to its dense foliage. Caring for gold mound spirea is a breeze; it requires the full sun, good drainage, and well-draining soil. Don’t worry if your landscape has lots of shady spots, gold mound spirea could also tolerate shady growing environments.

If you are the kind of gardener who has little time maintaining your outdoor space then creeping thyme should be on top of your list of must-have plants to grow. This plant could work as an accent plant or a groundcover. It is often used as a lawn substitute for pavers or stepping-stones. When used as a landscape plant, creeping thyme will spread and cover a large expanse of space with tiny flowers. The best part? It attracts a variety of garden-friendly critters including bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

Creeping thyme is so easy to grow. It is incredibly drought resistant so there is no need to water it every day. It is also extremely hardy so it will thrive in poor growing conditions. This plant is also edible and is often used as an aromatic herb.  

Beautyberry is a type of shrub that produces pretty pink or white blossoms all summer season long. This statement-making plant is easily recognizable for yielding bright purple berries during the fall season, hence its name Beauty Berry. Beauty Berry often works as an accent or backdrop to a garden during the summer season. At the end of the summer season, it produces an explosion of purple, which adds a lovely contrast to any outdoor space setting.

Caring for Beauty Berry is almost effortless. It loves well-drained soils but it can tolerate clay soils too. Beautyberries do not require fertilization to promote better foliage growth. In fact, adding too much fertilizer could lead to reduced foliage and fruit growth. The berries that the plant produces are effective in attracting a variety of birds!

Want to add texture to your outdoor setting? You cannot go wrong with hosta. This low maintenance plant is a type of leafy perennial that could work as a ground cover or as a backdrop to the garden. The leaves are quite striking thanks to their stunning green-gold hue.

Occasionally, hosta will yield small blossoms although the flowers are not the showiest. However, the flowers emit a lovely scent similar to gardenia or jasmine! Hosta is drought-resistant but keep the moisture in the soil constant for the plant to thrive. This plant loves well-draining soil and it can handle the full sun and/or shady environments. We recommend growing hostas if your garden is prone to soil erosion.

Want to attract garden-friendly insects and birds to your garden? Salvia, aka Meadow Sage, is a perennial plant that comes in a wide array of colors. This plant comes in many varieties so some could grow fast while others are tall or slow growing! You are never out of options when it comes to the kind of Meadow Sage to grow!

Salvias are best known for producing nectar that attracts pollinators of all kinds including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. When it comes to caring for salvias, this plant is as hardy as they come. Once established, salvias could tolerate harsh weather conditions, especially if the soil is well draining. This plant loves the full sun otherwise, the blossoms could turn floppy.

Rounding up our list of the best low-maintenance landscaping plants to grow is catmint. Catmint is a variety of non-culinary mint that produces violet-blue flowers. This plant is known for its beautiful gray-green foliage and aromatic blossoms. As the name implies, this plant does attract cats so if you are a cat lover, this aromatic herb will make your furry friends ecstatic!

Catmint makes the perfect accent plant in rock gardens because of its fabulous foliage though it could be planted along the edging too. This easy to grow perennial is so heat and drought resistant, it does not require regular watering at all. Pruning the flowers, however, is a must to keep catmint from producing dense flowers all over the garden.

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