Everyone has their own little idiosyncrasies when it comes to planting their garden. They have certain ways of planting, keeping the critters away, enhancing growth, and outright cheating to enjoy maximum benefit with little effort. I have gathered some of my tips and tricks to share. These are discoveries I made over the years based on space limitations, my need to keep my garden pesticide free, and to maintain and organized if lazy garden.

Remembering What you Planted

Here’s a tip that will help you remember what you planted and where.  Instead of using the traditional empty seed packet on a stake to mark your rows try using plain white plastic knives. Simply write the name of your fruit or vegetable on the blade of the knife along with the planting date using a permanent marker.  Then push the knife, handle down, into the soil at the end of the row.  This works well for basket and container gardens as well.

Space and Effort Consideration

Special hint for lazy gardeners; instead of hoeing a plot in your back yard, lay your soil bags flat an remove a rectangular section of plastic to expose the soil then plant your seeds as directed. Using the soil bags as your garden plot allows you to move them if necessary and lets you add or remove space from your garden as you see fit.

Natural Pesticides

There are several herbs that make for great natural pesticides; many of which you probably already grow. To make a pesticide “tea” crush the leaves and stems from one of the following plants; wormwood, southernwood, mint, lavender, rosemary, sage, or tansy. Place the crushed plants on a bowl and pour a quart of boiling water over them. Stir well and allow to cool. Strain the mixture and pour the water into a spray bottle. Add 2 drops of mild liquid soap and swish. Apply “tea” to plants in the early morning. This is a simple way to keep your garden pest free without subjecting you or your family to harsh chemicals.