My Top Tricks of the Trade Revealed

What does a muffin tin have to do with saving time in the garden? Well, sometimes the simplest trick can make all the difference! With these ingenious hacks, you'll save time, money and energy. If only we had known these before! Watch on as Ben reveals some of his garden wizardry...

Love hacks? So do we! For more of Ben's genius, we suggest binge watching these videos!
🌱 X 🤓 = 🍎 🍓 🍅

For more on reusing and recycling plastic bottles in the garden see:

For more clever hacks, see:

Harvesting hacks:

Want to 10X your plants? See this video:

If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
and many more...

[ageesecliff]

An old set of mini-blinds can be cut up to make hundreds of plant markers 👍

[caroldragon]

Since you asked for some helpful tips, here are a few': Since pots are a pain to move around, if you have crops that need to be moved frequently, such as in and out of shade, into cooler or warmer areas, or for protection of some sort, use buckets. The handles make it easier to move them. Also wrap the handles with cloth to make it easier on your hands. I grow my carrots in buckets in a fluffy, sandy soil mix that allows them to be unimpeded. Carrot seeds are tiny and easily washed away by rain or watering. I sprinkle a very thin covering of sand over them so I can easily see any spots that I missed. When watering them, I put a layer of paper towel on them and water them through the towel, so they don't get washed away. Then I remove the towel and set it aside for the next time I water. Almost no sand sticks to the towel. I use tulle instead of row cover to cover plants. No insects get through its tiny holes, and deer can't munch on the tender shoots. I use dark green tulle and it's almost invisible, so my garden doesn't look like a sea of white sheets.

[hbrws]

I LOVE the idea of storing seed packets in the photo albums!!

[petereng]

Cardboard boxes are plentiful in cities, and work well as temporary plant boxes. I remove the tape, fold the flaps in on top and bottom, then place them on bare dirt. Fill them like a raised bed, and they last six months or more. When I'm done with one, I pull up the box to empty it, flatten it completely, and top it with a little compost for the winter.

[MasterovD.Skies_]

If anyone has a problem with aphids and ants defending them, and have tried everything from dawn soap to vinegar, try placing a smoldering piece of wood upwind from where they are. The ants will think there's a fire and will try to find a new location, leaving the aphids for predatory insects to pick away. Did this last year when they were demolishing my squash plants. Smoked 'em out, and about a week later I had aphid wolves everywhere.
Edit: upon further research, I've come across a particularly valuable piece of information: 'Smoke from oak leaves kills aphids'
You can use a soup can as miniature fire-pit and place it next to the pest-ridden plant

[rogerwalker]

I used to hate molehills. Then I started harvesting them - the mole does a good job of granulating the soil so all I have to do is sift it through a riddle to get rid of stones and suddenly, it's A-grade topsoil. Then I add 50% compost, mix it up with my hands and bingo! I have a perfect medium for growing vegetables in pots or for use as a top dressing. On a good day, I can get a large wheelbarrow load, free.😁

[edemyre]

I have a variety of flat stones that I use for plant labels and row markers, and I use a paint pen to write on them.
Just one thing to add: get the kiddos involved by inviting them to help paint and label the rocks.
As much as we'd like youngsters to get involved, let's face it watching plants grow can get boring to them,
so this gets them engaged. Cheers!

[carolineowen]

Wow, I never knew you could use honey as a rooting starter. (I knew about the antiseptic bit).
I love the idea of storing seeds in a CD wallet. You have so many great ideas !

[patriciahartner]

thanks! I use white clover or crimson clover, lentils [right from the bag!] as living mulch, preventing weeds from growing between plant and drawing up the nitrogen from the deep soil, and acting as companion plants. The bees love the flowers. I also use flax seeds for living mulch, producing beautiful blue or yellow flowers.

[gingermcgrath]

Hi Ben, thank you for sharing the sponge idea. We live in a desert area and have been in a drought for two years. I will put sponges in the bottom of my pots for sure

[Angie_P]

I love the photo album idea. You can easily see what you have and quickly flip to what you're looking for.

[microsteadinguk]

Growveg is my favourite gardening channel! Thank you Ben for all your tips and tricks. I love your garden!

[WhatAboutZoidberg]

My grandfather has used the buried water bottle trick for many years now and swears by it. He's always had the best tomatoes and cantaloupe so I'll tend to agree. I'm trying it this year for the first time in my own garden. Thanks for all the tips.

[anneterry]

I do not mulch with wood chips, rather newspaper covered with soil which decomposes. Many soft bodied insects are lost with heavy mulch leaving birds with less for hatchings, especially for songbirds. Keep bag for egg shells to be crushed and added to garden. Fine dirt for mason bees and birds to dust bath. Insect housing in protected areas. Now learning about the English stumperies coming back into favored garden use. When a neighbor warned me that a squirrel took a bit our of a veggie or fruit, my response is, "Another one for the jam pot/soup pot". I love a 'loud' garden with birds and a variety of insects. Was gratified to see Prince Charles supporting the restoration of hedgerows.

[neeway]

I did the upside down bottle last year. When cutting the bottle I only cut 90% of the way around the bottle leaving a hinge of plastic. Lift the lid and water and it falls back into place after watering keeping out debris and bugs. If it's loose and flappy I just placed a stone on top.

[naturalwitchery]

My favorite tip in here is the old photo album!❤❤❤❤❤

[catfunksfabulousfinds]

Great ideas, I really love the photo album one for seeds.
I cut up old white window blinds for plant markers. Happy gardening from Oregon!

[ChrisReher]

I always let some radish go to seed. Bees like the flowers and the resulting seed pods are delicious. Needs staking as they get surprisingly tall.

[Twistnsine]

Ben, I could watch you all day long! So many helpful tips 😃🙏 I especially appreciate the honey/cinnamon advice since we don't have hormone rooting powder in Denmark 👏 I wish you a fruitful and vegetableful Summer 🤩

[barbarabarham]

I live in the countryside of Ireland so it's easy for me to find and cut brambles which I cut into manageable six inch lengths to protect newly planted crops from slugs, rose cuttings also it work really well and when the crops reach the point where they are no longer tender enough to interest slugs they can be scooped up and used elsewhere, as they age they grow brittle even more effective, they can be used from year to year I store them in an old barrel but plastic feed bags are also good.love your ideas, thank you .