Gardening Hacks - 10 Simple Tips for a Successful Vegetable Garden

Growing your own food successfully is a constant process of learning which techniques work best for you and your plants.

Often simple bits of advice from other gardeners can help provide shortcuts to achieving success in your garden.

In this video we demonstrate ten quick tips handed down from experienced gardeners which save time, increase your growing space and reduce costs

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...

[Haze]

My 2 cents / tip: Instead of planting spring onions and garlic in one area, I tend to spread them out in amongst other plants, or place single-rows between other plants. Supposedly, the chemicals given off my the onion/garlic family are a deterrent to aphids and other pests.

[sallyweltner]

When I got tired of moving soil from the compost pile to the garden plot I started digging holes in the lousy soil where I wanted good soil later. I'd fill the hole with kitchen waste, manure, lawn clippings etc and cover with dirt as I dug a similar hole right next to the first. after a while the entire garden was full of composted soil and my back was still in good shape to wear myself out doing other garden chores

[GaryVerderamo]

For those biodegradable planters, unfold the bottoms before planting. This is not as big of a deal with newspaper based planters, but those cardboard tubes take a little longer to break down. By unfolding the bottom flaps you are providing the roots a place to escape while the sides break down.Another option is to either soak the cardboard tube before planting and/or you can use a box cutter or scissor to cut the sides. You can either let the roots escape through the cut(s) or remove the tube completely before planting. You won't lose soil, because it's essentially formed a soil brick while it was in the tube.

[dalcloud]

Awesome, thank you!!!! My best tip today is soak seeds in yoghurt or other probiotic such as kefir overnight, or even longer! This really gives a boost to older seeds especially!!!!

[debrafuller]

Here in Florida, painted or written messages on rocks are fun and sweet to find in random places! Using as plant marker
Is genius ! Love it!Thanks for many ideas

[leiaclark]

I use plastic kiddie pools as big planters. This helps me keep weed control.

Once I harvest a pool, I plant a completely different crop in the pool.

[adilive]

Using empty egg shell for sprouting beans and peas are great too...one can simply transfer as such and the calcium in the egg shell adds to the nutritIve value of the soil.

[ntom]

I have a tip to share with everyone. Years ago I had a boat on the Eastern shore of Maryland and there I met the oldest working Waterman on the bay. At the time mr. Johnny was 93 years old. He had a very large garden right near Remington Farms who specialized in food plots to raise deer for the hunter customers. Of course in this area are rabbits and everything else. I asked mr. Johnny don't you have problems with the animals and he said no look at that pole in the center of my garden. On that pole he had a radio tuned to a talk show on a timer covered with a 5 gallon bucket . Mr. Johnny explain to me if you just play music The Critters will get used to that but they will never come near two people talkin in the middle of a field. I live in the wild Open Country and I have been using mr. Johnny's trick for many years now and believe me it works. And I mean perfectly. Good luck. T

[paidpiper]

Marigolds help to keep the aphids away from most plants, thanks for the tips!

[wendyh.]

A hack I use for saving water is catching leaks from looser hose with a container. In the shower while waiting for the water to warm up, I have a large pitcher to catch the water for the plants.

[DreamsCatcher]

My top hack. Once a week, go sit on the garden and just look around and enjoy it.

Make a comfrey tower. I give 2 away to other local gardeners too. Fill up with comfrey or nettles and let it rot in the tube. When you need some plant food, go pour a cup of water in the top and wait for it to run through the rotting material and out the bottom. Top notch plant boost.

I use a rocket/masonry heater to heat my greenhouse.

Cover a piece on hard plastic, jar lid or something, in vasoline and hang it in the greenhouse. Insects stick to it after being attracted to the color.

[simonkrystosek]

I have a 8', 1" x 2" board with holes drilled every inch that I use for planting. Perfect spacing for most plants and keeps row straight. I put the seeds in the hole and push them into the soil with a dowel that I have also marked, 1/2", 1", 1.5". Also, instead of a pop bottle for constant watering I use coffee cans. Much easier to water and I have a ton of coffee cans from work!

[quiltlady]

1.  Another use for toilet paper tubes: use them as cutworm collars.
2. You can easily roll your own smallish pots using newspaper.  Just roll a sheet around a can of food and then tuck in the bottom and remove the can.  Then stand them up in a tray and fill with sewing mix.
3. Garlic and hot pepper spray (add a few drops of soap to make it stick to the leaves, remembering that you'll have to respray if it rains) repel pests wonderfully, but remember *not* to spray when the midday sun is broiling or you will burn the leaves
4. Practice companion planting: marigolds are great pest repellant plants as well as looking cheerful
5.To save water (a big issue in the Middle East where I live), sew leafy plants close enough together so that the leaves of adjacent plants touch and so don't expose the soil to the sun unnecessarily

[Aramintava]

That used paper tube planter is a fantastic idea! It can also stop cutworms getting baby plants.

[sweetfoxpexington]

I like having grass clippings around the plants. It protects against cold, weeds and fertilize the soil naturally!

[teresapannells]

Gardening hack # 11. Wait until brother inlaws veggies are all grown, then eat all his garden up. LOL.

[JohnStraussmusic]

Nice video . I love the idea of using rocks as plant labels. I may just look around the neighborhood for some old pieces of slate

[mrbigglesworth_Official]

Amazing advice. I'm awake as I can't sleep due to the heat.. this has made my early morning refreshing

[marywatkins]

2:16 The water reservoirs work well. I have also used this method to add compost tea and fish emulsion to my tomato plants.

[youcanonlyspenditonce]

Love the diy seed starting in cardboard tubes! Will definitely soak my peas before planting this fall! Thank you!