Gardeners tend to be a frugal bunch interested in recycling, upcycling and multipurposing just about everything, so garden hacks are a popular topic. What are your favorite plant and garden hacks? Let us know and we can add yours to this article. Meanwhile, you may find something useful in this list.
3 Free Biodegradable Seedling Pots
Toilet Paper Rolls for Biodegradable Planters
Citrus Rind Pots for Sowing Seeds and Planting Seedlings
- Poke a hole in used citrus rinds.
- Add soil and 1-3 seeds, water & sunlight on a plant tray.
- Place citrus “pots” directly in garden bed when seedlings have 3-4 “true leaves”.
Image from MyRomanApartment.com[1]https://www.myromanapartment.com/garden-hack-citrus-peel-starter-pot-seedlings/
Eggshells and Egg Cartons
Eggshell “pots” for seedlings is a fun, free and efficient garden hack for sowing seeds. Yes, it’s not as efficient as a seedling tray, however it’s free and we love how it recycles both the eggshells into garden nutrients and comes with a self-contained plant tray as well.
Save eggshells and cartons for housing eggshell “pots” with seedlings.
Break shell bottom slightly before place seedlings in the ground.
Eggshells and Cartons for Seedling
We love how the eggshells provide a nutrient imbued container for starting seeds. Add to that the plastic egg containers and a heating pad and you’ve got a miniature greenhouse for starting seeds.
Homemade Watering Can and Drip Irrigation
Make your own watering can for free using a one-gallon jug.
Homemade Milk Jug Watering Cans
- Wash out a used milk jug.
- Place the cap on a cutting board, top up.
- Heat tip of a sturdy needle over a flame.
- Puncture cap multiple times, top down.
- Fill jug with water and you’re ready to go!
Use Drip Watering
This idea is more for garden plants than indoors, if you don’t yet have a drip irrigation or soaker hose which we’ve written about in these articles.
6 Ways To Save & Conserve Water In Your Garden
Drip Watering for Houseplants
You can use the same idea for house plants using a with a water bottle and water bottle cap. Then place this watering bottle upside down in a pot—or several in a planter—for slower release watering.
You may wish to cut the bottom off of the water bottle, for easier filling at once, then a slower release to your plant.
Another simple quick fix is that you can attach these handy wine bottle cap adapters watering spikes to wine bottles and turn them upside down into your pot or planters. However, not recommended for smaller pots as it’s too easy to tip over and shatter or flood the area with water.
Plant Walls and Wall Hangers
Shower caddies for a hanging garden.
This image from Ikea Hackers, is an old shower caddy lined with felt or plant fabric.
There are so many hanging garden options these days from entire wall gardens to just hanging a few pots from a bar or deck railing. There’s no limit to creative ways and places to grow plants indoors or out.
Towel Racks for Plant Hangers and Wall Gardens
It could be a hanging pot from deck railing, or a towel bar placed anywhere. In fact, 2-3 rows of towel bars with a track of grow lights on a kitchen wall could make for a great indoor herb garden!