The Shoestring Gardener

By Claudia Brownlie

A Compendium of Hundreds of Eco-Friendly, Creatively Frugal Gardening How-Tos, Remedies, and Tips

Whether you’re a novice or well-seasoned gardening enthusiast, Claudia Brownlie has put together a thorough and easy-to-read how-to guide that is brimming over with literally hundreds of creative ways to save money in all aspects of caring and tending for your garden. The best eco-friendly, frugal gardening techniques and ideas are all right here. And what's more, Claudia has made sure to keep an emphasis on providing environmentally friendly and non-toxic gardening techniques, methods, and procedures throughout this information-packed book.

Inside these pages you'll find:

• Loads of tips, tricks, and creative methods to become a more successful and eco-conscious gardener while saving lots of money at the same time.

• Detailed information on concocting and using non-toxic bug and garden pest control.

• An extensive how-to on all aspects of small-to-big composting techniques, methods, and trouble-shooting help to bring you the lushest garden possible.

• A myriad of super-creative, clearly explained DIY projects utilizing recycled items to help you in your gardening pursuits and other aspects of garden-related activities too.

The readers of this book will benefit from the author's 30-plus years of extensive research on gardening techniques; from her participation in Master Gardener training; from her continuing attendance in a multitude of gardening workshops; from her "How can I make or build this myself to save money" attitude; and from her love for anything gardening related.

Everything Claudia has written about in "The Shoestring Gardener" has been pre-tested by her – through trial and error in her very own garden. She is constantly on the lookout for new ways, ideas, and methods to find simple and easy solutions to gardening problems. And what she's learned is being passed on to the reader.

There are over 200 pages that are brimming with hundreds of eco-friendly, creatively frugal gardening how-tos, remedies, and tips. All the gardening information is geared towards finding new ways to have the healthiest, happiest flowers and veggies possible while using only non-toxic, environmentally friendly methods. You'll also discover new ways to streamline a gardening task or chore so you don’t have to put in as much back-breaking effort as is sometimes necessary! Plus the DIY projects are not only doable for even those who are not master carpenters, but also help you save money and utilize recyclable objects.

The Shoestring Gardener - 100’s of Wonderfully Frugal, Eco-Friendly and Highly Resourceful Ideas, Techniques, and Tricks with Detailed Instructions for Just About Everything Having to Do with Gardening

• Language: English
• Publisher: Claudia Brownlie
• Release date: Jun 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9780979629020

Book preview

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all the people around the world

who want to learn how to garden better,

more ingeniously, more naturally, and more affordably,

who desire garden beds full of flowers or perhaps

a bed of homegrown vegetables that will help to feed their family,

who want to learn to do it yourself, and who have no hesitations

to rummage around a bit to rescue and recycle items

that can be extremely valuable when put to new use in their garden.

C.F.B.

Table of Contents

DEDICATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

EVERYTHING ABOUT STARTING & GROWING PLANTS

SEED STARTING: CONTAINERS & MINI-GREENHOUSE IDEAS

Different Things That Can Be Used for Seed Starting

How to Make Newspaper Starter Pots

Different Things That Can Be Used for Mini-Greenhouses

FROM THE PRODUCE DEPARTMENT GROWING NEW PLANTS FROM VEGGIES, FRUITS & HERBS

Propagation and Growing Tips

Stratification

Hardening Off

Roughing Up

Use Good Sterile Medium for Seed Starting

Provide Drainage in All Containers

Propagation & Growing Methods for Popular Edibles

Avocado Pit (seed)

Beans

Beets

Carrots

Garlic

Ginger

Grapefruit

Grapes

Green Onions (Scallions)

Guava

Herbs

Horseradish

Jerusalem Artichokes (Sunchokes)

Kiwifruit

Leeks

Lemon Grass

Lemons

Limes

Mango

Melons

Olives

Onions

Oranges

Papaya

Passion Fruit (Passionfruit)

Peaches

Peanuts (raw)

Peppers

Pineapples

Pomegranate

Potatoes

Strawberries

Sunflower seeds (raw - in the hull)

Sweet Potatoes

Tomatoes

Water Cress

Yams

Harder to Grow but Not Out of the Question

Cherimoya (Custard Apple)

Apples, Apricots, Blackberries, Cherries, Grapes, Nectarines, Peaches, Persimmons, Plums, Raspberries

Almonds, Black Walnuts, Hickories, Pecans

Final Thoughts

GROWING VEGETABLES INDOORS

Vegetables That Can Be Successfully Grown Indoors

Issues to Keep in Mind for Growing Success

Let’s Get Growin’

Soil Requirements

Water Requirements

Pollination Requirements

Pest Control

Final Thoughts

PLANT SHOPPING - LOOK FOR BONUS PLANTS IN EACH POT

COLD FRAMES & ROW COVERS

Ideas for Cold Frames

Ideas for Row Cover

How to Construct a Simple Row Cover aka Hoop House

IF YOUR VEGETABLE GARDEN SPACE IS JUST TOO SMALL TRY VERTICAL GARDENING

Vertical Structure Ideas for the Garden

A Vertical Wall of Hanging Baskets

Some Unusual Ways to Provide a Vertical Growing Space

A Box with Cubby Holes

A Plastic Hanging Shoe Caddy

The Espalier Technique for Fruit Trees

CHAPTER 2

DIY IDEAS FOR RECYCLING ALL SORTS OF THINGS INTO VERSATILE TOOLS, GARDEN HELPERS & THINGAMAJIGS

TOOLS, GOOD GADGETS & WHATNOTS

Items from the Kitchen

Items from around the House

Items from the Office

Furniture Items & Accessories

Cabinets and Shelving Units

Drawer and Cabinet Handles

Dressers and Nightstands

Metal Shoe Rack

Baby Changing Table

Garden Helpers & Good Gadgets

Homemade Plant Ties

Kneeling Pad

Make a Dirt or Compost Sifter

Tote Bags Aren’t Just for Totin’

Make a Rain Gauge

Hose Corral

Cheap Hose Hanger Bracket for a Wall or Post

Make a Soaker Hose

Tool Blade Protectors

Garden Tool Rack

Super-Grip Clips

Garbage Can Storage Bin

Just Drag It to Move It

Measuring Cups

Diggers and Gougers

5-Gallon Buckets

Past-Their-Prime Large Plastic Planters

Tool Clean-Up Tricks

Refurbish Wooden Handles

Good Ideas that Provide Extra Assistance

Put Your Arm to Use to Help You Hold Tools

Lengthen Hand Tools So You Don’t Have to Kneel or Bend

CHAPTER 3

ALL ABOUT COMPOSTING, SOIL & SOIL AMENDMENT METHODS

COMPOSTING

Four Basic Ways to Produce Compost

A Cold Compost Pile

A Hot or Active Compost Pile

Lasagna or Sheet Composting

Pit or Trench Composting

Basic Composting Know-How

What are Greens and Browns?

Should Compost Stink?

Is Compost a Fertilizer?

Can It Be Used as a Top-Dressing or Mulch?

What Are the Size Requirements for a Composting Site?

Can I Compost in the Winter?

What is the Best Location for a Bin, Structure, or Pile?

What Does Heat Have to Do with Composting?

Types of Outdoor Composting Bins or Structures

The Simplest Structure - A Compost Heap

Trash Can Bin

Shipping Pallet Bin

Tire Compost Bin

Simple Chicken Wire Compost Bin

Straw Bales Compost Bin

Kind of Fancy & Imaginative Bins

Turning the Pile - It’s All about Oxygen

Turning Tools

PVC Air Tube

Greens & Browns - The Basic Ingredients of Compost

Greens - Nitrogen Rich Materials

Browns - Carbon Rich Materials

Last but Not Least – Moisture is Required to Get the Pile Cooking

Final Thought on Greens and Browns

Pretty-Darn-Good Basic Compost Recipe

About the Addition of Manure, Compost, or Soil

Troubleshooting Tips

Insects That Are OK

Easy Laid-Back No Maintenance Composting Methods

The Layer-It-and-Forget-It Compost Pile

Build a Leaf Pile and Forget It Method

Bag ‘Em Up Method Using Leaves

Till ‘Em into the Soil Method

Sheet Composting (aka Lasagna Gardening)

How to Build a Layered Compost Garden Bed

Interbay Mulch

Interbay Mulch Recipe

Liquid Composts

Use a Blender or Food Processor

Compost Tea

Bucket-Fermentation Brewing

Aerated Compost Tea

Miscellaneous

Where to Get Lots of Greens for Free

Where to Get Lots of Browns for Free

Composting for Apartment or Townhouse Owners / Dwellers

Composting with Worms

Composting with Human Manure? Well … I’ll Say!

MULCH THAT’S FREE FOR THE TAKING

Dried Leaves

Pine Needles

Wood Chips

Christmas Trees

Shredded Paper

Grass Clippings

Straw

Natural Cat Litters

More Mulch Than You Know What to Do With?

ERR … UM … USES FOR URINE IN THE GARDEN

Liquid Gold - Some Basic Facts

HOMEMADE POTTING SOIL RECIPES

The Most Frugal Method of All - Use Sterilized Garden Soil

Small Batch Method

Large Batch Method

How to Sterilize Soil Outdoors

Re-Energize Your Sterilized Soil

Potting Soil Recipes

Basic Potting Soil Recipe #1

Basic Potting Soil Recipe #2

Acid-Loving Plants Recipe (Azaleas, Camellias, etc.)

Bulbs Recipe (Tulips, Daffodils, etc.)

Cacti and Succulents Recipe

Alpine Plants Recipe

Orchids and Bromeliads Recipe

FREE FILL DIRT

Tons of Dirt.com

Dirt Locate.com

Commercial Mushroom Growers

Residential and Commercial Contractors & Building Companies

Look for Someone Putting in a Swimming Pool

Look on Craigslist.org or Similar Type Websites

Do an Online Search for Fill Dirt Exchange

INDOOR VERMICOMPOSTING - COMPOSTING WITH WORMS

Simple & Cheap Homemade Worm Bin

About Bedding Materials

How and What to Feed the Worms

How to Start Off Successfully - The First Feeding

Feeding Schedule

Do You Turn the Materials in a Worm Bin like You Would in a Regular Compost Bin?

Worm Tea

When & How to Harvest the Worm Castings

Troubleshooting - Some Common Problems

They’re Eating Too Slowly

Smelly Stinky Bin

Moldy Food

Worms Are Avoiding the Bedding & Crawling Onto the Sides or Lid of the Bin

Worms Are Crawling Out of the Bin

Fruit Flies

Red Mites

CHAPTER 4

DOABLE DIY PROJECTS

BIRD BATH IDEAS

DIY Bird Baths

Quick ‘n Easy Bird Baths

Make a Simple Concrete Bird Bath Basin without a Mold

GUTTER GARDENS

HOMEMADE WHEELBARROW & TWO-WHEELED GARDEN CART

Simplest-Of-Simple Wheelbarrows

One-Wheel Wheelbarrow

Two Wheeled Garden Cart

RAIN CHAINS

Easy Project #1 - Use Ready-Made Chain

Items Needed

Hanger Options

Installing the Rain Chain

Easy Project #2 - Make a Chain from Ready-Made Rings

Semi-Easy Project #1 – A Rope Rain Chain with Collection Cups from Recycled Items

Semi-Easy Project #2 – Make a Chain from Copper Tubing

Semi-Easy Project #3 – Chainless Rain Chain Using Plastic Drinking Glasses

How to Make Flower Shaped Cups Using Aluminum Soda Cans

PATHWAYS, WALKWAYS, PATIOS & EVEN DRIVEWAYS

Broken Concrete

Broken Granite and Marble

CHAPTER 5

NON-TOXIC, ECO-FRIENDLY RECIPES & SOLUTIONS FOR HANDLING PESTS, CRITTERS, EVEN WEEDS

HOMEMADE HAND CLEANSERS

Hand Cleanser for Really Dirty Hands

Good All-Around Hand Cleanser

Super Dirt & Grease Remover Hand Cleanser

HOMEMADE ORGANIC FERTILIZER

The Recipe

How Much to Apply to Your Garden

Why Seed Meal?

Why Bone Meal?

Why Lime?

Why Kelp?

Organic Fertilizer Safe Handling Precautions

Indispensible Super Easy Growth Boosters

Epsom Salt

Calcium for Your ‘Maters

Kelp

Compost Tea

HOMEMADE ECO-FRIENDLY NATURAL PESTICIDE RECIPES

Pest Control - Know Thy Garden’s Enemies

Who Eats What?

Before You Spray

A Little Insecticide History

Companion Planting - Plants & Herbs to Deter Bugs & Pests

Companion Plants and Herbs List

Basil

Bee Balm

Borage

Calendula, Nasturtium, Poppies, & Marigolds

Catnip

Chamomile

Chervil

Chive

Dill

Fennel

Garlic

Horseradish

Marigolds

Mint

Oregano

Rosemary

Rue

Sage

Summer savory

Tarragon

Thyme

How to Use a Companion Plant as an Organic Insecticidal Spray

Nematode Control

Help for Cabbage

Help for Tomatoes

The Recipes

Before You Begin Mixing - Outgas the Water

Containers for the Insecticides

Additional Tips

The Simplest of Simple - Insecticidal Soap

Insecticidal Soap Concentrate

Liquid Detergent and Oil Sprays

Homemade Insecticides Using Plants

Plant Insecticidal Spray Recipes

Eggplant Leaf Spray

Elder Leaf (Elderberry) Spray

Garlic Spray

Horseradish Spray

Jimson Weed Spray

Onion Spray

Orange Peel Spray

Pepper Spray

Petunia Leaf Spray

Ploughman's Spikenard (aka Great Fleabane) Spray

Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis) Spray

Potato Leaf Spray

Rhubarb Leaf Spray

Spearmint Leaf Spray

Stinging Nettle Leaf Spray

Tomato Leaf Spray

Yarrow Spray

Miscellaneous Insecticide Treatments

Bug Juice Cocktail Spray

Capsaicin Dust

Make a Quick ‘N Easy Homemade Duster

Diatomaceous Earth

Horticultural Oil Spray

Nematode Sugar Drench

Talcum Powder

Nicotine Tea Spray

Hydrated Lime (Calcium Hydroxide) Spray

Pyrethrum - Not a Homemade Spray

Ducks - Yes! Domestic Ducks for Totally Organic Pest Control

Let's Not Forget about Chickens, Either

HUMANE & NON-TOXIC CRITTER CONTROL

Prevent Hungry Rabbits from Feasting in Your Garden

Rabbit Deterrents

Other Measures That Can Be Taken

Dealing with Destructive Rodents & Insectivores

Goodbye Garden Gophers - How to Get Rid of Them

Get a Dog or Cat

Install a Barrier

Make a Homemade Gopher Gone Repellent

Flood ‘Em Out

Trap Them

How to Get Rid Of Moles and Voles

Castor Oil Lawn Spray Concentrate

Castor Oil Hole Drench Concentrate

Bubble Gum or Juicy Fruit Gum Mole Bait

Other Deterrent Options

How to Get Rid of Squirrels

Hot Pepper Sauce Repellent

Petroleum Jelly/Red Pepper Smear

Hot Pepper Spray

Leaf Spray Repellent

Squirrel Repellent Dust

Keeping Dogs & Cats Out of Garden Beds - Repellents & Deterrents

Why Not to Use Mothballs or Hot Pepper Repellents

Kitty Chase-Away Methods

Essential Oil Repellents

Other Ideas to Protect Specific Areas

WEED CONTROL - HERBICIDES & BARRIERS

Boiling Hot Water

Vinegar - 5% or Stronger

Salt

Corn Gluten, aka Corn Gluten Meal or Corn Gluten Feed

Cheap Weed Barriers - Forget Buying Landscape Cloth

Newspaper and Cardboard

Plastic

Carpet or Old Rugs

Fall Time Tips

CHAPTER 6

KEEPING YOUR GARDEN NICE & TIDY CAGES, SUPPORTS, MARKERS & MORE

REBAR - IT’S NOT JUST FOR INDUSTRIAL USE

Some of the Many Uses for Rebar in the Garden

PLANT CAGES, SUPPORTS & STAKES

Concrete Reinforcing Wire Cages

Round Cage

Square Cage

Other Shapes

PVC Pipe or Copper Tubing Cages

5-Foot High Rectangular Cage

Spiral Support

How to Make the Spiral

Tripod Support

How to Make the Tripod

Double Tripod Method

Simple Horizontal Support - A Plant Ladder

Simple Vertical Supports - Plant Stakes

PLANT MARKERS - ALMOST FREE OR TOTALLY FREE IDEAS

Creatively Frugal Plant Marker Ideas

Hanging Plant Tags

Make Use of Paper Seed Packets

Best Pens, Pencils & Markers to Use for Labeling

Homemade Sealer

PLANT DISPLAY SHELVES FROM RECYCLED ITEMS

Book Case

Wooden Ladder

Metal & Plastic Shelving

Display Ideas

Supports Made from Repurposed Items

Shelves Made from Repurposed Items

PLANTERS WITH A CREATIVE TWIST

Plastic Bucket Planters

Metal Buckets & Containers

Bushel Baskets

Wooden Drawers

Old Tires

Rolls of Wire Fencing

Other Ideas

A MYRIAD OF USES FOR LARGE PLASTIC JUGS & BOTTLES

Cloches

Temporary Plant Containers for Transporting Small Plants

Seed Starting Pots

Flower Pots

Decorative Pot Liners

Slow Drip Irrigation

Heat Traps

Great Garden Scoop

In-a-Pinch Watering Can

Uses for Heavy-Duty Jugs like Gallon Vinegar Jugs

Mini-Watering Hole or Water Dish

Slug & Snail Bait Dish

Weights

55-GALLON BARRELS FOR RAINWATER COLLECTION, GROWING PLANTS & MORE

Where to Scout for Free Barrels

Using the Barrels

Rainwater Collection

Strawberry Barrel Idea

Cut a Barrel in Half for Instant Raised (and Movable) Beds

CHAPTER 7

A HODGEPODGE OF CREATIVE YET FRUGAL GARDENING TIPS & HOW-TOS

PLANTS - GROWING & TAKING CARE OF THEM

Penny-Pinching Plant Sources

Seed Saving

Grow Plants from Cuttings

Hydrogen Peroxide for Seedlings & Cuttings

Damping Off Trouble

Homemade Rooting Hormone - Willow Tea

Tree Grafting Wax

Collars to Protect Seedlings & Young Plants

PLANTING & GARDENING RELATED

Toting Garden Refuse Made Easy

Free Planting Containers

Improving Drainage in Containers

Soil Saving Method for Large Container Plantings

Sifter or Drying Screen

Quick Raised Bed

Pond Algae Fertilizer

Increase Melon & Squash Yields with Protective Pads

Step on Seed Rows for Faster Germination

Hold Down Landscape Fabric, Plant Cages, etc.

Have a Tarp On-Hand - Be Armed & Ready

Save Those Mesh Produce Bags

Start a Local Plant Swap Group

Cages for Winter Protection

Peony, Dahlia & Tall Plant Supports

Plastic 6-Pack Rings

Upside-Down Tomato Cages

Wreath Holders

Ways to Conserve Water for Watering Purposes

MISCELLANEOUS NEAT IDEAS

Potting Bench Refuse-Catcher

Tool Handle Grippers

Hose Guides

Twine Holders

Empty Plastic Prescription Pill Bottles

New Life for Leftover Soap Scraps

Vinegar Uses in the Garden

Best Home Remedy for Mosquito Bites & Bug Stings

Clay Pot Cleaning

Kill Grass

Kill Weeds

Deter Ants

Keep Cats Away

Freshen Cut Flowers

Mouse Trap Clips

Easy Way to Shred Leaves

Reuse Plastic Grocery Bags

Make Rope

Protect Shoes

Line Hanging Baskets

Reuse Large Waxed Bags

FREE STUFF - IDEAS & SOURCES

Free Shrubs & Plants

Free Container Garden Plants

Free Rocks & Stones

Free Fencing

Free Buckets

Free Edging

Free Garden Row & Pathway Materials

Recycled Wooden Pallet Structures

Raid Jobsite Dumpsters

Garden Items (and Other Stuff) for Free

ENDNOTES

About the Author

I've been interested in gardening and everything else that has to do with it for most of my adult life. Throughout the years I’ve lived in a variety of places, but whether it was an apartment where I utilized many containers and hanging plants to make a lush balcony green-space for myself or now, a home with ample space to have a garden for flowers and vegetables, I have always had plants growing in any available space where a container could be placed or where a garden bed could be made. I just love planting things and watching them grow plus I really like to work in the dirt. It’s so relaxing and is definitely one form of stress-relief I thoroughly enjoy.

I’ve always been interested in learning how to be a better gardener; how to make tasks easier on myself, when possible; how to make a homemade garden doodad out of materials that I have lying around, instead of buying it; how to improve my soil, since it seems I’ve always lived where the soil was really pretty lousy … the list goes on.

I also grew up in a very artistic and creative household, and though I don’t profess to be able to draw a straight line, I do enjoy more craft oriented projects. With my love of gardening, making garden art objects became an interest. I soon started working with hypertufa to make planting troughs and such.

Next thing I knew this garden art interest of mine lead me to creating my first website, The-Artistic-Garden.com, where I have shared many of my how to make garden art tips and techniques over the years. Soon thereafter the Hypertufa How-To Manual book was launched. And now … The Shoestring Gardener has blossomed.

Introduction

Money isn’t everything,

but creativeness, resourcefulness, and ingenuity is!

In this book you will find information on how to be a more successful and eco-conscious gardener. I've learned everything I've shared here by trial and error in my own garden, by researching and reading throughout the years to find solutions to my garden problems or by stumbling upon new ways and ideas that I wanted to experiment with. My whole agenda has been how to have the healthiest, happiest flowers and veggies possible, while not having to toil and sweat long, hard, back-breaking hours to do so. What you'll read on the following pages are some of the best, most imaginative and most frugal ways I know to approach many aspects of gardening.

I’ll show you ways to not only improve your results in the garden in an environmentally friendly way but also how to be a clever and frugal gardener too. Gardening isn’t supposed to be only tedious and tiresome work, though at times it might be. Rather, gardening should be a way for us to relax and enjoy ourselves no matter what the task is that we’re engaged in, to help us get our minds off the trials and tribulations of daily life, and to get closer with nature.

I’ve written this book with a huge focus on how to be a responsible recycler – we must work together to help Mother Earth not become a vast dumping ground! With so many of us wisely becoming more and more budget minded in all areas of our life, it’s not difficult at all to save oodles of money in your gardening pursuits if you follow the helpful and creative tips and instructions found on these pages. And really, it’s so easy to be a shoestring gardener. Sometimes homemade is much better than store bought.

Don’t be afraid to try a new technique or new way of doing something. As example:

• Learn how to greatly improve your garden soil beyond belief with simple, very easy methods. Nutrient and microbe-rich soil produces happy vigorous plants. You’ll have healthier trees, shrubs, and flowers, and your veggie crops will contain more nutrients too.

• Build a cold frame or row cover so you can start to garden a bit earlier than the normal spring planting date for your zone or to extend your growing season a bit.

• Plant a vegetable garden that includes seeds or cuttings taken from produce purchased at the grocery store or farmers market. Grow more veggies to help stretch your food-dollars.

• Learn how to make a multitude of useful gardening tools and other implements (that are often expensive to purchase) from materials and items that normally end up being discarded in the trash or the recycling bin.

• Stop bugs, pests, and destructive garden critters from destroying your lawn and garden using simple to make non-toxic sprays, drenches, and dusts. You’ll save lots of money by making your own and you’ll also be assured that your family and pets are not being subjected to harmful chemicals.

Whether you’re using this book as a springboard to learn eco-friendly and more cost-saving ways to enhance your gardening know-how or you’ve got some gardening problems that you want to jump right in and solve … then I believe you’ll find those answers and more right here. Everything that’s shared here is tried and true, and has either worked well for me or for one of my gardening friends.

Though you might think there are some chapters that don’t apply to you now, you never know. In the future the information might be just what you need. And don’t be afraid to do some tweaking or adjusting to any tip, project, or concoction. After all, sometimes putting your own spin on a great idea will work even better for you in your particular situation.

I do hope I’ll help you to become frugally creative and enthusiastically frugal, that you’ll learn many new ways to approach gardening challenges, and that’ll you’ll really be able to stretch your gardening budget in ways you never thought you could. But most importantly I hope I’ll plant a seed of awareness within you to be kinder and more considerate to Mother Earth. On these pages I've imparted hundreds of ideas that should help to spark a greater awareness on how we can be more eco-conscious. Even if you do something as simple as the next time you’re ready to toss out a plastic jug or container, you wonder instead if there's a way you can recycle it for a new purpose ... then rest assured you’ll get two thumbs up from me!

May you always have lush flowering plants, bountiful crops, and years and years of gardening enjoyment.

With best wishes for you, your family, and your garden,

Chapter 1

Everything about Starting & Growing Plants

Seed Starting: Containers & Mini-Greenhouse Ideas

Recycling containers and other items to help get a head start on the growing season shouldn’t be too hard for anyone to do. If you look at every food container that you usually place in your recycling bin or throw away, you will begin to see potential pots, planters or mini-greenhouses everywhere.

As example, so many food items and fresh produce come in little plastic baskets or nifty hinged clear plastic containers that are just begging to be reused! Think about the woven plastic baskets that strawberries come in. These can be used as sinkable planters that allow you to start the seeds and then transplant the sprouts into the ground without ever having to disturb the sprouts’ roots. Or how about those plastic containers that have a clear top that snaps onto, or is hinged to, the bottom section? These type containers can become instant little greenhouses, lending the perfect solution to helping get seeds sprouting and growing in an ideal environment. All you have to do is add soil, enough moisture, warmth, and light.

Tip #1: No matter what you use for seed starting, make sure to label and date the container with the kind of seeds used and the date you planted them.

Tip #2: Save money on soil. If you’re like me, each spring I have a couple of planters that are still filled with soil but don’t have plants. Maybe I’d planted it with annuals or the pot had a plant that I moved into the garden when fall rolled around or worse, maybe it held a plant that didn’t make it through the season. Well, this soil is still usable and quite okay to use in starter pots. To be on the safe side, sterilize it in your oven to make sure there are no pathogens left behind. (Refer to my instructions for soil sterilization methods.)

Different Things That Can Be Used for Seed Starting

It’s not just plastic containers that can be recycled. Here’s a bunch of great ideas:

• Egg cartons: Either the pressed cardboard or pressed foam kind, though a foam carton works better as it doesn’t wick away water from the soil. First, cut off the top lid to use as a drainage tray. Then, poke 3 to 4 holes in the bottom of each little cup with a toothpick. Fill each cup with potting soil, plant your seeds and then water.

The only issue to be aware of is that some longer-root plants may not grow well in the shallow cups. And don’t put too many seeds into each cup as again, there isn’t a lot of extra growing room in the cups once the plants get growing.

• Plastic baggies and paper towels for quick germination: Just place the seeds of one kind of plant onto one half of a dampened paper towel; then fold over the other half to cover the seeds. Place the damp paper towel into a baggie (a zip lock type works best), seal shut and place in a warm spot, such as on top of the refrigerator, to aid in a more rapid germination of the seeds. Keep an eye on the seeds because once you see little roots and tiny top growth sprouting, it’s time to transfer the sprouts into small containers to grow some more before placing out in your garden.

• Recycle used paper or plastic cups: Just poke a hole or two in the cup’s bottom, add some potting soil, and plant your seeds. You can place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the cup, secured with a rubber band, to act as a greenhouse roof to help hold in moisture until the seeds sprout.

• Make your own little starter pots from newspaper. This is an old-fashioned solution that was in use way before preformed peat pots and expanding peat pellets became available. There is a little wooden gizmo that is sold to shape these small pots, but I don’t see the value of spending the money when using a can or glass works just as well. (Refer to the instructions in this chapter on how to make newspaper pots.)

• Use empty cardboard toilet paper rolls. Cut about six slits around one edge, about 1-inch straight down into the tube. Then, carefully fold over each section made by the slits. This will form a bottom in the tube to hold in the soil. These can be placed directly into the soil, just like newspaper pots.

Or, don’t bother to make a closed bottom end. Simply hold a roll in one hand, with the open bottom against the palm of your hand. Then, using your other hand, fill the roll with an inch or two of moistened soil, tamping it down firmly with your fingers or other blunt object. This method is usually sufficient to hold the soil in place. Experiment and see which way works best for you.

• Small woven plastic baskets, like strawberries are sold in, make great little pots for annuals or other type seedlings that are finicky about being directly sown into your garden, or don’t transplant well if their roots are disturbed in the transplanting process. They’re also a good solution if you’re not quite sure where you ultimately want a plant to be placed in your garden but you want to get it started early in the season. If you don’t leave it in the ground for too long, most times the roots haven’t yet made their way out through the sides of the basket, thus allowing you to carefully dig up and replant the basket in its final spot in the garden.

If the weave in the basket causes moistened soil to easily fall out, then do this: Line the basket with a coffee filter or two, a brown paper lunch bag, a layer of newspaper, or a paper towel. Carefully line the basket, add in good soil, and add the seeds. When it’s time to transplant, just sink the basket into the garden soil. The paper liner you used will soften from moisture and the growing seedlings' roots won’t have a problem finding their way out of the basket’s open-weave sides.

• Brown lunch bags make great pots to use when dealing with plants that really can’t tolerate being disturbed in order to transplant them into the garden. Turn down the top edge a time or two to make it the desired height; next, using a cooking spray made from canola or olive oil, spray the inside of the bag generously; let air dry; fill with good soil or compost; and plant your seeds. Then, when it’s time to place them in the garden, just dig a hole and place the entire pot into the soil. The bags will easily decompose.

• Paper coffee filters are some gardeners favorite material to use for seed sprouting. Like the paper towel in a baggie method, you can utilize the filter in the same way. Moisten the filter with water, lay some seeds on one half, and then fold over the other half to cover the seeds. Place the filter into a baggie and close it up and wait a few days to see sprouts. Then you can either transplant the sprouts into individual starter pots or plant them directly out into the garden if it’s the right time of the season in your planting zone to plant outdoors.

• Use the bottom of a plastic tray and paper coffee filters. First, line the tray bottom – do not poke holes in the bottom – with a 1/2-inch or so of small pebbles or gravel. Aquarium gravel works quite well. Then add water until you can see it almost touching the top of the pebbles.

Next, sprinkle out your seeds in groups (if you’ve got room to sprout more than one kind of seed) on top of the pebbles. This is where large deli party trays really come in handy. These larger trays are usually already sectioned off, making it easier to start different kinds of seeds in one tray.

Note: This method works better with larger seeds like peas or beans, as smaller ones are prone to falling through the pebbles and end up rotting in the water.

Now it’s time to cover the seeds with coffee filters – you’ll want to use two together for a double thickness. If necessary, cut them down to size to properly cover the seeds. Write the type of seed and date planted on the filter using an ink pen. An ink pen works best versus a marker because a wet filter won’t make the ink run.

Then lay the double filters over all the seeds and using a spray bottle, mist thoroughly to saturate the filters. Or, wet the filters under a running faucet first, gently squeeze out the excess and then cover the seeds.

Once you’ve got everything all set up, just place the lid on the tray and wait for little sprouts to start to appear. Make sure to keep a spray bottle handy to mist the filters any time they begin to dry out. You want to keep the filters moist.

This method allows you to know for sure that a seed has sprouted before you put it in its starter pot, or out into the garden. Handle the little sprouts very carefully while transferring into soil. I suggest you use a pencil or similar object to poke a hole down into the soil first, allowing you to easily place the sprout into its new spot without risking the chance of harming the little root.

After transplanting the seedlings into your garden, you may have to contend with a threat of them wilting in the midday sun until they get established. Use gallon milk jugs, with the bottom cut off and the caps removed, to use as protection. Place the jugs over the transplants for a few days right after planting them in the soil.

If they’re really delicate, or the sun is blazing hot, then I often use buckets and larger size plastic garden pots for the same purpose. Even though sunshine can’t get through the bucket or garden pot, it’s not that big of an issue, as the little plants really just need to get acclimated for a few days. I usually also prop up an edge of the bucket or pot to allow air circulation. Just make sure to take a look at the seedlings each day to make sure they don’t need water and that they’re doing okay.

How to Make Newspaper Starter Pots

Here are instructions to make wonderful little pots that can be transplanted right into the garden soil along with the seedlings. You won’t have to worry about transplant shock using a pot made from biodegradable material like newspaper, which will break down in about 1 to 5 months.

To make the pots you’ll need black and white newspaper. Nowadays most all B&W newspaper is printed with soy-based inks which are totally safe for your plants. And you’ll need an empty small can the size of an 8 oz. tomato paste can or larger, or use a tall straight-sided drinking glass. It all depends upon the type of seeds you want to sprout. Some sprouts, like beans, are much larger and deep rooted when it’s time to transplant them outside, as compared to tiny lettuce sprouts. Plus, a properly proportioned but adequate sized pot will help you save on soil costs, especially if you’re using packaged potting soil.

A half sheet of newspaper is enough to use for making small pots, like those made using a tomato paste can. But for larger pots, a full sheet of newspaper will be needed to make a sturdier pot. Make a pot in both sizes as a test-run – then decide if a half or full size sheet of newspaper is enough and if the finished pot is the size you need. It’s only newspaper, so experiment first.

To teach you the basic steps, I’ve referred to using a full sheet of newspaper in the instructions, which works well on a 10 oz. or larger can. But you will use these same steps for half-sheet size pots as well.

1. Fold one full sheet of newspaper in half lengthwise and then fold it in half lengthwise again. Crease both folds crisply with your hands.

2. Place the open end of your can at one end of the newspaper, about half way down from the creased edges and begin to tightly and evenly roll the paper around the can to form a cylinder.

3. You’ll now have a newspaper tube; and there should be newspaper extending up from the open edge of the can.

4. Now you’ll begin to form the flat bottom of your pot. Stuff/fold over the extended portion of the newspaper into the center of the can. You don’t have to do it perfectly – just fold it (stuff it) in.

5. Next, pull the newspaper tube off of the can. It’ll probably not want to come off very easily – there’s a bit of suction power happening