Each and every year, we like to try out a few new garden tricks and experiments in our garden.
It might be a new or better way to protect plants from pests or animals. Or an easier way to accomplish a garden task.
Or perhaps, a new way to grow cucumbers or potatoes.
No matter what it is, it is a way for us to keep on trying to learn what works best. And more importantly, to inject a little fun into our garden.
Some, like the stake-a-cage, have worked incredibly well. While other have flat out failed.
But the fun really is in the trying!
We thought for this week’s garden article, we would pass along 5 of our all time favorites.
5 Garden Tricks And Experiments To Try In Your Garden
#1 Using Hot Peppers To Deter Pests
Hot peppers can do more than just light up your taste buds. They can also help to deter many pests from devouring garden plants.
For years now, we plant our hottest pepper varieties around the outer rows and the edge of our garden. We also plant them in our flowerbeds as well.
The colorful pepper blooms add a lot of interest and beauty. And they serve to protect too.
The “ring-of-fire” around the outer edges of the garden and in flowerbeds serves as a deterrent. Especially to animals like rabbits, squirrels and groundhogs.
Does it really work? All we can say is that is interesting that we only have a few nibbles of those outer plants every year.
And the inside plantings are left alone.
We love using our Chinese 5 Color Hot Peppers for this chore.
With it’s hundreds of 5-color peppers, it is beautiful as well. Seed Link : 5 Color Chinese Pepper Seeds
#2 Growing Cucumbers With Straw Bales
This is one of our more recent experiments, and has really worked wonders!
Who knew cucumbers could grow so well?
We cut 3 evenly spaced holes on top of a straw bale. We make each hole approximately 8” deep and 6” in diameter.
Next we fill the holes with a mixture of compost, potting soil and worm castings. And then the magic begins!
The plants have produced more than we could ever have imagined. And the height of the straw bale is perfect to let the plants use a trellis to cascade over.
See: See : An Amazing Way To Growing Cucumbers
#3 Using Egg Shells In The Garden
Start saving those egg shells now for planting day!
Blossom rot is a serious problem for many gardeners that love to grow tomatoes. The main culprit is a lack of calcium in the soil.
A few crushed egg shells placed into each planting hole will help give tomatoes the calcium they need.
In the process, it can help to greatly reduce blossom rot too.
But eggs shells can do so much more in the garden.
They are great to sprinkle around the top of each plant to help stop slugs. The sharp edges of crushed shells are deadly to slugs as they slither across.
And, crushed egg shells are a perfect addition to the compost pile too.
#4 Planting With A Post Hole Digger
The post hole digger is one of our all-time favorite garden tricks. And, an amazingly quick way to plant vegetable transplants.
Stop killing your back and knees planting with shovels and trowels.
All you need is a post hole digger to easily and quickly create the perfect planting hole.
With one simple push into the soil, a post hole digger quickly creates a deep, uniform planting hole.
And it makes a perfect opening for back-filling with the perfect soil mix for growing plants.
We mix compost, egg shells, worm castings and coffee grounds along with the garden soil to back-fill. Product Link : Post Hole Digger
#5 Using Pantyhose In The Garden
Do you have issues with cabbage worms and pests attacking the heads of your cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower?
Pantyhose can help!
Old pantyhose have been used for years to tie up tomato and pepper plants. But they have another great use as one of our nifty garden tricks.
And that is to protect the heads of cabbage, broccoli and more.
As the young heads begin to emerge, slip a covering of pantyhose over top of the heads.
The covering makes a great barrier against all kinds of pests.
And the elasticity allows the heads of your plants to grow easily with the pantyhose.
It will protect them all the way to maturity.
Here is to trying a few new garden tricks this year! Happy Gardening – Jim and Mary.
Old World Garden
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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