Gardening is an amazing hobby to take up thanks to all the benefits that it has to offer. It may be a bit of a learning curve to know how to do it well, however, because of the sheer volume of information surrounding gardening. Here are four helpful tips to make it easier for you to garden that you’ve probably never thought of to give you some ideas on how to improve your gardening efforts.

1. Remove All Jewelry

First off, it’s a good idea to remove any jewelry that you may be wearing before you go to your garden. This includes dandling earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. The main reason to do this is that while gardening, a piece of jewelry may get stuck on a gardening tool and get destroyed or even hurt you. Sensitive jewelry will also likely tarnish under the effects of earth, gardening tools, and any cleaning solutions and more that may come into contact with them. Since the fingers may expand when exerted during gardening, a ring you put on with no issue may become stuck after a serious gardening session. In this case, you should not pull it hard or panic. Instead, submerge your hand in ice-cold water for 10 to 20 seconds then remove it from the water. After this, try to wiggle the ring up and down to get it off and it may come off easily.

2. Make Use of Leftover Coffee Grinds

If you enjoy a regular cup of coffee every morning, consider collecting any leftover coffee or coffee grinds to use in your garden. Sprinkling these around your plants will do a great job deterring snails, slugs, and fungal growth in general. As a plus, they will add magnesium, potassium, nitrogen, copper, and phosphorus to the soil and help your plants thrive. These can be especially beneficial for different herbs and vegetables that you may grow, and they are a natural alternative to chemicals that you may purchase. Additionally, this is great for the environment! Consider starting a compost with other leftover food if you haven’t already.

3. Consider Purchasing Flood Insurance

If you live in an area that has some risk for floods, you will do well to get flood insurance. If you have invested a lot of time and money into your garden, you would not like to see it all get washed away unexpectedly. Check to see if your home is in a flood zone if you aren’t sure. Remember that flood zones are always being updated, with around 25% of flood damage occurring in areas that are not considered to be high-risk flood zones. Purchasing flood insurance is a great way to secure your garden and your home as you cover the gaps that your homeowner’s insurance may have left.

4. Try a Mobile Garden

If you are not too sure if you will stay in your current home for a long time, there’s no reason why this should stop you from the joys that come with having a garden. Try planting a mobile garden and you can move with it if you do move. Since the average American moves around 12 times in their lifetime, this may be the best idea depending on your home situation. When you plant a mobile garden, you no longer have to worry about toiling with the soil only to leave all that you had planted behind. Look online for some images of ideas that you can use to plant a mobile garden and try them out for a chance to get some amazing results.

With these gardening tips, you have hopefully learned something that you didn’t know before. Put this new knowledge to good use and you may get amazing results from your productive and green hobby! Don’t wait until you lose jewelry or your garden floods. Get started today!

Have you ever looked at your tiny outdoor area and thought there’s no way you could ever grow anything in there? Well, think again. With a little creativity, even the smallest outdoor space can be transformed into a productive garden. Whether you’re thinking of growing your favorite herbs or veggies, there are many ways to get the most out of your limited space. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Plan for a Garden From the Design Stage

When you’re planning to build a new home, take the time to consider how you can incorporate a garden into your design. You can do this by working with a design-build firm. Design-build companies have a team of experts who handle everything from start to finish on a house project. This means they can work with you to come up with a plan that will include a garden area that makes the most of your space.

For example, if you have a small plot of land, the experts at a design-build company can work with you to create an L-shaped garden that will give you plenty of room to grow your favorite plants.

2. Consider Vertical Gardening

Another option is to create a vertical garden. This type of garden is perfect for small spaces because it takes up very little ground space. There are many different ways to create a vertical garden, such as installing trellises, hanging up baskets, or even stacking pots on top of each other. Not only does this save space, but it also makes your garden more eye-catching and unique.

If you’re interested in vertical gardening, then be sure to do some research on the best plants for this type of gardening. Some plants, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans, are well-suited for vertical growth. Others, such as lettuce and spinach, may not do as well.

3. Work to Minimize Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is a common problem in small gardens. It takes away valuable nutrients from the soil and can make it difficult for plants to grow. The two major factors that determine the rate of erosion are the amount of bare ground and the length of time the soil is exposed. There are several ways to reduce erosion in your garden, such as adding mulch or using ground cover plants. Mulch is any material, such as wood chips, that you place on top of the soil to protect it from erosion. Ground cover plants spread out and cover the ground, which also helps to reduce erosion.

If you have a sloped garden, then erosion will be a bigger problem. In this case, you’ll need to take extra measures to prevent it. One option is to try and reduce the slope of your garden. This can be done by terracing or using retaining walls.

4. Use Companion Planting

Companion planting is a gardening technique that involves planting two or more different plants close together. This can have several benefits, such as deterring pests, improving the health of the plants, and even increasing yields. When companion planting, it’s important to choose plants that have complementary needs. For example, you wouldn’t want to plant a water-loving plant next to a drought-tolerant one.

There are many different combinations of plants that can be used for companion planting. Some popular combinations include tomatoes and basil, carrots and onions, and cabbage and celery.

5. Renovate Your Old Garden

According to iPropertyManagement, 28% of property owners believe renovating is a less expensive choice than purchasing a property that better meets their needs. Well, this rings true for gardens as well. If you have an existing garden that isn’t as productive as you’d like, then consider giving it a makeover.

Start by getting a soil test to see what nutrients your soil is lacking. Then, add some compost or other organic matter to the soil to improve its quality. Once you’ve done that, you can start planning what you’ll plant in your garden. Be sure to choose plants that are well-suited for your climate and soil type.

No matter what type of space you have to work with, there’s a way to turn it into a productive garden. By following these tips, you’ll be on your way to growing your own herbs, veggies, or flowers in no time. So, get out there and start gardening.

Some people like to use old tires in their gardening. However, you might wonder, “are old tires too to plants?” It’s important to think about those things, especially if you eat food from your garden.

How To Use Old Tires In Your Garden

There are so many great, fun ways to use old tires in a garden. You can create all kinds of fun garden decor and art like that shown above. Other ways to use old tires in your garden include:

• Hang a tire swing from a tree.
• Build a small playground for your kids or pets with old tires.
• Fill the center of tires with soil and plant in there for a unique plant bed.
• Hang tires to create shelving for a vertical garden.
• Build chairs, tables, and other lawn furniture from recycled tires.
• Use tires to create a big, dramatic garden border or fence or edge a pathway in your garden.
• Stack tires to create a retaining wall.

Are Old Tires Toxic to Plants?

Lots of people like the options above for their gardens. They’re fun. They keep tires out of landfills. It’s a great way to make new use of something old. But, are old tires toxic to plants?

There’s actually been a lot of debate about this in the gardening community over the years. Although there’s been some research, we still don’t have a clear answer that’s absolutely definitive. On one hand, tires do obviously contain harmful chemicals that are toxic to humans. These chemicals leach into the soil over time. On the other hand, the leaching process is so slow, particularly on really old tires that have already done most of their chemical off-gassing during years on the road, that they’re probably not actually harmfully toxic to most humans.

That’s the argument on either side. If you ask specifically “are old tires toxic to plants,” then the answer is basically no. The plants seem to still thrive. But if you want to know if they’re toxic to you if you eat plants grown in them, the answer isn’t as simple. Likely a little bit yes, enough to harm you – who knows?

If you have small children that play in the garden, pets that dig and romp in the garden, or you grow food in your garden, then you might want to err on the side of assuming that they could potentially be toxic.

Alternatives to Old Tires in the Garden

If you want to be better safe than sorry, then you might want to consider alternatives to using old tires in the garden. Lucy Bradley recommends upcycling wood in the garden instead. Specifically, she recommends non-treated wood, ACQ pressure-treated wood, and naturally rot-resistant wood. You can use wood to build planters, raised beds, fences, vertical gardens, and playgrounds in the garden. The important thing is that you make sure you choose wood that hasn’t been exposed to chemical treatments.

Likewise, you can upcycle stone, concrete, and bricks. Again, you just want to make sure that these recycled materials weren’t first exposed to chemicals like lead-based paint or asbestos. Think of it this way: if you wouldn’t use it in your house then you probably don’t want to use it in your garden.

Read More:

• 5 Reasons To use Fish Amino Acids on Your Plants
• Frugal Container Garden
• The Number One Tenant of Frugal Gardening

Germination refers to the process of a seed becoming a plant. Some people don’t mind a very slow process. They’ll plant flowers that take two years to show their colors. However, sometimes you want an experience a little bit closer to instant gratification. While no plant is going to germinate overnight, there are techniques to increase germination rate of seeds.

What does Increasing Germination Rate Mean?

Obviously, what you’re trying to do here is to reduce the amount of time it takes for your plants to go from a seed to what you’d commonly recognize as a plant (a flower, a vegetable, etc.) However, note that often the process is really about improving the conditions for the plant. In other words, when you make the conditions optimal, the plant grows more quickly. It’s not as if you pour some magic fairy dust on the seeds and they suddenly sprout. Instead, you listen to what the seeds need and give it to them. That said, some plants really need dormant periods and slow germination to grow correctly.

Techniques To Increase Germination Rate of Seeds

After you’ve done some research to make sure that it’s okay to speed things up, you might use these techniques to increase germination rate of seeds:

1. Find Out What Your Seeds Need

We’re going to have general tips here that apply to many plants. However, you really need to research what each of your specific seed types need for optimal growth. Plant them at the right time of year, in the right growing medium, with the correct sunlight to optimize germination rates.

2. Disinfect Seeds Before Planting

Science in Hydroponics recommends using hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite solutions to remove microorganisms that might slow down germination rates.

3. Pre-Treat Seeds With Polyethylene Glycol Treatments

Science in Hydroponics also recommends pre-treating your seeds with PEG-6000. The specific amount and approach varies depending on the seeds you’re trying to germinate.

4. Pre-Soak Seeds Before Planting in Soil

AcuRite notes that you should get started on the right foot by providing ample moisture for seeds before you even plant them.

5. Then Keep Watering Well

Seeds tend to need a lot of water to become plants. You’ll usually use more water for seeds than you will once the plant starts growing. So, although you certainly don’t want to overwater your seeds, you should make sure to keep them well-watered during those early days.

6. Plant Inside Before Outside

AcuRite also points out that you do best to plant your seeds inside first. Then, make an effort to acclimate them to the move outside. By doing this part slowly, you actually increase germination rate.

7. Add Gibberellic Acid

Science in Hydroponics says that this is a great way to stimulate seed germination.

8. Add Beneficial Fungi

As mentioned above, you want to disinfect seeds from bad microorganisms. However, you can also introduce good organisms to the seeds. For example, some seeds do well when you add specific beneficial fungi to stimulate growth.

9. Temperature Is Everything

Every resource you’ll read about techniques to increase germination rate of seeds will emphasize the importance of getting the temperature right. Again, each plant needs something different. Some plants grow best in colder temperatures, others in warmer temperatures. Make the effort to find out what your seeds need and accommodate them if you want your plants to grow quickly.

10. Improve Your Soil

Make sure that your soil is ideal for the seeds you’re planting. Is it the right pH level? Does it offer the right kind of drainage and retention of moisture? Make the soil conditions right for the seeds to germinate into beautiful plants.

Read More:

• Seed Starting on a Budget: Germination
• What Are The Different Ways to Germinate Citrus Seeds?
• 5 Cheap Substitutes for Seedling Trays

Every garden’s soil has a pH level. You can work with different pH levels using different plants. However, you have to know where you’re starting. And in some instances, you might want to change the pH level. For example, if your soil is too alkaline for the plants you want to grow, then you need to add acid. Luckily, there are cheap ways to make soil more acidic.

Why You Might Make Soil More Acidic

Your garden soil might be alkaline, neutral, or acidic. None is necessarily better than the other overall. However, different plants have different needs. Therefore, you might need to make your soil more acidic in order to best grow the plants that you want to grow in your garden.

Rural Sprout notes that you might add acidity in order to:

• Improve nutrient consumption by your plants, making them healthier
• To change a specific plant’s color; for example, to turn hydrangea plants blue
• To grow specific plants that only grow well in more acidic soil

Cheap Ways To Make Soil More Acidic

Rural Sprout also notes that it’s easier to choose the right plants for your soil than to change your soil. In other words, if you have alkaline soil, then choose plants that love that. However, you don’t have to settle for this if you don’t want to. You can, instead, find cheap ways to make soil more acidic.

Use Diluted White Vinegar to Acidify Soil

YardKidz notes that vinegar is one of the fastest cheap ways to make soil more acidic. You use distilled white vinegar to increase the acid in your garden soil. You can add it to the water that you use to water your garden, whether that’s through an irrigation system or a watering jug. In addition to acidifying the soil, adding vinegar has other benefits. For example, it is a great form of natural pest control.

Add Coffee Grounds to Soil

YardKidz adds that coffee grounds are another cheap and quick way to acidify your garden soil. Note, though, that you have to use fresh coffee grounds. Ones you’ve already used to make coffee don’t have an extreme enough pH level to acidify your garden. So, yes, this is a cheap option, but it’s not the same as recycling your used coffee grounds for free.

Add Compost to Garden Soil

Rural Sprout points out, however, that adding compost to your soil can help acidify it over time. Therefore, if you add your used coffee grounds to your compost, then they do work in this way. This method is slower and less effective than the vinegar or fresh coffee grounds. Often, it’s used to make an alkaline soil more neutral rather than specifically acidic.

However, you can increase the acidity of your compost by being selective about what you add to it. Choose acidic ingredients including citrus rinds, oak leaves, or pine needles.

Pine Needle Mulch

Speaking of pine needles, Rural Sprout also notes that you can use these, oak leaves, and other acidic leaves to create your own mulch. Add this over your soil to acidify it.

Citrus Watering Your Soil

And speaking of citrus rinds, use them liberally in your garden to acidify the soil. You can also add citrus to your watering process. For example, add lemon juice to your watering can to improve soil acidity.

More Ways to Acidify Soil

Happy DIY Home explores some of the pros and cons of some of the above methods as well as other ways to acidify soil including:

• Sphagnum Peat Moss
• Elemental Sulfur
• Acidifying Fertilizers
• Iron Sulfate
• Aluminum Sulfate
• Natural Liquid Plant Feeds

Read More:

• 5 Reasons to Use Fish Amino Acid on Your Plants
• 8 Uses of Baking Soda in Garden
• What Is The Best Growing Medium for Basil?

Several years ago my sister sent me a wonderful gift. She’s one of those people who is so great at picking out the perfect gifts for people. The gift was a book called “A Garden to Dye For.” She also sent me a set of Japanese Indigo seeds grown locally to her area. Somehow, all of this time has passed, and I haven’t used this, yet. However, I’m determined to finally enjoy it this spring.

Garden to Dye For

“A Garden to Dye For” by Chris McLaughlin has a book subtitle that tells you exactly what this book is all about:

“How to Use Plants from the Garden to Create Natural Colors for Fabrics and Fibers”

In the introduction, the author explains that “the plan for this book is to bridge the gap between mainstream gardeners and the world of hand crafters.” The author explains that there are plenty of other great books that tell you about how to use plant dyes in fiber arts. However, most of them don’t address the home gardener. This book does.

Plants for Fabric Dyes = Slow Crafting

I am a huge fan of the slow crafting movement. Crafting itself, of course, contributes to a slower way of life. When you sit down and make your own clothes, blankets, or home decor, you slow down. You stop contributing to the world of fast fashion.

As time goes on, you get more and more interested in ways to further slow down the craft. In other words, you want to get your hands dirty every step of the way. So, for example, I crochet. I started off buying various synthetic yarns from the store. From there, I moved on to buying organic, natural, sustainable yarn from local farms and independent dyers. From there, you can slow things down further by learning to spin and dye your own yarn. You might move on to get a small farm for raising your own fiber. And / or you might plant a garden to create your own natural dyes for your yarn.

The more you get involved in each process, the more you embrace and enjoy the benefits of the slow craft movement. It’s one thing, and an amazing thing, of course, to knit or crochet your own sweater. It’s another level entirely to grow the plants and dye the yarn before you even get to knitting.

7 Chapters In A Garden to Dye For

There are seven chapters in the book. These further indicate all that there is to learn about this unique niche of gardening for the fiber arts:

1. An Excuse To Plant More Plants

This is a more in-depth introduction to the concept of planting a garden specifically to use for fabric yarn dyeing.

2. All About Color

This chapter explores the different ways that you can dye fiber. In doing so, it also provides great information for how well different plants are going to work for different methods.

3. 12 Flowering Plants for Fiber Dyeing

In this chapter, we get a more in-depth look at working with twelve different flowering plants. Learn how to grow marigolds, hollyhocks, zinnia and more for this purpose.

4. Edible Plants for Fiber Dyeing

Do you prefer to grow fruits and vegetables? Wonderful. Many of these are great for dyeing as well. This chapter covers 15 options.

5. And Herbs Can Dye As Well

Herbs are another option for a beautiful garden that also produces amazing fiber dye options. There are 16 different herbs discussed in this section. One of those is Japanese Indigo. As I mentioned, when my sister gifted me this book, she also gifted me a set of these seeds!

6. Your Landscape Already Grows Dyes

This chapter is all about looking at the native plants around you to find dyes in nature. Eucalyptus, lichen, juniper and willow offer a few examples.

7. Planning & Planting a Dye Garden

Before I read through this book, I would have assumed that this chapter was the longest. However, it’s actually the shortest. It expands upon what the rest of the book already discussed. There are some general tips. Moreover, there are specific suggested layouts for different gardens. This chapter may come at the end but it’s really just the beginning!

Read More:

• 5 Fun Ways to Use Yarn in the Garden
• DIY Squash Trellis Under $10
• Frugal Container Gardening

Every week, I receive food from Hungryroot. It’s a great service through which you can get meal prep or just general groceries. Much of the food needs to stay cold. Therefore, they put cold packs inside the box. They use an option called Enviro Ice. You can dispose of it in many ways, including apparently by using it as plant food. Should I do that?

What Is Enviro Ice?

Here’s what the Enviro Ice package looks like:

When it arrives, it’s frozen. It works just like any other cold pack for food. Apparently, you can simply reuse it if you want to do that. However, I don’t have a lot of use for cold packs. And I get one of these (which is probably about 9″ x 12″ every week. I certainly don’t need that many. So I need to figure out other ways to use them.

Options for Reusing / Recycling Enviro Ice

Here’s what the back of the package says:

All of this time, I’ve been doing the latter option. I leave the bag inside my sink until it’s no longer frozen. Then I cut it open and let it drain into the sink. The first time that I tried it, I was worried that it would clog the sink. But true to what the brand advertises, it does no such thing. It’s designed specifically to go down the drain. So I drain it, rinse the bag, and recycle the bag.

However, as I was doing this habitually last week, I re-read the package. I noticed that the first option is actually to use it as plant food. So, I got curious about that. Should I feed Enviro Ice to plants instead of to the drain?

Enviro Ice For Plants

According to their website, Enviro Ice is the only product of its kind. It’s a nitrogen-based product. This means that it’s good for plants. They say that you can pour the gel directly onto the soil. Alternatively, you can dilute it with water. There’s no particular benefit to the latter other than that it flows more easily.

They report that you get all of the benefits of nitrogen for your plants when you use this gel. It adds nutrients and improves growth. It’s food for your plants. They say that you can use it for both indoor and outdoor plants.

What’s My Hesitation?

All signs indicate that I should go ahead and try this in my own gardening efforts. So why am I hesitating at all? The truth is that I trust the product just fine, but I don’t trust my own instincts when it comes to planting. As I’ve confessed to you in the past, I don’t have a natural green thumb. I never really know what my plants want or need. I over-water and under-sun and all of the things that are bad for them.

So, what I’m worried about is that I won’t use Enviro Ice properly. Will I give the plant too much of it and not realize what’s happening until it’s too late? Will it change the balance of other things I give the plant (water, light, etc.)? If so, will it be able to correct that?

The great thing about gardening, though, is that the stakes are low. I already have the product. I can try it and see what happens. I’ll keep you posted.

Have you used Enviro Ice in gardening? What’s your experience been?

Read More:

• 5 Reasons To Use Fish Amino Acid On Your Plants
• 4 Cost-Effective Organic Garden Fertilizers
• Does My Brown Thumb Make Gardening a Waste of Money?

Some people love the ritual of watering their plants each day. However, many of us like to simplify our schedules by setting up systems whereby plants can self water. Moreover, there might be times when you need plants to water themselves, such as when you go on vacation. It’s good to know some cheap ways to self water plants. Here are five ideas.

1. Upside Down Wine Bottle

Instead of putting your next empty wine bottle into the recycling bin, use it as a self-water device for your indoor plants. The Garden Glove explains that you:

• Rinse the wine bottle thoroughly.
• Fill it with water.
• Re-cork it or put the screw cap back on.
• Drill a hole in the center of the cork / cap.
• Turn the bottle upside down.
• Press it several inches down into the soil as close to the center of the pot as you can get.

That’s all; it will self water over the next several days. This is a great tip especially if you’re going away for a long weekend and just want the plants to be properly watered while you’re gone.

2. Two Liter Soda Bottle

The Garden Glove also offers this option, which is one of the cheap ways to self water plants that are outside or indoors in larger containers. Here’s what you do:

• Thoroughly rinse a 2 liter bottle.
• Cut the bottom off of the bottle.
• Punch holes randomly around the entire body of the bottle.
• Dig a hole near the plant’s root system that’s big enough to complete cover the bottle.
• Bury the bottle in this hole, with the neck side up. You should surround the entire bottle with soil except for the top of it.
• Pour water into the top (which is the cut bottom, remember) until the vessel is full.
• It will now self-water.

3. Bathtub Plants

If you’re looking for cheap ways to self water plants while you’re on vacation, consider putting them in the bathtub. ProFlowers explains:

• Fill the bathtub with several inches of water.
• Lay a towel down in the water.
• Place plants, in their pots, on top of the towel in the water.

That’s it. The plants should soak up the water while you’re away.

4. String/ Rope Wicks

Many of the DIY methods of self watering use some variation on this. The idea is that you have a vessel of water near the plant. You insert string or rope into the water. The other end of the string or rope goes into the soil near the plant. The plant will then drink what it needs through the straw of the string.

5. Plastic Bag Bubble

ProFlowers also suggests this one. Here’s how it works:

• Put wooden stacks in the corners of the plant’s container, tucked into the soil.
• Water your plant as normal.
• Wrap a plastic bag around the four stakes. The bag should be slightly bigger than the plant itself. It should not touch the plant’s leaves.
• Move the plant so that it’s not in direct sunlight.

This should work like a tiny greenhouse.

Read More:

• 5 Frugal DIY Drip Irrigation Systems
• Harvesting Rainwater for the Frugal Gardener
• Keeping the Garden Well-Watered: 5 Tried and True Methods

I just finished reading Sutton Foster’s book, “Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life.” I got it because she’s crocheting on the cover of the book and that’s my go-to craft. It’s also her go-to craft, however she enjoys many other crafts as well. She even mentions gardening in the book. Specifically, she talks about the memories of her dad growing tomato plants. Moreover, she provides his top ten tips for growing “the perfect sandwich-sized fruit.”

Is Gardening a Craft? An Art? A Hobby?

I don’t particularly delineate between these things, and I get the sense that Sutton Foster doesn’t either. She definitely knows the difference between a hobby and a job. She’s a television and Broadway actress as a profession. She uses crafting to calm, soothe, restore, heal her, something she’s been doing since she was a kid. She mentions cross-stitch, knitting, collage, glass art, painting, drawing, baking, and gardening throughout her book. In terms of the roles they play in her life, they seem relatively interchangeable. Gardening can be a craft, an art, a hobby. Of course, it can also be a job, and then it’s a little bit different.

Tomato Garden Memories

Foster had a complex childhood, and her parents had a complicated, pained relationship. But she remembers gardening as one of the things that they all enjoyed together. Her dad was the one who loved to garden. He planted a variety of different things, and she planted with him. Her mother got involved a bit as well, collecting the seeds in the fall for replanting in the spring. And they all enjoyed the tomato sandwiches made from the tomatoes grown in their own garden.

10 Tomato Growing Tips

In brief, here are Sutton Foster’s ten tomato-growing tips, which are actually her “Papa Bob’s Tips.”

1. It all starts with great soil.

This is true of most things that you plant in your garden, of course. Don’t neglect this part of gardening; it’s foundational.

2. Pick the right tomatoes.

She recommends beefsteak tomatoes. They’re hearty and perfect for those sandwiches her family loved to eat.

3. Plant tomatoes in the sun.

Specifically, she recommends a spot that gets 4-6 hours of daily sunlight. Of course, this depends on the tomatoes that you choose to plant as well as environmental factors. But it’s a good starting point.

4. Plant tomatoes to grow upwards.

You want to use a DIY trellis, tomato cages, or other support to assist the vines of your tomato plants to grow vertically.

5. Focus on growing the main vines of the tomato plant.

Foster explains that tomato plants have lots of little extra growth shoots that try to grow off of the main vine. However, you should pull those off. This allows the plant to concentrate its energy on great growth along the main vine. I didn’t actually know this tip myself.

6. Avoid overwatering your tomato plants.

This is one of the most common causes of tomatoes that aren’t growing properly.

7. Use fertilizer.

She recommends a name brand liquid fertilizer that you apply every two weeks. However, you can make. DIY fertilizer or choose your own favorite. Follow the instructions that are relevant to your specific tomatoes as well as to the fertilizer you’re using.

8. Fight off bugs.

Bugs love tomato plants. They also often kill them. There are many methods of dealing with them, of course. Foster recommends planting marigolds near your tomato plants because they are a natural insect repellent. Furthermore, she points out that if you pop the head off of marigolds at the end of the season, the seeds are neatly stored right there for you to collect and replant in the spring.

9. Pick tomatoes when they are not quite ripe.

Why? Because the plant still has more opportunity to grow additional tomatoes on that vine. However, it needs the space and ability to do so.

10. Ripen tomatoes on the counter.

Place them in the sun. Let them fully ripen. Enjoy!

Read More:

• Dealing With Tomato Blight
• Reasons Why Tomato Foliage Curl
• To Prune or Not to Prune: Keeping Tomatoes in Check

I mentioned recently that I have a little bit of a brown thumb. However, I’ve kept at gardening and learning about plants. I’ve improved over time. Along the way, I’ve picked up lots of tips to revive wilted plants. I wanted to share some of those with you today.

What Causes Plants to Wilt?

I made one of the biggest rookie gardening mistakes for a really long time. I assumed that if a little water is good for plants, then a lot of water is better. Therefore, I would always overwater just about everything. Many of my plants died as a result.

Many different things can cause plants to wilt, including:

• Water imbalance – both too much water and too little can cause wilting
• Light imbalance – too much sun or too little sun creates problems
• Letting the plant get too hot
• Over-fertilizing your plants
• Disease – various fungi, bacteria, and viruses can impact plant health
• The plant needs a bigger container to grow properly

Tips to Revive Wilted Plants

The most important of all tips to revive wilted plants is to identify the cause of the problem. Check the potential causes above. Then correct accordingly. This could mean moving your plant into more or less sunlight, repotting it, or changing the way you water it.

Here are some additional tips to revive wilted plants:

1. Learn about Overwatering

• Research the specific water needs of each plant in your garden.
• If the soil is moist and dark, the plant might not need water.
• Water at the base of the plant, not from overhead.
• Make sure that the water is able to drain properly.
• Water during the day, not at night.

2. Consider Underwatering, Too

If you’re not watering the plant enough, then correct accordingly. The above tips will assist with that as well.

3. Give Plants The Right Amount of Sunlight

Again, research what your specific plants need in terms of sunlight. However, even plants that call for full sun might need shade if they’re wilting. Therefore, try adding shade to see if your plants heal and grow as a result. In particular, give shade to plants that appear to be getting too hot, whether or not they’re getting the right amount of light.

4. Try a Fungicide

You might have to rule out fungi, bacteria, etc. Start by trying a natural fungicide on your plants. You can easily DIY one of these to try at home. From there, you can explore options for treating various bacteria, etc., that are unique to different plants and regions.

5. Re-plant Your Plants

There are a few different reasons to try this option. First of all, the plant might have outgrown its post. If so, the wilting could be due to a need for more space. Second, though, the soil might be problematic. Therefore, replanting in new soil could help resolve the problem. This is true for plants in pots as well as those in the ground.

6. Watch, Try, Watch Again

Ultimately, let your plants tell you what they need. Look at the issue. Try something above to treat the problem. If it doesn’t work, watch some more, then try something new. Gardening includes trial and error. The more you listen to your plants, the better you’ll get at it.

Read More:

• 5 Factors That Affect Plant Growth
• Troubleshoot The Seed Starting Process
• Dealing with Tomato Blight