Garden Tips................. I have been giving a tip each year for our local master gardener club at the weekly lawn and garden classes open to the public. Wondering if anyone has something unique or different.
Some I have given.
1. Building a cheap rain barrel
2. Using plastic knives as plant markers
3. Fertilizing shrubs in the spring with a small pc of pvc.
4. Building a cheap hot house.
Anything will great! Thanks.
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CowSlips 26
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- Location: North Cent WI
Different Garden Tips..........for the frugal spender
Last edited by CowSlips 26 on Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Canadian Farmer Guy
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- Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:45 pm
- Location: Southern Ontario
I've taken to using wood shims I get from the local lumber yard in packs of 50 for less than $2 and use them for plant markers in the garden. After putting in seeds, I'll write down with a laundry marker what is planted where.
One year I grew cantaloupes on a trellis and used my wife's discarded hose to support the fruit as it matured. Once they got the size of a small orange I'd place them in the hose and tie it to the trellis. As they matured, the hose stretched to accommodate the fruit and kept them from breaking and losing them.
Then there's the old standby of using newspaper and/or cardboard between the rows for weed control, but that is nothing innovative, just practical by allowing more time for other things besides weeding.
One year I grew cantaloupes on a trellis and used my wife's discarded hose to support the fruit as it matured. Once they got the size of a small orange I'd place them in the hose and tie it to the trellis. As they matured, the hose stretched to accommodate the fruit and kept them from breaking and losing them.
Then there's the old standby of using newspaper and/or cardboard between the rows for weed control, but that is nothing innovative, just practical by allowing more time for other things besides weeding.
I use popsickle sticks as plant identifiers in the green house. If you keep them dry they are OK, if you stick em in dirt and they wick moisture they'll mold. I write what is planted, date planted and quantity on them in fine tipped felt pen (aka sharpie).
For rain barrels I use blue 55 gallon drums I pick up for free or next to free. Run a hose from the down spout into them, with a screen for filtration. My outlets are pipe threaded PVC fittings with a shut off screwed onto them. You don't want to side load tooooooo much. A good amount of pipe sealant and I have no leaking issues.
For rain barrels I use blue 55 gallon drums I pick up for free or next to free. Run a hose from the down spout into them, with a screen for filtration. My outlets are pipe threaded PVC fittings with a shut off screwed onto them. You don't want to side load tooooooo much. A good amount of pipe sealant and I have no leaking issues.
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CowSlips 26
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- Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:46 am
- Location: North Cent WI
Conserve your planting area by plantig some crops together. All seed companies do not give the same amount of seeds in their packs so check as many out as you can!Learn all you can about the compost and the things you are throwing away that can be used in it! GARDENING has many side lines that can make you happy no only with saving money on food but trading produce! Some of your local mushroom farms allow anyone to clean up spills when mixing their compost which makes great compost material free. Many small horse owners have free manure for the taking you can even run a add in the papper once you find one you can get it free all the time! I have one here that has 3 horses and puts out piles of manure mixed with saw dust! Get all the free leaves you can get and make a pile of them to use all year long! Last if you burn make sure its only paper or wood so you can mix it with you garden or compost!
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CowSlips 26
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- Location: North Cent WI
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DoubleDogFarm
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CowSlips 26
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- Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:46 am
- Location: North Cent WI
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CowSlips 26
- Full Member
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- Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:46 am
- Location: North Cent WI
We're currently looking into building our own rain barrel using a 55 gallon drum and a 5 gallon bucket (using instructions we found on ehow). We haven't been able to find a free/cheap 55 gallon drum yet, but if you have any tips around creating a cheap rain barrel (or where to find a 55 gallon drum!), I'd be all earsCowSlips 26 wrote:Garden Tips................. I have been giving a tip each year for our local master gardener club at the weekly lawn and garden classes open to the public. Wondering if anyone has something unique or different.
Some I have given.
1. Building a cheap rain barrel
The Farmer's Co-Op in our area sells food-grade Olive Barrels [left over after the olives are imported to this country, I assume] for only $18.00 each. Those are about 55 gallons in size, and have a nice screw-on lid... great for making rain barrels or compost tumblers.megany wrote:... if you have any tips around creating a cheap rain barrel (or where to find a 55 gallon drum!), I'd be all ears
You might check to see if those are available where you are.
I like the plastic barrels best. The one I got was a sour crout barrel that I bought for $10. The plastic barrel compared to the metal on't rust and are not effected as much by freezing. The metal barrel will have the bottom round out when freezing. Also the plastic is easier to put a faucet attachment for a hose! The plastic comes with open top and lid top! I like the lid better easy access to clean!
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CowSlips 26
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- Location: North Cent WI
We have alot of dairy farmers in our area and alot of them give away the barrels. I like to make them {cost under $10.00} and give them away to benifits or other things as donations.megany wrote:We're currently looking into building our own rain barrel using a 55 gallon drum and a 5 gallon bucket (using instructions we found on ehow). We haven't been able to find a free/cheap 55 gallon drum yet, but if you have any tips around creating a cheap rain barrel (or where to find a 55 gallon drum!), I'd be all earsCowSlips 26 wrote:Garden Tips................. I have been giving a tip each year for our local master gardener club at the weekly lawn and garden classes open to the public. Wondering if anyone has something unique or different.
Some I have given.
1. Building a cheap rain barrel
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alaskagold
- Senior Member
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- Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2011 12:12 pm
- Location: Alaska
Oh I am a total frugal gardener!
Tips on rain barrels. Depends on what you are doing. I like to grab "buckets" at resturant that are throwing their buckets in the trash. they are usually food grade AND they make great containers for container gardening when you clean them.
I have also used BIG barrels from those spray car washes. If you ask the manager or owner, what do they do with the barrels of detergent when they are empty they usually say they sell or throw them away and you can get them for a song. These are not food grade, but if it just holding water from rain so you can water your plants (flowers only) these are great! They go for 10-20 dollars and can be 20 to 55 gallons per barrel and they come with a lid most of the time! All you need to do is get the soap out.
Use plastic spoons instead of knives for plant naming as the knives have been known to cut you. Yes, I have cut myself on a plastic knife!
Raised beds can be easy if you have nice round yet flat river rocks and cement! It is cheaper in the long run, can last 10-50 yrs longer and won't cost an arm and a leg to make.
Easy to build PVC hot houses are easy and there is a free PVC hot house and a blog about how to make them.
https://pvcgreenhouse.blogspot.com/
You can also go look up Habitat for Humanity and see if they have old windows and build a glass greenhouse. I am thinking about doing that actually.
Also, join a gardening club as many gardeners love to "trade" ideas as well as many gardeners like myself, over grow seedlings and we usually have a swap in the spring.
Tips on rain barrels. Depends on what you are doing. I like to grab "buckets" at resturant that are throwing their buckets in the trash. they are usually food grade AND they make great containers for container gardening when you clean them.
I have also used BIG barrels from those spray car washes. If you ask the manager or owner, what do they do with the barrels of detergent when they are empty they usually say they sell or throw them away and you can get them for a song. These are not food grade, but if it just holding water from rain so you can water your plants (flowers only) these are great! They go for 10-20 dollars and can be 20 to 55 gallons per barrel and they come with a lid most of the time! All you need to do is get the soap out.
Use plastic spoons instead of knives for plant naming as the knives have been known to cut you. Yes, I have cut myself on a plastic knife!
Raised beds can be easy if you have nice round yet flat river rocks and cement! It is cheaper in the long run, can last 10-50 yrs longer and won't cost an arm and a leg to make.
Easy to build PVC hot houses are easy and there is a free PVC hot house and a blog about how to make them.
https://pvcgreenhouse.blogspot.com/
You can also go look up Habitat for Humanity and see if they have old windows and build a glass greenhouse. I am thinking about doing that actually.
Also, join a gardening club as many gardeners love to "trade" ideas as well as many gardeners like myself, over grow seedlings and we usually have a swap in the spring.