My Top Tricks of the Trade Revealed

What does a muffin tin have to do with saving time in the garden? Well, sometimes the simplest trick can make all the difference! With these ingenious hacks, you'll save time, money and energy. If only we had known these before! Watch on as Ben reveals some of his garden wizardry...
Love hacks? So do we! For more of Ben's genius, we suggest binge watching these videos!
🌱 X 🤓 = 🍎 🍓 🍅
For more on reusing and recycling plastic bottles in the garden see:
• 10 Clever Hacks for Pl...
For more clever hacks, see:
• 6 Sensational Gardenin...
Harvesting hacks:
• 12 Hacks To Save Time ...
Want to 10X your plants? See this video:
• Budget Busting Plants💰...
For more on how to maximise and multiply grocery-bought herbs see: • Grow Endless Herbs! 🌿
If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
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and many more...
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[@ageesecliff7070]

An old set of mini-blinds can be cut up to make hundreds of plant markers 👍

[@GrowVeg]

Brilliant!

[@sacredcowbbq1326]

Absolutely brilliant!

[@nicoleconley9818]

Wish I had know before I threw them out last month, thanks for the tip.

[@sacredcowbbq1326]

@@nicoleconley9818 Bummer.

[@gomester1682]

I cut up yogurt cups and use a sharpie

[@caroldragon7545]

Since you asked for some helpful tips, here are a few': Since pots are a pain to move around, if you have crops that need to be moved frequently, such as in and out of shade, into cooler or warmer areas, or for protection of some sort, use buckets. The handles make it easier to move them. Also wrap the handles with cloth to make it easier on your hands. I grow my carrots in buckets in a fluffy, sandy soil mix that allows them to be unimpeded. Carrot seeds are tiny and easily washed away by rain or watering. I sprinkle a very thin covering of sand over them so I can easily see any spots that I missed. When watering them, I put a layer of paper towel on them and water them through the towel, so they don't get washed away. Then I remove the towel and set it aside for the next time I water. Almost no sand sticks to the towel. I use tulle instead of row cover to cover plants. No insects get through its tiny holes, and deer can't munch on the tender shoots. I use dark green tulle and it's almost invisible, so my garden doesn't look like a sea of white sheets.

[@Twistnsine]

Great advice 😃🙏

[@caroldragon7545]

@@Twistnsine Thanks

[@smile30981]

Great tips, thanks for sharing. I especially like the dark green tulle!

[@GrowVeg]

Great advice Carol - thank you!

[@iampetz]

the tulle idea is brilliant! The deer have been a real pest and there haven't been any good solutions other than building a giant fence or growing in a greenhouse. Will try it this season thanks =)

[@hbrws813]

I LOVE the idea of storing seed packets in the photo albums!!

[@annalevenson7234]

I’m going to do that tomorrow ❤

[@petereng7497]

Cardboard boxes are plentiful in cities, and work well as temporary plant boxes. I remove the tape, fold the flaps in on top and bottom, then place them on bare dirt. Fill them like a raised bed, and they last six months or more. When I'm done with one, I pull up the box to empty it, flatten it completely, and top it with a little compost for the winter.

[@GrowVeg]

What a great idea!

[@mysticalstarchildshay9368]

Also you can wrap cardboard with chicken wire so when cardboard starts to break down you can then wrap burlap around chicken wire or remove chicken wire add burlap then rewrap with chicken wire instead of having to re-pot plants

[@MasterovD.Skies42_411]

If anyone has a problem with aphids and ants defending them, and have tried everything from dawn soap to vinegar, try placing a smoldering piece of wood upwind from where they are. The ants will think there's a fire and will try to find a new location, leaving the aphids for predatory insects to pick away. Did this last year when they were demolishing my squash plants. Smoked 'em out, and about a week later I had aphid wolves everywhere. Edit: upon further research, I've come across a particularly valuable piece of information: 'Smoke from oak leaves kills aphids' You can use a soup can as miniature fire-pit and place it next to the pest-ridden plant

[@sanctifiedpath]

WOW!

[@rogerwalker4216]

I used to think that I was cursed with an overabundance of Oak leaves (10M3 every autumn!) Now I collect them in one cubic metre rubble bags, rot them down and use them as a soil improver. With the oak-smoked aphids tip, I'm in clover!

[@GrowVeg]

What a great tip!

[@gb9877]

@@rogerwalker4216 haha I like the pun👌👏👏😂😂😂

[@dustyflats3832]

@@rogerwalker4216 I know, same here. I also read that ground up oak leaves are great at keeping cut worms at bay.

[@anneterry3660]

I do not mulch with wood chips, rather newspaper covered with soil which decomposes. Many soft bodied insects are lost with heavy mulch leaving birds with less for hatchings, especially for songbirds. Keep bag for egg shells to be crushed and added to garden. Fine dirt for mason bees and birds to dust bath. Insect housing in protected areas. Now learning about the English stumperies coming back into favored garden use. When a neighbor warned me that a squirrel took a bit our of a veggie or fruit, my response is, "Another one for the jam pot/soup pot". I love a 'loud' garden with birds and a variety of insects. Was gratified to see Prince Charles supporting the restoration of hedgerows.

[@GrowVeg]

I love loud gardens too Anne - they're much the best!

[@rogerwalker4216]

I used to hate molehills. Then I started harvesting them - the mole does a good job of granulating the soil so all I have to do is sift it through a riddle to get rid of stones and suddenly, it's A-grade topsoil. Then I add 50% compost, mix it up with my hands and bingo! I have a perfect medium for growing vegetables in pots or for use as a top dressing. On a good day, I can get a large wheelbarrow load, free.😁

[@GrowVeg]

Making the most of nature's gift Roger - smart move!

[@VWilt-so3ws]

Don't they eat your new plants? My brother-in-law if having them eat his plants down to nothing. Or they just pull the roots up thru the ground.

[@TheRealHonestInquiry]

@@VWilt-so3wsAs OP mentioned grow in pots. Otherwise 1/2" hardware cloth /gopher wire under growing area. Or some form of consistent animal control etc.

[@rogerwalker4216]

@@VWilt-so3ws I am lucky enough to have a big garden so Mr. Mole is currently active in an area of grass pasture rather than in the kitchen garden. I do get moles in the cultivated area sometimes, but feel that I get far more of a bargain from Mr. Mole's digging activities than any plant damage he causes! I am less kindly disposed to cabbage white butterflies, slugs and snails however . . .

[@jwrightgardening]

@@VWilt-so3ws Moles don't eat plants. They are carnivores and eat bugs. They will sometimes dig up plants accidentally as they are digging their tunnels though. Voles will destroy and eat everything in your garden, as will gophers and mice and rats. Maybe one of those ate his garden.

[@lisagarris2533]

Whenever plastic cutlery is used ( office, picnics, etc) the forks and spoons always get used up leaving an abundance of plastic knives. I use these as plant markers rather than just throwing them away. Simply write and poke in the ground,they don't rot.

[@chantellechantelle2955]

Fab idea, I have a lonely lunchbox full of plastic knives in my cupboard that I didn’t know what to do with.

[@ginninadances]

Omg all those plastic knives! Good one!

[@christinebrooker5050]

So do I. Got loads of them so never buy labels.

[@MajorIllustration]

I’ve tried, but pencil won’t write, and market fades off.

[@MajorIllustration]

Marker

[@patriciahartner7336]

thanks! I use white clover or crimson clover, lentils [right from the bag!] as living mulch, preventing weeds from growing between plant and drawing up the nitrogen from the deep soil, and acting as companion plants. The bees love the flowers. I also use flax seeds for living mulch, producing beautiful blue or yellow flowers.

[@toniedalton5448]

Love this idea. I’m gonna try the lentils.

[@a_noelle8595]

Flax seeds?!? Hmm. Maybe I'll go sprinkle some in with my Summer Bouquet mix I've just planted in a pot. 🤔

[@patriciahartner7336]

@@a_noelle8595 I sprinkled them generously around in my elephant ear/zinnia pots, and they sprung up so quickly. It's so nice to see them waking up while I wait for those sleepy elly ears to appear, they may take a while and it's been very cold. Glass cloche on, but still waiting.

[@GrowVeg]

Brilliant idea!

[@sacredcowbbq1326]

@@patriciahartner7336 Thanks for the encouragement on the sleepy elephant ear. I was about to reuse the pot I'd put it in, tipped it out and the roots had gone crazy. I thought it had just been sitting there!

[@edemyre8993]

I have a variety of flat stones that I use for plant labels and row markers, and I use a paint pen to write on them. Just one thing to add: get the kiddos involved by inviting them to help paint and label the rocks. As much as we'd like youngsters to get involved, let's face it watching plants grow can get boring to them, so this gets them engaged. Cheers!

[@GrowVeg]

What a great idea Ed. :-)

[@naturalwitchery]

My favorite tip in here is the old photo album!❤❤❤❤❤

[@neeway1620]

I did the upside down bottle last year. When cutting the bottle I only cut 90% of the way around the bottle leaving a hinge of plastic. Lift the lid and water and it falls back into place after watering keeping out debris and bugs. If it's loose and flappy I just placed a stone on top.

[@GrowVeg]

Great tip! :-)

[@lenac3587]

What a great idea. Was wondering about leaving the water in the bottle exposed as it attracts mosquitoes larvae in our tropical climate

[@TheRealHonestInquiry]

@@kandy7581 Thanks for the great tip, I thought a $6 Harbor Freight soldering iron was the cheapest option for melting holes in plastic but it sounds like that might have it beat!

[@pooleyclan1]

@@TheRealHonestInquiry May I ask what Kandy uses as her comment is gone? Maybe she isn’t on here anymore.

[@terry2346]

@@pooleyclan1 a small metal wire held in a vice grip and then heated with a match works well for poking very small holes in a plastic bottle! Helps you to control the feed rate of the water.

[@davekent8193]

With lack of rainfall on my allotment I have tried this with my water barrels which are on my plot With hosepipe bans re filling the barrels is a problem so I placed upturned large old umbrellas on the barrels when it rains. Their large surface area captures more rain - that drains into the barrel. Tried it this week -it worked! Tie the apex of the inverted brolly to a brick at the bottom of the barrel so it doesnt blow away Dont throw out old brollies!

[@GrowVeg]

What an ingenious idea Dave!

[@carolineowen7846]

Wow, I never knew you could use honey as a rooting starter. (I knew about the antiseptic bit). I love the idea of storing seeds in a CD wallet. You have so many great ideas !

[@rogerwalker4216]

Brilliant idea!

[@TexPR1]

Honey is also a wonderful for wounds. I had a cat who had a wound on his head. We couldn’t get the wound to heal. My vet even took the cat in to her clinic and kept him there for over a month just to keep an eye on him. He came back home after a month and started back messing with his head again scratching on it. I decided to put honey on his head just to keep him from scratching it and it worked. His head healed up beautifully.

[@loventa]

I hadn’t thought about using a CD wallet for seeds. I store mine in a Recollections photo and craft keeper box. It has 16 plastic snap clip boxes that are about the size of a seed packet (4x6) that are all contained in a bigger snap enclosure plastic box with a handle. Works great to take it to the garden with individual 4x6 boxes or the entire thing. Works well if planting in rain/drizzle since the plastic bin keeps the rain out of it when it’s closed.

[@farialmab4723]

Yes, also banana can be a rooting agent, with cinnamon is even better, of course! 🙂

[@ralsharp6013]

Also, you can make your own by placing raw honey on a gauze, put on a wound. Wonderful for burns

[@dravenbloodwood]

you need a Netflix gardening show, love this channel.

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks so much! Happy gardening!

[@juliethenham1954]

To remove ink from old labels so that you can reuse them, use a dab of hand sanitizer and see the lettering disappear.

[@GrowVeg]

Great tip Juliet, thank you!

[@amandacurtis7245]

Rubbing alcohol works too

[@Angie_P]

I love the photo album idea. You can easily see what you have and quickly flip to what you're looking for.

[@WhatAboutZoidberg]

My grandfather has used the buried water bottle trick for many years now and swears by it. He's always had the best tomatoes and cantaloupe so I'll tend to agree. I'm trying it this year for the first time in my own garden. Thanks for all the tips.

[@GrowVeg]

You're welcome. I'm the sure water bottle trick will serve you well. :-)

[@livefromtheground7274]

Its caller an ola

[@dustyflats3832]

@@GrowVegyears ago when they had cans you could take the top and bottoms off, my dad used them around our plants. It served to keep the water in place, but also prevented cut worms, wind and birds wrecking the plants.

[@ChrisReher]

I always let some radish go to seed. Bees like the flowers and the resulting seed pods are delicious. Needs staking as they get surprisingly tall.

[@debbieporter8610]

Thank You

[@yeevita]

Also a great plant to trap aphids and the ladybugs seem to adore them, too.

[@johnbaxter189]

I bought a pack of radish from Aldis just to plant so they run to seed bcuz I hadn't got any of my own in seed and their shooting up.

[@carolbellinger]

Did you know when you let radishes grow to seed if you allow the seeds to keep growing until approximately 3/4 in long you can pick them and eat them. To me they are more tasty than the radish and more tender. I have a friend that is a cook in a fancy restaurant in Cali and they grow radishes and other plants to use in their dishes. They are excellent in a salad. They also grow acres and acres of things to put into their recipes. They grow flowers to that are edible to make dishes more appealing. They grow tons of squash plants for squash but also for their Male blooms. They pick them and deep fry them . I forget what they put in them but they are amazing.. just something I wanted to let yall know about the radish seeds but went a little to far.. have a great day.. Oh thank you for the tips and tricks.❤💯❤

[@johnbaxter189]

Seed pods wen young are truly delicious.

[@kettleisalwayson]

Wet bottom of cardboard pot and let it dry and it helps the compost mix from falling out.

[@barbarabarham3011]

I live in the countryside of Ireland so it's easy for me to find and cut brambles which I cut into manageable six inch lengths to protect newly planted crops from slugs, rose cuttings also it work really well and when the crops reach the point where they are no longer tender enough to interest slugs they can be scooped up and used elsewhere, as they age they grow brittle even more effective ,they can be used from year to year I store them in an old barrel but plastic feed bags are also good.love your ideas, thank you .

[@GrowVeg]

I've heard of spiny stems helping to keep slugs off, but have never tried it. Great to hear it actually works!

[@saiorsecaldwell6221]

I live in Oregon and we have an abundance of pesty blackberry brambles always trying to come up in the wrong places, and I use them just like this too! I call it my slug fencing.

[@gingermcgrath3602]

Hi Ben, thank you for sharing the sponge idea. We live in a desert area and have been in a drought for two years. I will put sponges in the bottom of my pots for sure

[@hereholdthiswillya]

For food crops, rotten wood or wood rich compost like happyfrog soil ammender will do the same job. Just put an inch or 2 layer at the bottom and that wood grabs the water "like a sponge."

[@TheRealHonestInquiry]

@@hereholdthiswillya Exactly, you can make a "mini-hidden-hugel" with all your containers and that holds water as well as releases nutrients

[@jturtle5318]

I use shredded office paper and the non-recyclable paper egg cartons and fast food drink carriers in the bottom of the pots for water retention.

[@dustyflats3832]

@@TheRealHonestInquiry along the cattle panels where I am planting I did hugelkulture in hopes that the soil will hold more water and less work as I age as it improves the soil for 15 to 20 years so I've read.

[@Chris-pv2ht]

Great tips. If you save water always cover it up if its outside dont let it go green. I was seriously ill 7 years ago, pneumonia because I believe dirty water somehow go into my body, possible a small cut when I used to clean pots in it for garden. I cover my IBC tank at allotment with black plastic and the water is always crystal clear now

[@GrowVeg]

That's a really great tip, cheers Chris.

[@gillianbc]

When spacing out seeds, place all the seeds before pushing them down, otherwise it's easy to forget which slots have seeds and either double up or miss slots. I do that when seeding into cell units.

[@GrowVeg]

Smart move Gillian!

[@ralsharp6013]

That's a good idea, I've lost placing of seeds from covering them over or pushing them down too soon. Love the idea of the muffin tray as well

[@goodstar11100]

Does anyone else use a bulb planter to create the hole to plant things from the same size pots? The hole left is the exact same size as many of the pots with small plants you buy from garden centres and supermarkets e.g individual strawberry plants - so the root ball fits perfectly into the hole thats created. I often use those pots knowing that when it comes to planting it'll be a lot easier to transplant into the ground. I then drop the soil from inside the bulb planter around the new plant to drown any weed seedlings. plus the transplanted soil is broken up as it falls out giving it a nice tilth.

[@GrowVeg]

Yes indeed. Check out our next video which demonstrates exactly that! :-)

[@almostoily7541]

I have a hand held one and one with a long handle 😊

[@CyberSERT]

A couple hacks for starting seeds indoors: 1. Put warm-germinating seeds on top of your (high efficiency) furnace. Mine is at around 25°C, which is perfect for tomatoes and peppers. I use the baggie and paper towel method, and place the bags upright in a cookie tin. 2. If you have grow lights and shelves, hang reflective emergency blankets (the type you can get at the dollar store to keep in your glove compartment) on both sides of your shelf to reflect more light towards your plants.

[@wrongwayconway]

I use cardboard box lids covered in tin foil as a light reflector for my seedlings. It keeps them from getting too leggy.

[@CyberSERT]

@@wrongwayconway I was just about to do that when my wife suggested the emergency blankets. Less effort.

[@earthwyrm6756]

Everybody's furnaces are different. Mine doesn't have a flat area like rhat. But most importantly, for any thinking to do this please check the temperature of your own furnace in case it's mych hotter.

[@nancyspruiell347]

​@earthwyrm6756 top of refrigerator can work too :)

[@microsteadinguk]

Growveg is my favourite gardening channel! Thank you Ben for all your tips and tricks. I love your garden!

[@catfunksfabulousfinds]

Great ideas, I really love the photo album one for seeds. I cut up old white window blinds for plant markers. Happy gardening from Oregon!

[@sharonfox5643]

I did this last year and used a permanent marker with the color of my iris I was surprised it was still there and readable this spring.

[@justsayin5609]

Vinyl blinds work best. The metal ones allow the writing to fade by the next year.

[@ValerieHarristhefoodiemedic]

I love the muffin tin idea. There are usually tons of them available at the thrift store, lest the baker in the family gets miffed ;-)

[@GrowVeg]

Good suggestion Valerie!

[@Lstn2urmama]

This country girl grew up just using a finger poke in the ground only and can then also do what design you choose...

[@RichWoods23]

@@Lstn2urmama Yeah, same here. I don't want to put a downer on any idea, but I'm pretty sure I'd fully mastered the 'estimate short distances' skill by the age of seven.

[@MariaLuciaGomezGreenberg]

I do love the idea of placing plastic bottles near plants to keep them moist. We are going to such a severe drought in California that water evaporates really fast. So I made holes at the bottom of plastic bottle, filled it with water after placing next to plant and put lid back on. It takes a little longer, but I do my stretching exercises as I move around my garden. ☺️

[@GrowVeg]

What a great idea. :-)

[@simonthekindcutthroat6324]

Please don't use plastic in your soil...

[@jturtle5318]

For permanent labels, I cut up soda cans into strips, rounding the edges. Lay them on a few layers of paper and write on them with an embossing stylus from the craft section at the discount store, or a ballpoint pen. I use a paper hole punch in one end and soft aluminum wire, and twist it loosely on tree branches or more firmly onto the base of dahlia stems in the fall so I know what I have in the spring. For herbaceous perennials, I twist the wire into a stake and push it in the ground next to the plant.

[@GrowVeg]

Great idea, thanks for sharing. :-)

[@nz-nz]

The flower-heads when they go into seed is ideal food for your parrot to nibble on! My birds love lettuce seed-heads, broccoli, and spinach/silverbeet 👍 Please try using water from cooking your vegetables for stock/gravy. I keep all mine from the week, and use in a soup.

[@GrowVeg]

Great idea re the seed heads. :-)

[@Twistnsine]

Ben, I could watch you all day long! So many helpful tips 😃🙏 I especially appreciate the honey/cinnamon advice since we don't have hormone rooting powder in Denmark 👏 I wish you a fruitful and vegetableful Summer 🤩

[@dianeladico1769]

vegetableful...I love it!

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks so much - and a vegetableful summer to you both too! :-)

[@user-in1ik6tx4h]

Loved our days with the cattle ❤️👍

[@tamigreever6852]

Plastic, disposable spoons are my go-to plant label markers. Yes, I’m guilty of collecting them from “garbage” after potlucks and gatherings.

[@claireskrine4837]

I'm a balcony gardener - I have old, chipped plates under all my pots to catch water. Wagamama takeaway plastic bowls are good to place under small pots (that's quite specific but if you're urban like me and like Japanese food....).

[@LiamBurke-qc1dq]

I know that it is early days yet, but later on melt a cup full of Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulphate) in a watering can with a small amount of hot water. Fill to the top with cold water, and spray onto your roses in April and August. Roses love magnesium so a healthy leaf will have less black spot. You can also put a handfull of Epsom salts around each rose early in the season. Also a mixture of 50% water and 50% milk sprayed on with a watering can will help prevent Black Spot. Liam Burke

[@GrowVeg]

Awesome tips, thanks Liam.

[@katebettesworth2638]

The plastic bottles for watering the roots of plants is great, I use it in my containers. I cover the top with fine netting or tights (pantyhoes) and secure with a rubber band to stop leaf litter and mini-beasts getting in. Thanks for your videos Ben, you are a breath of fresh air. 👍👍👍💚

[@GrowVeg]

That’s a great idea to stop the minibeasts falling in. Love it! :-)

[@lanetower3411]

I’m a veterinarian and we have lots of old iv bags with drip sets. I cut a hole in the side and hang them in the garden . Homemade drip irrigation. Can fill with water or dilute liquid fertilizer. Dunk in a large bucket or barrel to fill quickly.

[@GrowVeg]

Brilliant idea!

[@Tan_Z]

I want a yard like yours, it's beautiful. I'm finding out just how much work goes in to it though. It's hard work but I know it will all be worth it.🌻🌷🌼🥦

[@GrowVeg]

So worth it!

[@cristiewentz8586]

Radishes! Leave them to mature and bloom. The blossoms attract so many beneficial insects. Those flowers encourage pollinators so increase your harvest, AND the young seed pods are tasty.

[@GrowVeg]

Sounds like a win-win Cristie!

[@shinnam]

Love the terracotta pots for protection. Micro plastic pollution worries me, so I wouldn't use cut up plastic bottles, only cellulose sponges. Would love a video on reducing plastic use in the garden. Managed to find bulk , unbagged soil, so not consuming that plastic.

[@danaodom1010]

I have a paper shredder that can take 12 sheets of paper at a time. I shred cardboard boxes free from stores to use as mulch prefer brown with black or green so it blends in. It breaks down to improve soil, keeps weeds down and conserves water. It is recycling and it is free mulch. Texas

[@julianikonova9026]

Я тоже избегаю пластик в огороде любыми методами, использую железные ведра и лейки , глиняные горшки и джутовые покрывала для защиты растений, растительную мульчу вместо агроволокна . Всем мира и хороших урожаев ❤

[@deeferry6520]

Brilliant tips, thank you. I live in a retirement complex so when I plant large perennials, I use old wooden spoons. (I make a lot of curry to they get stained and I go through a lot). I bleach the wooden spoon and add the name of the plant on to it so the gardeners know its newly planted. (I have my own little patio and grow containers with plants, so then I use the normal plastic strips lol. Thank you so much for sharing and I got a lot more tips from the comments.

[@GrowVeg]

What a great idea! :-)

[@davidthescottishvegan]

Ben has a well maintained and organised garden. These tips are excellent Ben. Another fantastic video to help us in our garden adventures. Keep safe, well & happy gardening.

[@Tan_Z]

He's amazing.

[@GrowVeg]

Cheers guys - much appreciated. :-)

[@karensabolcik2511]

Amazon boxes - fold in the sides and then cover the inside w a broken leaf bags or garbage bags or what I did; left over greenhouse plastic. used packing tape to secure to the box. I use this for my seedling cups as a seed tray to fill w the water for the pots to soak up.. also use old pizza dough trays and aluminum baking trays no longer needed. Dollar stores are great for finding items for seed trays and so is the second hand stores. I also used a 5 tiered metal storage unit no longer needed and wrapped it with greenhouse clear plastic and tucked the plastic under the stand legs to secure it in on the sides and back. Velcro the front flap to the sides so it is draft free and secured and also can be opened easy - instant mini greenhouse.

[@GrowVeg]

What great ideas for repurposing items - really smart! Thanks for sharing. :-)

[@peaceofmyhearthomestead4611]

I use craft sticks(popsicle sticks) to mark plants. I write the kind , variety, etc and then cover the stick with clear nail polish to stop fading

[@GrowVeg]

What a great idea. :-)

[@DawnieRotten]

LABELS: Use your old plastic mini blinds. Just cut the plastic strips in to the desired size(s). Also, save all of the 'strings' from the mini blinds, which can be used to tie things up, in the garden.

[@evangelistangelbowman3122]

Labels: get wooden batons (no bark on the wood) spray with a clear top coat or clear paint sealant or paint with clear nail varnish, write directly onto the wet sealant, leave to dry and spray or apply more sealant on top. No fade label! Takes more work than normal but you'll get a bigger, easier to see sign :)

[@GrowVeg]

Brilliant tip, thank you!

[@CaponeCabin]

So many tips I had to get out my notebook to jot them down! Thank you!

[@k.p.1139]

Saving this video! Ben, you are a gardening genius! 😃

[@danilueloo]

I over winter my kale every year. When it bolts in the spring, I leave them alone. They are one of the first flowers besides my daffodils! I also let my ancient rhubarb flower too. I love seeing all the pollinators showing up and taking their fill of pollen. Thanks for all the great tips. Especially the using cinnamon and honey for root tone! I love your videos and share them all the time on my Gardening, Quilting and Crafting page.

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks for sharing the videos, that's hugely appreciated.

[@caroldragon7545]

Try eating the kale flowers before they open. Very tender and yummy.

[@danilueloo]

@@caroldragon7545 Thanks! Did not know that. Will try them.

[@toniedalton5448]

I wish I had the time to make my garden look so pretty ! Mine is more haphazard, but it works. Waiting for the last cold night (tonight). Then tomorrow I can plant my plants out ! Happy Mother’s Day to all !

[@GrowVeg]

Brilliant - the warm weather's finally arrived Tonie!

[@zubeennaushad5516]

Oh my Gardening Gods. I'm completely blown away by your tips. Thank you.

[@nadinesawtell3267]

I make plant rings to protect plants from cut worms out of old newspaper works great and easy to make new ones for next year

[@John-fo4pi]

Thank you for giving measurements in metric and imperial. It is so helpful.

[@bethhubbs9937]

Ben! You put a smile on my face at the opening of this video when you said you've been gardening since you were eight years old. I've been gardening since I was nine (now 45). It is wonderful to have gardening as part of one's life. I really like your idea about using a little photo wallet/album for seed storage. That will be so easy to see! And I am totally going to start using water bottles for watering many of my plants. Thanks for the tips.

[@GrowVeg]

You're welcome Beth. Thanks so much for watching - and very happy gardening to you! :-)

[@Katya-zj7ni]

Sprinkle cinnamon powder on the surface of compost when rooting or growing on cuttings, it prevents that white mould that often appears on the surface of wet compost.

[@GrowVeg]

Great tip, thank you!

[@mistsister]

While in the garden this morning I was thinking about you. Your love of life and nature, compassion for planet Earth. It stays with me long after the video is over and I'm sure you do that for others too. Thanks for being you, it is what is needed.

[@GrowVeg]

That's so kind of you to say and means a lot, thank you. I hope you are enjoying a thoroughly productive growing season so far. :-)

[@Kali08012]

I’m so impressed with this channels video. Short and straight to the point with a thorough explanation. So good.

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks so much. :-)

[@Spinozin]

Plastic bottles, plastic labels. Could you do a "time travel' episode where you do a 18th century garden show using only tips from that century? xxx

[@GrowVeg]

That would be quite an interesting one for sure.

[@Spinozin]

@@GrowVeg Ben bro, awesome you like the idea. Please give me a shout out if you ever do the episode 🙏xxx stay awesome

[@Lstn2urmama]

Plant potatos without hilling... take spade and go straight down and shift the soil slightly to place seed with eye in and pull out spade and tamp down make sure you have gone down about 8-9 inches and do so again a foot away for all others I do this in squares of nine if you need path space ...water and let be undisturbed and no walking on the space where they are to grow ...

[@GrowVeg]

Great advice, many thanks Rosanna.

[@TheFaderland]

The best thing here is the language! Dein Englisch ist sehr gut verständlich!

[@TheFaderland]

@ADMIN㊉①⑥②⑧②⑥⑤④⑨③④ ?????? I wrote, I can understand your English without subtitles. Not Indian-English, not Manchester-??dialect.

[@GrowVeg]

Cheers Cristal. I do my best!

[@stuartvalentine5310]

Ben - this is an absolutely brilliant collection of hints and tips. Thank you so much for all of your efforts. A big fan from Florida, USA.

[@GrowVeg]

Cheers Stuart - that's kind of you to say. Thanks for watching!

[@happyfeetdanceNF]

I love your enthusiasm and I am so glad I found your channel! As an intermediate gardener, I am always trying to learn more about growing veggies. Thank you for sharing your tips and knowledge!

[@GrowVeg]

You're very welcome. Cheers for watching!

[@carolinegathercole8473]

Saw a video where a guy in US shredding his leaves with a grass strimmer 👀. … what a great idea 😇

[@akbadbear]

I save large wide-mouth glass jars and Costco nut jars to use as garden clotches for early planted veggies that I want to protect from the possible late frosts and spring winds. Once the seedlings are established and there's no danger of frost, I wash the jars up and store in the shed for the next year.

[@GrowVeg]

Great tip, thanks for sharing!

[@trapped7534]

Thanks Ben!!!! I use many of these hacks. Great info!! I have used the “innards” of new disposable baby diapers in my planting holes. The stuff that wicks away fluids from baby’s bum,also retains water for your plants.

[@GrowVeg]

I've seen that done before - will have to try it out myself one day.

[@neeway1620]

Water often runs straight off my hanging baskets when dry. I've stuck short lengths of water pipe in the centre and fill with extra water to guarantee some water to the roots.

[@3v388]

Love the natural way of dipping cuttings in honey! Such a sweet idea! Thanks. 😄

[@chalkiememe4183]

Ooh I love the seed album, that’s a great idea.

[@loygreen]

I don’t comment often , but, this was an excellent video.

[@GrowVeg]

Cheers for that! :-)

[@seiashun]

I love the terracotta pot idea! I have a ton of those in different sizes and never thought to use them as protection for seedlings, thank you!

[@debbiel1228]

Brilliant ideas! Thank you so much for sharing with the world.

[@GrowVeg]

You're welcome Debbie - thanks for watching. :-)

[@robm1892]

Ben, buy, or find one of the venition blinds with the 1" plastic veins and cut them to size for garden/plant markers. Use a paint pen to make writing last longer. Bob

[@GrowVeg]

Great tip Bob, thank you. :-)

[@damicolicious]

I have also been gardening since I was a kid, and these are great tips, even for an experienced gardener! I recently bought a pack of solo cups for germinating seeds up to small plants, and then I realized I could have just made my own out of materials I have - for free.

[@GrowVeg]

Gardeners are always learning Michael - it's half the fun! :-)

[@johnransom1146]

You can use the cups for beer…

[@bob.fagg-bois657]

A couple of things I use, 1, fill pots with sand and stand in a shallow tray of water for cuttings treated with hormone powder (I have done a video on this on my channel) 2,cheap compost can be obtained from most farmers as they will most probably have some bales of hay, straw or in my case silage that have gone rotten over the last winter and will sell or give them to you cheap, I gave a couple of hours labour in exchange and they got delivered withoout any money exchange.

[@GrowVeg]

Always good to barter like that if you can! Some great tips - thanks for sharing. :-)

[@lynnrushton7458]

Love the photo album for seeds......thanks Ben‼️🙏😁

[@eileenmcglade682]

Old discarded roller blinds make great temporary cover for clean bed not in use, or great temporary weed suppressant

[@finehowareyou]

this is a very valuable channel!!!!! thank you!

[@carolinedenis6273]

Thank you so much for all those fantastic videos!! I am beginning to learn all about gardening as we are about to buy a house :) and I just simply adore all your tricks and advice!! THANK YOU

[@GrowVeg]

You're very welcome Caroline - and thank you for watching. :-)

[@eclose0923]

HI - I've used discarded mini-blind blades as plant markers for years - just cut to length. Use the trowel to cut a notch in hard garden soil to get them down in without bending.

[@kathryn6223]

You have the most wonderful tips❤️

[@danwhite1307]

I have a fairly large ground cover of wild violets in a shady spot. In fall, I broadcast sow daikon radish. In spring, when the violets bloom, the radish are about to bloom. Very pretty white flowers above a lush carpet of green.

[@GrowVeg]

Sounds beautiful!

[@dustyflats3832]

Great tips, thank you! Love the muffin tin spacing. Marking the tool handles is something I always think about when I'm planting and never seem to get done. It would be so handy to just grab the tool when you need a measurement. The photograph storage works great. I purchased the full page clear photo holders for a large 3 ring binder. It is so much easier now to see what seeds I may have or need. The larger seeds I put in separate plastic bags by category as they don't fit well--like corn, legumes and squash. I store with a rechargeable humidity reducer. I never understood why some suggest to store seeds in the fridge. Fine for stratifying seeds that need it, but I have no room and I think it is too humid. Off to find room to plant squash and a few tomatoes to isolate for seed saving. Have a great day!

[@GrowVeg]

Have a great day also. Thanks for sharing our experiences on seed storage - it's a great method.

[@danderegil]

I really enjoy your videos, Ben! Congratulations on your excellent work. Have a blessed weekend :)

[@GrowVeg]

Cheers Daniel! :-)

[@kim99may]

The photo album idea is genius ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@cmbooks2000]

Such smart and useful tips. Thank you

[@danikashton13]

Thank you for sharing! Also thank you for bookmarking your videos, it makes it easy for me when I go back to take notes. I really appreciate the extra effort you put into your videos.

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks Danika, so pleased you enjoy the videos.

[@christinej2358]

I had seen some of these hacks and used a couple this year when I planted my garden. The muffin pan hack worked great, but now I need to buy a new muffin pan because I messed mine up. I highly recommend going to a thrift store and buying an old rusty one so not to mess up your good one. Last year I used the plastic bottle hack planting it in the garden next to plant root, but it didn’t work for me as well because it got dirt and bugs in them which clogged up the drainage. This year I’m trying to leave the plastic cup I had transplanted the plant in around the plant since I had cut off the bottom of the cup before transplanting to bigger pots. The cup makes a rim around the plant so when I water I know the water is going directly to that plant and not just running everywhere else. I saw this on another gardeners channel, so did it on several of my plants to test it out. I may try the plastic bottle again but do your hack of putting holes in the lid and leaving more of the bottle above the ground. When I did this hack last year I didn’t have the cap on when I tried them and they were buried further in the ground, so I’ll give it another try doing it your way. Thank you for sharing all your hacks and tips. They are much appreciated!

[@neeway1620]

I did the upside down bottle last year. When cutting the bottle I only cut 90% of the way around the bottle leaving a hinge of plastic. Lift the lid and water and it falls back into place after watering keeping out debris and bugs. If it's loose and flappy I just placed a stone on top.

[@mathewabbey9149]

When using the plastic bottles I do not cut the bottom off entirely. I leave it attached by a flap so that I have a lid to keep out unwanted dirt and bugs.

[@claireskrine4837]

@@neeway1620 that's genius!

[@GrowVeg]

Love the idea of leaving a flap to keep the dirt out - smart move!

[@dustyflats3832]

In the days where the soup and coffee cans could be cut off top and bottom my dad would place around our plants. It serves to protect the plant and a water reservoir.

[@purnamidam4541]

So much information packed thank you

[@anjkovo2138]

Using a Photo wallet to store seeds is a great tip. THANKS👍👍

[@juliekraft4102]

Always such great ideas. Thank You.🤗

[@stephenhope7319]

Lots of great ideas both in your video and in the comments. The US Forest Service recommends rooting hormone be in an airtight container in a fridge where it may last 18-24 months. After that it is junk. Not cheap either, so I do like the cinnamon and honey idea, those ingredients are alway available!! Thanks.

[@GrowVeg]

I didn't realise that - thanks for sharing that Stephen.

[@jaaadeee938]

A wealth of information. Thanks for not being stingy.

[@GrowVeg]

You are most welcome. 😀

[@simplygame5530]

2:45 those bee hums sound like i want to wave my hand around my ears

[@jeanetteschulthe1andOnly]

And use some of the seed for sprouts/microgreens of plants with edible leaves over winter.

[@maxibake9323]

Yep, I agree, Green/Fresh/Crunch all year round. Take care Jeanette. 👍🌱

[@violethomesteadgeorgia7278]

So many good ideas. I'll be using the honey hack in the near future.

[@downundervlogs]

Fabulous hack about the muffing tray spacing .

[@kristinafriedrich5166]

Brilliant tips, thank you! I tried companion planting tomatoes and cabbage, and it works like a charm. They seem to like each other help to use the space in the bed efficiently. Also, the cabbages cover the ground pretty completely with their large leaves and act as a living mulch. Even though we had draught-like conditions for most of the summer, I needed a lot less water. And if you leave the stalks off the cabbage in the bed, you get a bonus crop of cabbage shoots the next spring. Super tender, delicious, and a great way to fill the hungry gap.

[@GrowVeg]

What a fantastic idea, thanks so much for sharing this. :-)

[@DailyLifeandNature]

Very nice tricks in your garden BEN , i will learn something new from you and thanks for sharing gardening tips to us such useful