These 5 Garden Hacks Were GAME CHANGERS For Me!

[@debihediger4760]

I like electrical conduit in the corners because it’s round in the hose slide easier

[@MushroomMagpie]

Instead of a dibbler i just use whatever stick or twig is laying around. It doesn't need to be conical, just move it in a little circle.

[@paularhodarmer3267]

The only garden tip I have came from my father. I do not have any expensive equipment so I have to make-do for things I want. I had about a half acre I needed to hand plant beans in so he took a pvc pipe just the right length and I was able to put the seeds in the ground without bending over, and they didn't bounce all over the place. All I had to do was lay off the rows, plant the seeds using my make-do tool and cover them up. It worked so well. Nowadays I don't plant in such large areas but I still use my tool.

[@callikohl5698]

I use this to plant my sweetcorn.

[@dougbas3980]

@@callikohl5698 me too with a conduit and funnel on top.

[@fotolynn]

This is brilliant!

[@PenelopeGodfrey]

This is incredibly helpful I'm so thankful you posted this

[@NatureScapesStudio]

We just made our beds 3 feet wide instead of 4. I’m short so I can reach across the bed pretty easy.

[@chrystallangille1667]

A wresting match I had with my 6 foot husband. He didn't see the issue with 4 foot beds. Not an issue if the 6 foot person is managing, but it is the 5.3 person managing. He now builds 3 foot beds.

[@XIIchiron78]

Just make sure you compensate with a little extra aisle space since the plants will probably be closer to each edge... or you can be like me and have to move them after the first year because the tomatoes created an impenetrable wall of bush across the walking paths 😅 I've also started growing shorter plants next to each row of tomatoes like peppers or bush beans, which I can reach over to pick tomatoes from the other side without needing to trample the soil! Felt really dumb when I realized how much easier that made it.

[@longwinters4304]

For your little corner post hose guards, mine are permanent, and I actually buy the small metal fence post and cut them in half and they are permanently in the corners of my raised beds. But because I have small grandchildren, and I worry about them tripping or falling, and maybe landing on one of those corner posts I put a tennis ball on the top of each one for protection. They last for years and years. Also, when the neighbors asked why I have them on there I tell them so the birds do not hurt their feet lol.

[@Gardeningchristine]

I’ve got tea bottles turned over mine, they’re stronger than water bottles and the mouth is wider.

[@HamiltonRb]

Mine are screwed into the corners as well, and are the support for wrapping chicken wire fencing around the outside of the beds to keep animals out

[@brooklynnchick]

Brilliant idea! I used the rubber tips for a walking cane or walker, but I like the visibility of a tennis ball even more!

[@karinday6128]

The plank hack across the raised bed… also works as a way to make a straight row line too Great hacks !

[@chasingmoonlightfarm]

I wet the cardboard heavily, and had great success!

[@cassbenelliegardens]

Did you water the dirt and then also the cardboard or just the cardboard and let the water run down in? I’m planting my carrots this weekend and it’s my first year so I’m not sure how much moisture they like lol

[@chasingmoonlightfarm]

@@cassbenelliegardens I did wet both.

[@jimmylarge1148]

@@cassbenelliegardenswater everything well after planting seeds. Carrots need to stay moist but not soaked. It’s easy you’ll have no problems.

[@flyfishdr]

Yes, spray the cardboard with water once a day in warm weather until the carrots germinate

[@XIIchiron78]

Makes great weed block too. Just make sure it's not printed as the ink can contain phthalates (iirc) which can be absorbed by the plants. The shiny plasticy stuff is no good either.

[@cindys.w.8566]

Off topic... the trick of making a hole in the container to then set the potted plant into the new container works the same in the kitchen. Here is what I mean. When you need to add say oil or honey to the flour already measure in a bowl. Set the measuring cup needed into the flour push so its level with the flour then remove it. Now you don't have to deal with getting the measuring up laded with sticky oil or honey. Just pour the ingredient into that hole and you and make more holes as needed next to it for other measurements. Tada!

[@mixmix3499]

Wow. Thanks. This is a game changer for my baking!!

[@dawnteskey3259]

Thanks! Great idea!

[@bobmcnabney5934]

I'm constantly trying to avoid creating extra dishes! I wonder how much time your tip will save me over the course of the rest of my life!?! How many new baking recipes might I try now?! Thanks!!

[@joyevefarmandforge]

I planted my beans and peas using a pvc pipe this year! My back said thank you!

[@karensheppard1471]

Interesting. So you drop the 'seeds' into the tube, and it lands on the soil just where you want it? And then you spread soil on top? Any trick for covering w soil?

[@joyevefarmandforge]

⁠I dug a trench first with a hoe, then used the pvc to drop the seeds down, then covered with the hoe. Did peas and beans this way…so much easier!

[@sashaarr7122]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@PlantObsessed]

My dibbler is a stake from an old solar light. Win 🎉

[@MynewTennesseeHome]

Another option for hose guards,if you have old tents, don't throw away the tent poles, take them apart. They don't rot and work fine.

[@trudyjones1380]

I have some old tent poles with the "elastic string" that holds the sections together. I used these to put over my young plants so I can put a cover over them for the too cold nights. I can push some of the sections into the ground and position the other sections to make a frame to cover. Works great!

[@MynewTennesseeHome]

@@trudyjones1380 Yeah, they're great. I've even used a frame as a trellis for some winged beans last year

[@dawnteskey3259]

Wow! Thanks for the hose guard tip!

[@paulinetranpoe6247]

The dibbler is great for planting garlic, too!

[@vickiesaewert5552]

Thanks for those tips, I love the cardboard idea for carrots 🥕

[@cindys.w.8566]

I did the cardboard cover over my carrots last year and I had great results! I wet the cardboard on both sides as well ad used small logs to hold down the cardboard.

[@oceangolf3076]

My favorite gardening tip was to use the Dibbler in the garden if being chased by a crazy person. 😂😊😉

[@JohnDeWeese-lq4pf]

Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Could see that happening!🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@The_GlassCannon]

It couldn't be simpler

[@JohnDeWeese-lq4pf]

I keep various sizes of zip ties in a bag near the planter beds. You can use them for so many things. I don;t ever leave the garden without using at least one to fix something. Join something, or attach something to something. Such a marvelous piece of work is the zip tie.

[@webenbanu]

I have a little plastic dibbler which came with a set of seed-starting miniature "greenhouse" kits, and I love it! It's really helpful for getting those seeds centered well (I'm a little obsessive about things like that) and I've even started using it outside when I'm direct sowing! Mine's not nearly sharp enough to be used in self defense and it's too small to make holes for anything larger than a seed, though. The kits it came with have seedling trays which are clear, so I can see the root development pretty well, and the humidity domes are nice. They each have opaque drainage trays they fit into, and there are LED grow lights built into the humidity domes, but those lights are pretty useless--they're the only thing about the set which I don't like. The domes are kept on the trays after sowing to maintain humidity for the seeds to germinate, right? But until the seeds germinate there's no need for grow lights. After the seeds germinate, the domes need to be removed, which also removes the grow lights. So... that's not very helpful. There are ventilation holes in the top which I guess are meant to be opened after germination so that the domes can be left on, but it doesn't look like it would be nearly enough. There's still no way to blow air through the seedlings to strengthen the stems, and the dome would still trap heat and humidity inside so damping off and other fungal diseases would be a major concern. So I have some overhead grow lights to use instead.

[@shellynull5103]

Why didn’t I think of the posts in the corners of the beds?? I have fought with that for the last two years. Thanks for all you do. I learn so much from you!

[@AshleyGrows5]

Same! So simple!!!

[@kenbrown438]

Sacramento CA public libraries are giving away free heirloom vegetable and flower seeds ; at participating locations !!!! Zone 9b !!!! And don't forget to eat what you grow !!!!

[@THFrenchteacher]

I so excited I found your channel! I love your tips, your expertise, and your energy! Thank you! 🙏

[@MIgardener]

Welcome!!

[@BNOBLE.]

He has a very inexpensive store for seeds and planting supplies also

[@Warrior-In-the-Garden]

Great tips. My best tip is mint spray for cuke beatles but you are the one who told me that. I have also used that spray to mask the smell of bone meal when transplanting to deter digging pests. The Dibbler sounds like a great evil villian name. 😂

[@ErinCrooks-vw3ig]

My beds are 3 feet wide, but with a fence on one side. My husband made me a little bridge/seat thing out of scraps to place across it. Comes in handy when planting out small seeds or seedlings. I’m going to definitely steal the idea for the hose protector things. That is great, as I kept having that problem last year!

[@caroc8290]

Love the idea of the sticks on the corners, that would solve my problem ❤😂

[@julliefillippi8155]

We always use boards over our carrots, but the cardboard is easier to obtain. I also cover my radish seeds the same way.

[@lizlinder6013]

I have a small dibbler but also bought a shovel replacement handle that is tapered on the end. I can stand up to use it to make holes for planting larger transplants.

[@cryptoval4480]

Genius. Love how you molded the plant pot before planting. Can’t believe how slick of a trick. 👍🏻

[@kristinanoall]

I’ve never had so much as a sprout from planting carrots, until this year when I tried the cardboard trick!! But thanks for the clarification-I now know that I need to run outside and take the cardboard off, since I saw the tiniest seedlings yesterday. I also need to plant the raspberries and strawberries that I ordered from you guys. Thanks, Luke!

[@lp-rg2ge]

I use my dibbler all the time. It is great for potting up/transplanting smaller seedlings.

[@callikohl5698]

I have a single hole dibbler and an old rake head with about ten prongs about an inch apart. Great for planting peas.

[@brg2743]

We are leaving out onions, beets, carrots, lettuce, and radishes tonight in winter sown milkjugs. Hope this works. It is supposed to be in the 40s. Yikes. The milkjugs have been open all week and are thriving. These are cooler garden crops so they should make it ok and no hardening off.

[@sandraking9650]

Those are for cooler Temps, so no problem 😊

[@maryb-h980]

I've had my bottles covered with 6" snow - everything did well 😊 Best way of growing seeds I've found in nearly 70yrs!

[@JK_341]

One word of advice about using the cardboard to help carrot seed germinate: slugs really love hiding under it too. Be especially watchful for them while you're doing this otherwise they will clean you out before you realize that anything has even tried to germinate, speaking from experience here unfortunately. It is a method that works really well though and i definitely recommend it!

[@bobmcnabney5934]

I tried it this year with some thin pieces of wood! I covered a couple rows of over seeded carrots in a few different spots in the garden. I had ants stealing seeds and building tunnels over night in a couple spots. I worried they were going to steal all of my seeds before they could germinate so I covered the area with diatomaceous earth. The ants left the seeds alone and I never had a slug visit. I've heard cinnamon can be used to repel some bugs but haven't tried it

[@emilyneal7888]

I have a 3 ft dibble that my husband made. Makes planting tomatoes and peppers super easy.

[@juliekovach9784]

Luke, thank you so much for your enthusiasm about your craft! It's so infectious that I'm going to get moving to my garden right now!

[@leviduve4001]

The back end of the Fiskars 4" Big Grip Hand Trowel works pretty good as a Dibbler

[@phillippinter7518]

I think those stakes would also be good for keeping upright bushy crops such as fava beans or determinate tomatoes, by placing them in the corners and tying a string around them

[@rhondaamrich2548]

Great tips! A game changer for me is vermi compost buckets in my raised beds!

[@sandralivingafulllife2720]

Great tips on planting carrots. I will be trying it and hopefully it will work,because I have not been successful with carrots. Thanks for sharing! Let’s Grow!

[@DanlowMusic]

Carrots are so finicky. I did good finally last year but the ones I started a couple months ago, never germinated. Going to try again here soon. I also have heard with carrots and onion seeds, to not use them the next season. Just get new ones.

[@jenniferdavies8842]

Wet the soil. Wet the cardboard and it works even better!

[@karenguth8529]

Wet the soil and the cardboard everyday. Until they are germinated. It may take 10-20 days. Keep trying

[@noradunlap7539]

Great Tips!!!😆

[@judithwalton9468]

Love the planting from a pot idea!

[@jessicaschroyer7675]

Thank you for these videos! I was curious if you have heard of those new glow in the dark petunias? It was made by LightBio and they call it the Firefly petunia. They bioengineered it from a biolumiescent mushroom!! So it's the first commercially available plant available for purchase. I would be curious if you could make a video on this, or become a vendor for them! Thank you for the garden tips!!

[@irony11]

Our Firefly Petunias are protected under patent, and as such, propagation and breeding are not permitted. These petunias are sold exclusively for personal use. ^^This is from their website. I am more curious to how they would effect soil. They are also $29.99 for a plant. This seems more of a marketing tool for "look what I have".

[@ericawhitfield9289]

It’s a GMO plant. Don’t think he would introduce that to his own garden or promote it.

[@irony11]

@@ericawhitfield9289 I don't think so either. I wouldn't want to ha e one for that exact reason.

[@JohnWood-tk1ge]

Happy day I was out planting carrots,peas and radishes today came in and saw your video it’s been a good day!

[@deborahtofflemire7727]

I like putting corner stakes, to stop your hose from wrecking the beds.

[@tracysullivan174]

Wonderful Tips!!!! Thank You I Am Going To Try All These.

[@echognomecal6742]

Be sure the "bridge" board either sufficiently overhangs or has some sort of stoppers/stabilizers at either end (like making an incredibly short bench) otherwise, it doesn't take much for it to shift while working & you could topple & get injured. That goes especially for those of us not so spry...but accidents don't generally happen with warning, so you young ones, please, don't chance it. Don't want to land on your plants!...or on short stakes...or 1/2 in 1/2 out of the bed, or w/e.

[@lindahines144]

Good morning, ❤ The tip about garden stakes 👍 I used PVC pipes drove into the ground with a metal garden stake in the middle of them. Both items had been in a throwaway pile when I discovered I could use them. 😉

[@Sunbeams17]

Love the cardboard carrot tip!! About to try it!

[@adventureswithjimandkaren2032]

Okay Luke... Off the wall question. What are those tubes in the background? Planters?

[@cookingwithshelleypampered1735]

Great idea for the cardboard on carrots! I just ordered 26 packs of seeds from your store earlier this week. Can't wait to get them!😊

[@bowtielife]

The board across the bed is my favorite! I saw you do that years ago and have kept a few in my garden ever since. Genius!!

[@skykell3940]

Love that corner post idea. I'm going to try covering carrots

[@beckypeterson7522]

I also use my dibbler to create a straight furrow to plant into! You can use it to dig up small volunteer plants and then re-locate them... use it anytime you would use your finger!

[@jacquelinegoddeau9725]

I’m going to try the cardboard on my carrots!

[@ginarivers3779]

Love the first tip. I’ve crushed and bent so many plants with my hose!! Btw a nylon flexible hose has been my game changer. I have back issues and lugging a heavy hose was sometimes a bit much. The nylon hose is unbelievably lightweight and easy to maneuver. Do you have any suggestions for hanging shade (for lettuces) ? I have a 3 ft high raised bed against a fence and can’t seem to secure it well on the opposite end that’s away from the fence.

[@stevelinskens8416]

Luke, your theory solution regarding the carrot germination is correct, but even better than cardboard is to use row cover. I've been using AG-19 for years now and it works great. You can cut it to length and it's reusable for many seasons. It works so well that I planted my carrot seeds, watered them in, placed row cover over the top of the bed, and then went on vacation for 10 days. I did nothing in between those days and when I came back, all my carrot seeds were just starting to germinate. I then took the row cover off a few days later.

[@jordanyeager9220]

Planning on sunflowers this season?

[@Minnehaha64]

Great idea for the carrots! I have used the eraser on the end of a pencil to make the depth of hole I need for planting a seed!

[@kimibrown1578]

I wouldn’t run around with this thing but I may swing it around 😅Thanks for all the awesome tips!!!

[@taylorhimes6803]

I never knew I needed these tips until now!!❤

[@Ralphyflower]

I have used rebar to stop hoses. It's long lasting. Thanks again for all the information. I ordered some fertlizer and seeds. I can wait to use the ferlizer. I hope you expand your flower seeds for us flower people.

[@brad4527]

Great tips, especially the Carrot tip. I'm going to go out and place cardboard over the Carrots and yellow beets! Thank you

[@TimRaine]

Thanks 🙏 I like the carrot cardboard tip. Your video on planting potatoes in a 10 gallon bag was a game changer for me. Thanks 🙏 From Kamloops, BC, 🇨🇦

[@gregdoh]

I use 2' rebar for hose guards and row cover to keep soil moist when planting seeds like carrots. I prefer row cover vs the cardboard you use because you can see through the row cover so you don't have to lift it up to check it. Great tips!

[@colleenstinton-czuprynski9894]

Thanks Luke.

[@shirleyk623]

My carrots and other crops were absolutely phenomenal this year I have to say it's because of the new fertilizer that I started using. Agro thrive is absolutely the best fertilizer that I have ever used. I highly recommend it to all gardeners. Its the best. It looks expensive but because you dilute it, it really goes a long way and is worth the money.

[@dalegaa4094]

Good tips. I use the board and dibbler. Didn't know about the cardboard for carrots but if I grow them again, I will certainly try it.

[@bobharms8787]

Love your enthusiasm for gardening and willingness to share

[@madhat127]

Hi Luke, another great video with some very handy tips. I use the plant pot hack already. I've also got a very helpful tool for seedling transplants. I measured one of the cells of the seed sowing trays that I use, and 3d printed a single more solid version. It's a game changer. It makes transplanting seedlings so much easier and quicker too. Keep up the great work. Have fun, Mark : )

[@flyfishdr]

If you need holes bigger than a dibbler, try a 4" auger on a cordless drill. Good for multiple planting

[@margaret2222]

I love all of these tips and heading to my raised bed with the cardboard right now. I have been waiting on my carrots for 3 days and going to get them covered now. I also really loved the board that I can cross the beds with. and the dibbler is AMAZING. You ROCK Luke. Thanks so much.

[@teresamiller4189]

is there a reason to plant rows across the width of the raised bed instead of the length of the bed? just curious

[@teresamiller4189]

sorry don't understand your reply

[@terrivance8750]

Luke, Love the hose-guard idea! Think it'll work for the corners of my UNraised flower beds? Thank you. 😊

[@joyceswansey8116]

Love my 1 by1 stakes.

[@lindadevuyst9311]

Luke I’ve been using tip #1 for years 👍but I put old glass insulators on top of rebar…they look nice and prevent accidental hitting my head..ask me how I know..lol

[@echognomecal6742]

The hose hack is very useful, saves on bad surprises! Also, "dibbler" gets my vote for most adorably named garden tool. Be cautious with cardboard please. Bad stuff: tape, glue, (possibly toxic) ink, mystery stains... Just as we're careful with our wood (which should be sturdy if we're gonna support a temporary bridge on it), we need to be careful we don't introduce toxins, etc through our other materials ☮

[@lisamorris4232]

Liked the dibbler suggestion as I, too, poo-pooed it. I need to get out some dowels. Thanks again, Luke!

[@jeas4980]

My homemade "dibbler" is a paint brush on the other end (edit: for hand pollinating mostly squashes) also marked as a ruler with a Sharpie marker (from 6" to 1/4"). It's also flat... I just spin it to make a hole and it makes a nice furrow in its flat position. Kind of like a carpenter pencil but an inch wide... keeps it from rolling off stuff.

[@julie4613]

I'd like some ideas from growing flowers from seed I love just outside Chicago today it's supposed to drop down into the 30s or '40s is there anyway I can plant seeds now so I can enjoy a couple of months of flowers without going out and purchasing plants which have gotten extremely expensive. Would the cardboard work over the seedlings of flowers such as marigolds? Thank you for your ideas keep them coming

[@tinabina6846]

Love your tips Luke. When I finally have a big garden I feel like I will have such good knowledge from all of your experience. Still with pots and greenstalks for now but I'm getting there.

[@PepperplacewithShawna]

Thank you!

[@joyceswansey8116]

Good tips.

[@leahpowell5168]

After a realative passed I ended up with her well used old handmade Dibbler. I did not realize what it was until I saw an older video you did where you had one. I thought it was a kitchen tool of some sort😂! After that light bulb moment I was so excited and have been using it ever since. Works great!

[@valchand1463]

I think I better get a dibbler! 😊

[@barbarajodanner7250]

Good morning and happy garden weekend!

[@BabyWitt]

These were all great tips!

[@AmsNl2BcnEs]

Tip 2 - this is why it’s strongly recommended to design beds that are small enough that you can easily walk around rather than be tempted to jump over, and which you can comfortably reach to the mid point from both sides.

[@AskYouTubeDad]

Great videos and tips ive used several of these tips in my garden and videos too! Keep up the great videos

[@tuxedocatpicasso8917]

Great tips! Thank you!

[@TheDealfinder500]

I like these kinds of videos. Thanks!

[@missourigirl4101]

Super great tips Luke!

[@kenbrown438]

I just got my notification and rushed right over !!!!

[@MIgardener]

Glad you enjoyed it!!!

[@virginiadavis1966]

I love you ❤. I loved allot your ideas.

[@princesspamela1959]

Luke... Please be nice to those Shasta Daisies! They bring lots of love to so many... Lead by example... 😍😍😍

[@SH-gd9uq]

Yesss!! Hose guards ! I use green metal stakes. I also use knee pads so i can just drop yo my knees when i need to. Thank you luke.

[@dangalimidi]

Make a Dibbler out of wood. Doubles as a vampire stake...

[@aiercooledengine]

You mentioned what interplant with tomato 🍅 plants, what is best to interplant with chilie plants?

[@Nocare89]

If you're planting a lot of things, consider an auger bit on a power drill. It's even faster and no compacting

[@6MonthsOfSilence]

These are great ideas!

[@XIIchiron78]

Any reason you haven't invested in a drip irrigation system? I extended mine off my sprinkler system so I can set the runtime as needed. Edit: side note I ended up having to run a full 1" PVC line and splitting off a regulator for each bed as 40psi wasn't enough to do them all on a half inch flex tube (resulted in barely more than a dribble from each spout). They are only a few bucks each though so no biggie. I built them into a little riser with a T at the top and then a couple corners to make a long rectangle which covers the beds pretty well. You can get bulk drip heads for pretty cheap at irrigation king online. For your scale I might even split the garden into a couple different zones depending on your city pressure (mines about 70 by the time it reaches the beds). That would also allow you to adjust it for different plants instead of twisting hundreds of little knobs lol. You could probably do everything in a day or two for a couple hundred bucks if you rent a trencher.

[@LadyGreenThumb2]

Agree on the dibble!