15 Hacks You Can Use to Finally Get the Garden of Your Dreams

Gardening is as fun as it can sometimes be frustrating. It is often a case of trial and error before you get it right and create the garden you’ve always wanted. However, there are some great tips and tricks that you can learn from other gardeners — so, whether you want the neighbor’s cats to finally stop using your garden as litter box or whether you want to make your garden look bigger, we suggest you read on.

The following 15 genius gardening hacks found by the Bright Side team are divided into 2 parts — one making sure that you treat your plants with a true green thumb and the other helping you with the rest of your garden design.

First make sure your plants grow happily.

1. Soak your seeds in warm water before sowing.

The moment when your seed starts to grow into a seedling is called germination. By soaking your seeds overnight you will give them a jump start, which will speed up the whole process.

2. Use seeding starters.

By starting the first growing of the sprouts inside, you are able to begin a bit sooner in the season than with direct seeding. There are very few plants that don’t like being transplanted from a container to the ground. We advise using organic starter cups, like ice cream cones or eggshells, since you can put them directly into the ground where they will degrade. Making paper cups also works, since you can easily peel off the paper before planting your sprouts outside.

3. Keep those sprouts alive by creating a mini-greenhouse.

You can easily create a miniature greenhouse by cutting out the bottom of any type of plastic container. This gives your plants a nice warm environment to start growing and may protect them from any harsh environmental elements.

4. Keep cats away from your beloved plants with this simple and safe trick.

Unfortunately, the neighbor’s cats sometimes see your beautiful green garden as their own giant litter box. We are sure that it would be way less appealing to them when you stick some plastic forks in the soil. In no-time they will understand that your garden is not the best place to go and you will be able to remove the forks again as soon as you “train” the cats to not come around anymore.

5. You don’t need to buy expensive plants.

If it is the financial aspect that’s keeping you from gardening, we have some great news! There are many plants that you can grow using the seeds from your daily fruits and vegetables. Check out this video for all the possibilities.

6. Boost the amount of nutrients!

Eggshells are not only great to use as seed starters, they are also rich in nutrients and therefore work just as well as fertilizer. So next time you have an omelet in the morning, make sure to save the shells for your beloved plants.

7. Coffee and grapefruit all fend off snails and slugs.

Snails are the natural enemy of plants. Coffee and grapefruit are some natural remedies you can use against them, which will not harm your plants in any way.

8. Use an angled fence to grow pumpkins and then “catch” them in a pantyhose hammock.

Pumpkins grow above the ground, which already makes them a fun addition to your garden. The only thing is, the excessive moisture in the soil can make them start to rot before it’s time to harvest them. To prevent this from happening, you can use an angled fence like shown in the picture. Is your pumpkin getting too heavy? Then you can create a little hammock to support the weight.

Then think outside the box for your garden design.

9. Plan ahead.

Some plants are for summer and some are for winter. Think well about the type of plants you put in your garden so that it is beautiful in the summer and in the winter.

10. Make it fun for everyone.

Nothing is more fun than having a garden that is great for the whole family. If you have small kids, it might be very nice for them to have their own little spot in the garden. This can range from a small play area on the ground to a next-level tree house, especially for the little ones.

11. Match your garden furniture to the plants you have.

A great garden is not just about plants. Picking out the right seats and tables for your garden makes it an inviting place to go and relax anytime the sun comes out.

12. Be creative in the way you use your space.

If you have a smaller garden, you might have to think hard about how to use your space wisely. There are a number of clever design techniques you can incorporate to fully utilize every little space at your disposal. For instance, using vertical spaces or buying hanging planters.

13. Add mirrors to make your garden look bigger.

Another clever trick to make your garden look bigger is by placing a mirror near it. It will help to reflect light into the dark corners and spaces, and give the illusion of depth and space. There are many mirrors online that are specially made for outdoors, so you don’t have to worry about them becoming rusty.

14. Pine needles and mushrooms can change the color of your hydrangeas.

The color of your hydrangea is not the result of a variety of different pigments, as is the case for other flowers. It all comes down to the pH level of the soil. If the soil is acidic, the hydrangeas will turn blue, and when the soil is alkaline, they will turn pink. In this case, pine needles make the flowers turn blue, while mushroom compost will turn the flowers a pink color.

15. Impress with less.

Once your first plants start to flourish, you can easily get over-excited about the amount of plants you would like in your garden. Keep in mind that all those plants also need care over the long run. In this case, sometimes having less plants is better and the easiest way to keep your garden neat all year around.

Happy gardening! Which of the tips did you like most? Do you also have some killer gardening tips you would like to share with us?