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Jul 12, 2023

Gardening tips 2023 — Keep the pesky weeds out of your garden with a cheap hack

WEEDS can be eliminated for good with a cheap and easy hack. A savvy gardener

WEEDS can be eliminated for good with a cheap and easy hack.

A savvy gardener who goes by social media username, @simpystyledinspo, shared the technique.

All she did was mix one gallon of white vinegar and one cup of salt.

The gardener, whose name is Nancy, added that you could also throw in dish soap, but it's not necessary.

You can either pour the mixture or generously spray it onto the weeds to get rid of them.

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Seed germinates best in early fall or mid-spring, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.

However, germination cannot be sped up in most cases.

Simply put, getting grass to grow successfully necessitates some planning, as well as some crucial time and patience.

The RHS recommends:

Here are some easy steps to follow in order to grow avocado from its seed:

There's no need for harsh pesticides that might harm animals when you can utilize your booze store, according to one gardening expert.

The hack was just disclosed by the experts at Insight Weeds, and it's completely mind-blowing.

They believe that instead of strong herbicides, the beverage may be utilized.

Because the vodka takes moisture away from the plant, the smart approach works.

The plant will eventually stop growing and wilt as a result of this.

The weed will be dead after the leaves dry off, according to specialists.

At the top of your to-do list should be weeding and thinning, according to Almanac.com.

Plants can't grow effectively if they’re crowded out, and weeds are particularly aggressive competitors.

Almanac.com recommends:

As spring comes, make sure your gardening equipment is in good working order so you can take on any chore in your yard.

And the best way to achieve that, according to Martha Stewart, is to take good care of them in three simple steps:

If not pruned, hydrangeas can get crowded.

If the stem is woody or dead, it will not blossom as well.

Pruning your hydrangea encourages it to grow stronger for future buds.

It will also look much better without the browning blossoms.

The simplest method is to remove the plant's dead bloom.

Snip all the way down to the next fresh buds on the stem, if they’re visible, or anywhere else looks good.

Cut old stems back to the base to foster new growth in more established plants.

To guarantee a clean cut and no harm to your plant, use clean, sharp garden shears or scissors.

It will take another year for new stems to bloom.

In late winter to early spring, some hydrangeas require trimming.

The mophead has a circular, full bloom with huge petals, but the lacecap has smaller blossoms in the center surrounded by larger petals.

Climbing Hydrangeas, for example, require trimming once they have completed blooming in late summer.

Early winter pruning is not recommended due to the risk of frost damage to the plant.

Leaving the flowers on over the winter might help shield you from the cold.

Protecting winter crops from the worst frosts and winds can make all the difference in their survival and even allow for minor yields.

Broad beans, curly parsley, hardy lettuces, peas, salad leaves, spinach, and Swiss chard may all be protected using cloches.

Alternatively, you may make a protective tent by pushing bamboo canes into the ground around the plant to be covered and covering them with horticultural fleece or bubble wrap.

Secure it to the canes using twine. Wrap the container with bubble wrap, then drape horticultural fleece over the top and fasten with twine for potted plants.

Keeping the soil moist may seem paradoxical, but it can help protect plants from the cold.

When it gets dark, moist earth acts as an insulator, radiating heat upward.

If you’re going to water your plants before a cold spell, do it in the middle of the day when the weather is still warm.

Adding a layer of mulch to your garden beds will help insulate the soil from rapid temperature changes, much like putting on a sweater when it's cold outside.

To offer important insulation for the plant's root systems below ground, use a straw, wood chips, leaf mold, or even a stack of leaves.

To establish a good barrier, mulch extensively to a depth of three to six inches.

The protection of a cold frame will assist young hardy plants, such as autumn-sown hardy annuals, hardy shrub cuttings, and seed-raised perennials, during the winter.

On hot days, open the lid to prevent overheating and fungal infections.

Plants benefit greatly from a greenhouse, especially when it comes to safeguarding your yard from the cold.

Gardeners shouldn't expect to see bright-green grass with a meadow lawn.

Instead, natural grasses and flowers will create a softer, taller carpet of greenery, which means you can skip the aerating and mowing typical lawns require.

Spreading fertilizer is another task to cross off your list since most meadow lawns just don't need it.

"Believe it or not, a meadow thrives in soil that is nutrient deficient," the experts at Domino magazine wrote.

"There's no need for any of the extra nitrogen, potassium, or phosphorus required to keep grass looking good."

According to a Conservation Fund estimate, within the first year of changing from a traditional lawn to a meadow lawn, you can see an average savings of $7,000 per acre.

After a decade, you could see a total savings of $85,000.

Because meadows start from seed, you’re saving on the initial investment that nursery plants would typically require as well.

Experts at Domino magazine explored an ideology that's not widespread in the United States, but is common in Europe and gaining popularity.

Meadow lawns, which incorporate wild grasses and native flowers, are the climate- and budget-friendly alternative to traditional manicured green yards.

"A meadow by its very nature is made up of plants that thrive in extreme conditions," the experts explained.

Meadow lawns do require irrigation at first, but once they’re established, the grasses require little to no water.

Typically, mulch is utilized in flower beds.

However, it can also work in place of a traditional lawn.

By using mulch, you won't need to mow, which will reduce the amount of time needed to maintain your lawn.

Mulch retains moisture, so you may not need to water your garden as much if you use it, which also helps with the maintenance of your garden.

When it comes to purchasing mulch, if you plan to use it across a large swath of land, you can buy it in bulk.

But beware of the materials you’re purchasing and make sure that they’ll decompose and enhance your garden.

Wood chips, leaves, grass clippings, and pine bark are a few examples of materials that can be used as mulch.

By using mulch, you’re adding a protective barrier to the soil, which will work well against the natural elements.

This can also help reduce the number of weeds that grow in your garden.

Smaller materials are better for your garden, and larger materials work well for walking paths and other areas.

If planted in your garden, mint will quickly take over and disrupt the surrounding plants.

"Keep it contained to pots," the gardening expert known as @greenthumbdiaries advised.

By planting your mint in pots, you can keep it all together and prevent it from infesting your other plants.

Plus, you can keep your pot closer to your back door, making it easily accessible to grab some mint as you cook.

One gardening expert known as @greenthumbdiaries on social media posted a video revealing the common plant you should never keep in your garden.

Though it makes a great ingredient in homemade dishes, you should not plant mint in your backyard garden.

"Mint is highly invasive," said the expert.

"It can quickly spread."

Once planted, due to its horizontal root structure, the expert said the plant creates many new stems as it grows.

While weeds constantly pop up all over the grass and the hedges, the biggest eye-sore is when you see them between patio slabs or driveway cracks.

Cass Heaphy, Digital Director at Paving Direct, spoke to Express.co.uk about the best ways to remove weeds from paving.

He said you can begin by manually pulling anything that will be released by hand.

"For those weeds that cannot be easily pulled up, a weeding tool/scraper is recommended.

"You should be able to scrape between the blocks with this tool to dislodge the weeds."

If that feels like it's taking too long, a hand-held burner will do the trick quickly and efficiently.

Next, the experts suggested dieffenbachia, an even more low-maintenance plant that only needs to be watered every seven to 10 days.

One common houseplant that's easy to keep alive is the spider plant, which the gardening experts pointed out only needs to be watered once a week.

If you’re looking for something smaller, the aglaonema is an excellent choice for notorious plant killers as it also only needs to be watered once every seven days.

For those with an edgier style, the black raven ZZ plant would be a good choice as it features shiny dark purple leaves.

Plus, it only needs to be watered every two to three weeks, making it the easiest plant to keep alive.

Lastly, the gardening experts suggested dracaenas for plant beginners since it you only need to water it once every seven to 10 days.

The gardening experts behind Jordan's Jungle in Rhode Island shared the best beginner-friendly plants.

In a video, they wrote out some common complaints when it comes to taking care of plants, such as "I kill everything," "I don't get a lot of light," and "I forget to water."

Then they revealed multiple plants that they called "practically fool-proof."

First, they showed off a pothos plant, which they clarified in the comments was actually a scindapsus, but both are beginner-friendly as they only need to be watered once a week.

The trees are also somewhat resistant to fireblight – a highly infectious disease that attacks blossoms, leaves, shoots, branches, fruits, and roots.

Bradford pears can become infected and spread the disease, but they rarely die from it.

"We have lost many pear, apple, and quince trees due to blight from the Bradford pears planted just outside our wall," said Simpson.

And perhaps most unfortunate, those beautiful white flowers produce an unpleasant, musty smell that Simpson compares to "a teenage boy's room or the back of a city bus."

If you’re looking for trees similar in aesthetic but aren't as much of a hassle, Simpson suggests California native redbud or flowering crabapple or cherry trees for cooler areas.

Trees that grow quickly are prone to breakage. The natural structure of Bradford pears is very weak and the wood is brittle, meaning they can become a hazard in windy conditions.

Sometimes, the wind doesn't even need to be a factor. Gardening expert, Laura Simpson says that a tree near her home snapped in half without any warning and nearly hit her car.

"Early pruning and shaping could help, but I’ve never seen them trimmed until they’ve reached their full height of 50 feet," she told The Press-Enterprise.

"By that time, the crown is a tangled mess of overgrown branches and training is impossible."