One of my many passions is gardening. Whether it's herbs, flowers or even some vegetables, they are an excellent source of relaxation for me. But anyone who has played a little garden, even if it is a small and urban one, knows that it is not so easy. Sometimes the flowers wither for no reason, other times there are small pests that make my plants sick or even sometimes I fail to offer them the best conditions for development. That's why I tried to find out a little more about some gardening tricks, all organic, of course, to make my life easier and my plants happier. I will write only the ones I came across. And as strawberries and flowers are my favorite seedlings, most likely my tips will relate to them.
1. Plant strawberries with mint
There are associations of plants that do not go well together (for example cucumbers should not be planted right next to tomatoes I also found out, to my surprise) and there are associations that help plants grow better. One of them is mint with strawberries. We tried it this year and we have some huge plants not only strawberries, but also mint. The only trouble is that you don't have to let the mint spread more than it should.
2. Bulb flowers need potassium
When I refer to bulbous flowers, I mean especially spring flowers, daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. What I did was put a few banana peels in a bucket of water and wet it with that water. I'm not exaggerating when I say I had some super flowers this spring. My husband said he had never seen such daffodils, with so many flowers on one thread (there were about 9-10 I think, you can see it in the picture).
3. Solution for withered flowers
I don't know how, but it still happens to me that the flowers kept inside, in pots, still wither. So to help them recover, I prepare a solution in a blender: a banana peel, an eggshell, a teaspoon of coffee grounds + water, and with that water I wet the wilted flowers a few days in a row. Banana peel brings potassium, eggshell brings calcium, and coffee grounds protect against insects, so it's the perfect combination to help the flowers recover.
4. Coffee grounds repel insects
I remember last year, every remnant of my daily cup of coffee was added to the tomatoes, right to the root. The seedlings I put the coffee grounds on were completely avoided by ants and other insects.
5. Cinnamon has anti-fungal properties
It can be used to prevent and stop diseases in seedlings, and if placed in the ground, stimulates plant growth (a tablespoon of cinnamon is enough). Also, if you accidentally caused an injury to the seedling (stem), the sprinkled cinnamon has the role of healing it.
6. Eggshells drive away snails
If you have problems with snails and slugs, try blending a few eggshells and scattering them in the garden. Because they are sharp, they will chase away the snails that will not risk getting hurt in them.
7. Cut the tops of young plants
In this way you will promote the growth of seedlings. An example, for roses, I always cut the tops and especially the dried flowers. By doing so, the roses bloom even more.
8. Add Epsom salt to replant
To help the plants get through the shock of moving from one pot to another or from one place to another, put in the new place, as soon as you dig the pit, a tablespoon of Epsom salt (see here) and this way you ensure that the seedling will survive transplanting.
These are my gardening tricks. They are practical and especially related to organic gardens, which helped me with my small urban garden and which I thought of passing on. How do you like them? What kind of tips and tricks have you tried and worked out well for you?
