The Wave Crew Wave Petunias | Cool Wave Pansies
The growing season is still thriving. Your Wave Petunias might have gotten a trim or pinch or even a full haircut already. As we start winding down the days of a scorching summer, we’d like to ask: What is the best gardening hack you know?
Matt: Don’t underestimate using big tools to help save you time (and save your back)! Leaf blowers can do a lot of clean up work in little time, a drill operated auger can make planting easier, and don’t think you HAVE TO till your gardens. One of the best gardening hacks is knowing that the soil doesn’t have to be tilled to be good for gardens. In fact, sometimes tilling the garden can be bad for it.
Aimee: I love using this trick to make planting easier: Pull your plant out of the nursery container and set it aside. Then when planting it up, bury the empty pot/container where you want the plant to go. Pull out the empty container and you will have the perfect sized spot to plant in! This works really great when doing combinations in planters, but you can do it in the ground as well! - @trowelanderrorgardening
Get out of the way. Plants have been around for a long, long time. They are evolutionary geniuses. The less I interfere with their process, the better they are at doing their thing. Fostering a certified wildlife habitat has reinforced this. Also: interplant pansies everywhere. -@igardennow
Wire Trash Cans from the Dollar Store. I put them over young plants and annuals that are just getting their root system established in order to protect them from the wildlife in my yard. I secure them with garden fabric staples. I use the black so it isn't noticeable from the street. -@wildwestgardeneringgeorgia
I don't have a specific hack to share, but I am very proud of my "no dig method " that I have been using to create new flower beds for the past couple years...total life saver. -@our.cozy.white.home
My secret is that to make it simple, you don't have to follow rigid rules. Plant what thrives for you and toss anything that takes too much effort to keep looking well. It just isn't worth it, there are too many plants and flowers that will grow more easily in your conditions. Lean into those plants and learn to enjoy the ones you struggle with in other gardens. Toss perfection out the window. -@flowerpatchfarmhouse
I learned this throughout my years in the floral industry…some flowers, such as stargazer lilies, have pollen that becomes fluffier and fuzzier with age. It can be extremely difficult to remove out of clothing. A simple chenille stem and a gentle swipe easily removes it from any soft surface. -@southernhomeandfarm