(Family Features) Gardening can be a simple way to beautify your yard, relieve stress and save money on your grocery bill, but like any hobby, you can get carried away buying necessary equipment.
The first step in family gardening is choosing the right plants. Consider the climate and the available space in your garden. Opt for plants that are easy to grow and maintain, such as tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, herbs, and flowers. Involving children in the selection process encourages their interest and ownership in the garden.
Fun, frugal and environmentally friendly, these tricks can help you create a cost-effective garden:
- Use a yardstick and permanent marker to mark inches and feet on the handle of your rake, shovel or hoe. The next time you plant, simply lay the marked handle along the row to create perfectly spaced holes for seeds.
- Line the bottom of a clay pot with a coffee filter to keep soil from leaking out the bottom.
- Use empty plastic water bottles or clear milk jugs to fill the bottom of large pots. They reduce the weight of the pot and require less soil to fill.
- To test your seeds to see if they’re still viable for this planting season, place a wet paper towel inside a zip-top bag, drop in 3-4 seeds and wait a week to see if anything grows.
- One way to help prevent weeds is lining your garden with a layer of newspaper. Just top two or three sheets of newsprint with a layer of pine needles, grass clippings or dried leaves for an eco-friendly and inexpensive weed barrier.
- Keep gardening twine handy. Nail a funnel to your potting bench with the spout pointing downward, feed the twine through and your string will never go missing. For a more portable solution, place a ball of twine inside a canning jar, make a hole in the lid and feed the end of the twine through the hole. Now, you can take twine anywhere, tangle-free.
- There is no need to buy expensive potting systems for starting seedlings. Place several cardboard toilet paper rolls inside a clean plastic clamshell, like those used for premade salads. Fill each cardboard tube with potting soil and plant. Once your seedlings grow too tall for the clamshell, simply tear off the top lid.
One of the most satisfying moments in family gardening is harvesting the fruits of your labor. Understanding when to harvest different crops is essential. Teach your children how to identify ripened vegetables and fruits by their color, size, and texture. Involve the family in the harvesting process, and enjoy the fresh produce together.
Cooking and preparing meals with homegrown produce is an excellent way to bond and appreciate the efforts put into the family garden. Explore new recipes and involve children in the food preparation process. This not only encourages healthy eating habits but also provides children with essential life skills in the kitchen.
Not everything in your garden will thrive, and that’s okay. Use unsuccessful plantings as opportunities to teach resilience and problem-solving. Encourage family discussions about what might have gone wrong and how to improve next time. Remember that experienced gardeners often learn the most valuable lessons from their failures.
Find more ideas for creating a garden without spending a bundle at eLivingtoday.com.
SOURCE: Family Features
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