Many green-fingered Brits will be taking to their gardens this time of year – whether planting flowers or growing their fruit and veg. However, those growing their produce often face the challenge of keeping pests at bay. Slugs, snails, and caterpillars are notorious for damaging foliage and fruits. To combat this, one gardener, known on social media as @bilgemehmet23, shared a simple and cost-effective hack that has left many people stunned. His less than 1$ trick involves sprinkling table salt around the rim of a plant pot with the bottom cut off, which he then presses into the soil to create a barrier that slugs and other pests won’t cross.

The video demonstrating this method has garnered more than 124,000 likes, indicating its popularity and effectiveness. In the clip, @bilgemehmet23 shows how he places cheap salt around the edges of the pot, explaining its benefits in keeping slugs away. He emphasized that this method has worked for him despite initial skepticism from others. The effectiveness of this simple hack was further confirmed by a woman in the background who mentioned that without the salt, they would have a slug problem by morning. TikTok users were impressed and expressed their gratitude, with many commenting on the genius of the idea and their intention to try it themselves. The response highlights the ongoing battle gardeners face with pests and the relief practical and affordable solutions can bring.

Many people considering gardening may envision it as an expensive pursuit, laden with costs for various equipment and materials. However, seasoned gardener Amy Chapman (@inthecottagegarden) has shared a refreshing perspective in her Instagram video, demonstrating that starting a garden can be virtually cost-free by reusing everyday items that would typically be discarded. With 179,000 Instagram followers, Amy showed how to repurpose oat milk cartons into seed trays by cutting one side open and adding drainage holes on the opposite side. She then filled these makeshift trays with soil, perfect for planting microgreens like fenugreek seeds. Amy further illustrated the versatility of household waste by creating planters from plastic containers, egg cartons, and even toilet paper tubes, each prepared with proper drainage to ensure successful plant growth.

Repurposing household items not only saves money on gardening supplies but also contributes to environmental sustainability. Growing your vegetables reduces grocery bills and benefits the local ecosystem by supporting pollinators and reducing pollution. Commercial agriculture generates significant pollution through fertilizer runoff, plastic packaging, and transportation emissions. For every pound of food transported, approximately 0.18 pounds of carbon dioxide are emitted. Thus, cultivating 300 pounds of food at home annually can reduce around 50 pounds of carbon pollution. The enthusiasm for Amy’s methods is palpable among her followers, with comments highlighting the timeliness and utility of her tips. One follower remarked, “When I finally get a garden I know what we will be doing with our oatly cartons,”; while another praised the advice, saying, “This came at the perfect time, thank you,” reflecting widespread appreciation and inspiration drawn from Amy’s zero-cost gardening techniques.

If you want to turn your outdoor space into a tranquil oasis without breaking the bank, look no further. Gardening enthusiast Marta has shared an ingenious and affordable way to create a beautiful water feature using simple, budget-friendly materials. Her viral TikTok video, which has garnered over 2 million views, demonstrates how to construct a charming DIY garden water fountain. Marta starts by placing a large plant pot filled with pebbles for stability, then adds a slightly larger pot saucer on top. She then installs a solar-powered water fountain kit, which can be purchased for less than £15 on Amazon, covering it with more pebbles for an elegant finish. To complete the setup, she fills the fountain with water using a watering can, resulting in a stunning, self-sustaining water feature.

Marta’s eco-friendly water feature not only adds elegance to any garden but also operates without the need for electricity, making it a cost-effective solution. The solar-powered fountain, recommended with a 3.5w battery for optimal performance, ensures continuous operation throughout sunny days. While the water needs to be replenished a few times a day, this minor maintenance is a small price to pay for the beauty and tranquility it brings. Viewers have praised Marta’s clever hack, with many replicating the project in their gardens and sharing their success stories. Comments on her post reflect the widespread appreciation for her creativity and practicality, highlighting how this DIY water feature has inspired many to enhance their outdoor spaces affordably.

Two apartments ago, Kylie McConville and her boyfriend, experienced a rare New York City luxury: a small backyard. This unexpected perk allowed them to transition from small-space indoor gardening to constructing their own DIY raised garden bed, where they enjoyed bountiful harvests of kale, herbs, zucchini, and eggplant for two blissful years. When the couple moved again, they adapted their green thumbs to balcony and hydroponic gardening, sharing their passion with friends and family. This led to them building a raised garden bed as a housewarming gift for Kylie’s sister when she bought her first home. Her enthusiasm was so infectious that when she wanted another garden bed this spring, the couple jumped at the chance, determined to make it even easier by using no power tools—just wood and concrete planter wall bricks.

To construct the raised garden bed in under two hours for less than $200, Kylie needed a few essential materials: eight concrete planter wall blocks, eight pieces of 2×6 cedar wood cut to size, landscape fabric, garden staples, soil, and a few basic gardening tools. The cedar wood was chosen for its durability and resistance to moisture. By getting the wood cut to size at the store, she eliminated the need for any power tools. The couple started by framing the bed and clearing the grass, then placing the concrete blocks at each corner to anchor the cedar boards. After laying landscaping fabric to prevent weeds, they added the second layer of blocks and boards, filled the bed with soil, and raked it smoothly. Finally, they planted herbs and sowed seeds, leaving space for future additions. This streamlined, tool-free process made it accessible and enjoyable, ensuring that her sister could enjoy her new garden with minimal effort.

Beverly Lofton transformed her water-thirsty lawn in South Los Angeles into a flourishing micro-farm, a significant shift in an area known for its heat, water shortages, and urban sprawl. This verdant space, powered by solar energy and utilizing recycled water, now produces a variety of crops such as carrots, beets, and potatoes, which are distributed among her neighbors. The initiative is not only a bold move against the dominance of concrete and cars but also serves as a direct challenge to food insecurity and large-scale agriculture. Lofton’s micro-farm stands as a beacon of sustainability and community resilience in a neighborhood often labeled as a “food desert,” highlighting the potential of urban farming to address critical issues like food apartheid.

Lofton’s journey began during the pandemic in 2020 when she connected with Crop Swap LA, a group dedicated to converting unused spaces into sustainable micro-farms. The conversion, which started in 2021 and was completed in 2022, involved removing her grass lawn and installing a reservoir, raised beds, and a drip irrigation system. This transformation drastically reduced her water bill from $400 to $37.63 every two months. The micro-farm, which includes a grapevine and various vegetables, not only conserves water but also fosters community engagement. Crop Swap LA maintains the garden and harvests produce weekly, offering affordable memberships to neighbors. The farm, named after Lofton’s late husband La Salle Lofton Sr., embodies his love for cooking and community, making a lasting impact on the neighborhood by providing fresh, locally grown food and inspiring others to consider sustainable practices.

Isaiah Hofer’s farm in Manitoba produced a record-breaking bumper crop, resulting in an unprecedented surplus of 12 million pounds of potatoes. After meeting his regular delivery commitments, Hofer faced a dilemma with the excess potatoes. The options were bleak: allowing them to rot, converting them to animal feed, or selling them at a minimal profit. However, inspired by a letter from the Keystone Potato Producers Association and the Farmlink Project—a US food charity that connects surplus farm produce with food banks—Hofer decided to donate the surplus to those in need. With the help of fellow farmers, Hofer offered Farmlink 12 million pounds of potatoes for distribution.

The logistical challenge of distributing such a massive quantity of potatoes was immense, requiring a coordinated effort from multiple organizations. Teaming up with Kate Nelson, co-founder of Farmlink, and Wendy Leung of Foodsharing Ottawa, they set a plan in motion. Leung and her team had to upgrade their usual tools to handle the large volume, utilizing forklifts, climate-controlled facilities, and semi-trucks. The collaborative effort, costing around CAD$30,000, successfully saw 115 trucks filled with potatoes heading to food banks and charities as far away as San Diego. The impact was significant, with over 50 local organizations benefiting from the donation, helping countless individuals and households in need. This initiative mirrored past efforts during the pandemic, where volunteers coordinated the rescue and distribution of surplus food to prevent waste and support food banks across North America.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has highlighted the emergence of rain gardens and bathwater reuse as crucial trends in gardening, particularly in response to anticipated water scarcity stemming from climate change. At prestigious events like the Chelsea Flower Show, where innovation meets aesthetics, gardens dedicated to water conservation take center stage. Notably, the Water Aid garden showcases a pavilion designed for rainwater harvesting, demonstrating the importance of slowing runoff to collect and filter water for both irrigation and consumption. Similarly, the National Autistic Society garden ingeniously channels rainwater away from the main terrace, utilizing natural features like mossy dells to manage excess water during heavy rainfall while nurturing a diverse range of plant species adapted to wet conditions.

Rain gardens, as defined by the RHS, serve as vital tools in mitigating water shortages. These shallow depressions, strategically planted with water-tolerant and drought-resistant flora, efficiently capture and retain rainwater runoff, minimizing the need for supplemental watering. Offering benefits beyond conservation, rain gardens reduce erosion, provide habitat for wildlife, and enhance the overall health of garden ecosystems. Furthermore, as the RHS explores the feasibility of incorporating grey water, such as from bathing and washing up, into gardening practices, the conversation shifts towards sustainable solutions that align with evolving environmental imperatives. Dr. Nicholas Cryer, a senior water scientist at the RHS, underscores the necessity of adopting innovative approaches, emphasizing the potential of greywater recycling as a practical step towards addressing the impending water deficit and fostering conscientious stewardship of precious resources.

The emergence of glow-in-the-dark petunias represents a potential revolution in indoor gardening, offering enthusiasts a captivating new dimension to explore within their homes. As the trend of indoor gardening surged over the past few years, driven by a desire to combat monotony and find solace in nurturing greenery amid confinement, enthusiasts have sought ways to enhance the visual appeal of their indoor landscapes. While traditional indoor plants add vibrancy during the day, their charm often fades into darkness, prompting the need for artificial lighting solutions that incur additional costs. Enter the Firefly Petunia, a groundbreaking creation that imbues plants with the natural ability to emit an enchanting glow after sundown. This innovation not only eliminates the need for external lighting but also introduces an element of magic and wonder to indoor spaces, captivating both plant enthusiasts and casual observers alike.

The Firefly Petunia represents a significant leap forward in bioluminescent plant breeding, combining the genetic traits of a glowing mushroom with those of a tobacco plant to achieve dazzling results. Unlike previous attempts, this innovation seamlessly integrates glowing capabilities into a popular garden flower, making it accessible and practical for indoor cultivation. Moreover, the bioluminescence serves as more than just a visual spectacle; it also offers valuable insights into the plant’s health and growth patterns. As the plant thrives under proper care and sunlight exposure, its luminosity serves as a barometer of vitality, with brighter glows indicating robust growth. This fusion of aesthetics and functionality underscores the potential for further advancements in bioluminescent plant varieties, promising a future where homes are transformed into nocturnal wonderlands adorned with a kaleidoscope of glowing flora. With ongoing research aimed at expanding the color range and species compatibility, the journey toward a fully illuminated indoor garden seems both inevitable and thrilling.

A California Superbloom Is Springing to Life and the Best is Yet to Come, thanks to the drenching rains and record snowfall that characterized the state’s 2022-2023 winter season, persisting throughout the year. By September, typically the apex of dryness and fire risk, the entire state was deemed free from drought conditions. With this abundance of water, experienced Californians anticipated a spectacle in the making—a super bloom. This informal term signifies an explosion of wildflower blooms following particularly wet winters, a phenomenon California has recently witnessed on a grand scale, with some events visible even from space. Last year’s display was hailed as breathtaking, among the most dramatic ever seen, and this year holds similar promise. However, certainty awaits until April, the usual peak of blooming, when flowers unveil their vibrant hues across the higher-elevation deserts.

“It’s definitely looking like it’s going to be a good season,” remarked Evan Meyer, a botanist and Executive Director of the nonprofit Theodore Payne Foundation. “Last year was incredible, one of the best blooms in many years.” Already, splashes of color are appearing in California’s Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Chino Hills State Park, and Tule Elk State Natural Reserve. The extent of this year’s spectacle hinges on weather conditions, with a perfect balance of moisture and heat poised to transform many more areas into kaleidoscopic landscapes. Among the myriad flower species adorning the terrain are desert sand verbena, sage, dune evening primrose, and California poppies, the latter particularly sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Uncertainty looms over Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, where the explosion of poppies witnessed last year may or may not repeat due to the timing of recent rainfall. Superblooms are not exclusive to California; neighboring desert states like Nevada and Arizona, along with Death Valley National Park, also partake in these spectacular displays of nature’s bounty.