Everyday Cheapskate: Top 5 Brilliant Hacks to Kickstart Your Vegetable Garden

Mary Hunt on Apr 9, 2024

Make sure you read the necessary information on the back of the seed packets. Don't know your zone? Check this color-coded plant hardiness zone map of the United States at www.brecks.com/zone_finder to find which hardiness zone you live in. At that site, you'll be able to type in your ZIP code to find your exact zone.

You will need some seed-starting soil, but that's all -- don't buy starting kits or special containers. Get creative with what you have at home. Egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, yogurt cups, paper coffee cups and fast-food containers can be repurposed into seed-starting containers. Just be sure to poke drainage holes in the bottom, then fill the containers with the soil.

GREENHOUSE FROM THE SALAD BAR

The next time you enjoy a salad bar lunch, don't toss out the plastic clamshell container! Instead, give it a second life as a mini-greenhouse for spring seed-starting. After cleaning the container, add airflow by punching small holes in the top with the tip of scissors, a knife or an awl and hammer.

Fill the bottom half with potting mix or your preferred seed-starting soil, then plant your seeds according to seed packet instructions. Water lightly, close the lid, and place in a sunny spot. Watch as your seeds sprout in this cool little greenhouse, which traps warmth and moisture while letting in sunlight.

MOVING SEEDLINGS OUTDOORS

After the last frost in your area (garden.org/apps/frost-dates/) and two weeks before outdoor planting, gradually introduce your seedlings to weather conditions in their future garden home. Begin by placing them outside for a few hours in the afternoon shade, shielded from wind. Return them indoors before nighttime temperatures decrease.

Each day, extend their outdoor visit gradually and expose them to increasing amounts of direct sunlight. By the end of the two weeks, unless freezing temperatures are expected, the seedlings can remain outdoors in a sunny location until you're prepared to transplant them into the garden.

Known as "hardening," this process removes the shock of climate change for these baby seedlings by introducing their eventual climate conditions gradually. This gives plants the best chance for maturity and your successful harvest.

MORE GARDENING HACKS

You can find 18 more of my favorite gardening hacks, tips and tricks at EverydayCheapskate.com/gardenhacks. Come visit; we can share stories!

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Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, "Ask Mary." This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book "Debt-Proof Living."