1. Stinging Nettle soaked in a five gallon bucket filled with water for 3 weeks makes great nitrogen feed concentrate. Mix 1 cup concentrate to 1 gallon of water and feed weekly.
2. Comfrey, soaked in the same way, is great for phosphorus (for flowering and fruiting time).
* These will get VERY smelly, so cover with a lid.
3. Long sticks for trellises.
4. Garden centers often give away plastic containers as they will be recycled anyway. Same with pallets which are always handy.
5. Long grass is your friend! Maybe not in the garden, but some where close! We keep ours long in the orchard and it -
- a. Keeps disease spores from being splashed up on the trees in rain (sort of like a filter). We noticed a huge difference in disease spread this year so far.
- b. Home for all sorts of predatory insects
7. Learn to save seed! It is quite easy and fun and your saved seed will remember your growing conditions from last year and improve itself. Done over many years your plants will be much stronger.
8. Save eggs shells as a calcium supplement for blossom end rot and general plant health.
9. Save old coffee grounds (or find for free from Starbucks) for low pH/ericaceous plants (like blueberries).