Growing a garden has many amazing benefits, for both the environment and the gardener personally. Seeing your hard work come to life helps to ease stress, provides a sense of accomplishment, and allows people to disconnect for a bit from the technology and fast-paced life that has taken over.
Gardening doesn't mean buying a bunch of products from the store to see a successful harvest. There are many things you can DIY to help grow a better garden.
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1. Seed bombs
Using air-dry clay, potting soil and seeds, create your own seed bombs to easily plant flower seeds in your garden. Just make the seed bombs, toss them where you want plants to grow, and water!
Using air-dry clay, potting soil and seeds, create your own seed bombs to easily plant flower seeds in your garden. Just make the seed bombs, toss them where you want plants to grow, and water!
![](https://sftimes.s3.amazonaws.com/a/c/9/f/ac9f50587e77529887187ec1b7a3202c.jpg)
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2. Seed tapes
Small seeds can be hard to plant and get evenly spaced because of their tiny size. Use toilet paper and a flour/water paste to create your own seed tape that will make planting quick and easy.
Small seeds can be hard to plant and get evenly spaced because of their tiny size. Use toilet paper and a flour/water paste to create your own seed tape that will make planting quick and easy.
![](https://sftimes.s3.amazonaws.com/b/b/a/6/bba6f9e952ae6190809ce7c40daafe60.jpg)
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3. Handheld seed planter
Build a handheld seed planted using PVC pipe and some fittings to keep you from bending over to plant your seeds! A few dollars in materials will save your back and make planting more enjoyable.
Build a handheld seed planted using PVC pipe and some fittings to keep you from bending over to plant your seeds! A few dollars in materials will save your back and make planting more enjoyable.
4. Eggshell seedling pots
Instead of throwing egg shells away, clean them out well and fill them with potting soil to plant seeds in. The entire thing can then be planted into the garden when seedlings are big enough to go outside. It saves money on planting containers and adds extra nutrients to the soil!
Instead of throwing egg shells away, clean them out well and fill them with potting soil to plant seeds in. The entire thing can then be planted into the garden when seedlings are big enough to go outside. It saves money on planting containers and adds extra nutrients to the soil!
![](https://sftimes.s3.amazonaws.com/6/b/0/5/6b05fff2eaac3748bc277166238b4481.jpg)
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5. Banana peel fertilizer
Potassium is an essential nutrient for plants and is needed in fairly high quantities for optimal growth. Save banana peels, dry them in a food dehydrator, or your oven, and then grind into a powder to use as a supplemental fertilizer in the garden.
Potassium is an essential nutrient for plants and is needed in fairly high quantities for optimal growth. Save banana peels, dry them in a food dehydrator, or your oven, and then grind into a powder to use as a supplemental fertilizer in the garden.
![](https://sftimes.s3.amazonaws.com/d/3/3/d/d33df1b9e0f8a7c7dd12cd9783f8110f.jpg)
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6. Small-scale compost
Compost is great for adding to your garden, but it takes up space and time. You can make small batches of organic fertilizer/compost using coffee grounds, egg shells and banana peels to use immediately when your plants need a little extra boost.
Compost is great for adding to your garden, but it takes up space and time. You can make small batches of organic fertilizer/compost using coffee grounds, egg shells and banana peels to use immediately when your plants need a little extra boost.
![](https://sftimes.s3.amazonaws.com/e/1/a/b/e1aba5793b32325556ace8bb757ad476.jpg)
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7. Cooking water as fertilizer
After boiling/steaming vegetables in the kitchen, use the cooled cooking water to water your garden plants. Recycling this water will give your plants some extra nutrients and make you feel less guilty about pouring it down the drain!
After boiling/steaming vegetables in the kitchen, use the cooled cooking water to water your garden plants. Recycling this water will give your plants some extra nutrients and make you feel less guilty about pouring it down the drain!
8. Easy weed killer
White vinegar is incredibly effective at killing weeds in the garden. Mix it with a squirt of dish soap — to act as a surfactant — and then spray the mixture on unwanted weeds.
White vinegar is incredibly effective at killing weeds in the garden. Mix it with a squirt of dish soap — to act as a surfactant — and then spray the mixture on unwanted weeds.
9. Organic pest spray
Instead of buying costly pesticides to treat insects in the garden, make your own organic spray using common kitchen items! Boil onion, garlic, and cayenne pepper in water, and then add grated bar soap. Once cooled, strain and pour the mixture into a spray bottle for use.
Instead of buying costly pesticides to treat insects in the garden, make your own organic spray using common kitchen items! Boil onion, garlic, and cayenne pepper in water, and then add grated bar soap. Once cooled, strain and pour the mixture into a spray bottle for use.
![](https://sftimes.s3.amazonaws.com/5/8/4/7/5847c219007bf673429e0c10ce6903cd.jpg)
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10. Homemade rain barrel
Using rainwater to water your garden is beneficial to your wallet, the environment, and your plants! Rainwater doesn't contain added chemicals like tap water does and will not cause salt build up in the soil. Collect your own by building a rain barrel out of a garbage can.
Using rainwater to water your garden is beneficial to your wallet, the environment, and your plants! Rainwater doesn't contain added chemicals like tap water does and will not cause salt build up in the soil. Collect your own by building a rain barrel out of a garbage can.
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These great DIY projects can save you money and help grow a better garden all at the same time! Plus you'll get the added enjoyment from doing it yourself.