Gardens add beauty and life to backyards, but basic planters aren’t the only way to grow your plants. In fact, there are dozens of fun ways that you can upcycle old objects to add a fun flair to your garden. These ideas are sure to make your garden and your backyard stand out.

Kooky containers

Honestly, you can turn pretty much anything in your house into a growing container. But some look (and work) better than others. Here are a few tried and true interesting potting container ideas:

1. An old colander: if you love cooking, this is the pot for you
2. Tin cans: paint your old tin cans bright colors, drill a hole in the bottom, and fill them with all sorts of plants
3. Tea cups: A spot of tea never hurts, and planting in the old teacups you have lying around won’t either
4. Pallet: planting in pallets adds a lovely, rustic side to your garden
5. Watering cans: watering cans with plants in them look SO cute in a garden, trust me on this one
6. Instruments: This idea is not for the faint of heart. It takes a bit more effort than those above. But if you have any old run down instruments lying around, they can make for a gorgeous addition to your garden.

Vertical gardens

Vertical gardens are a pretty trendy way to show off your plants nowadays, and for good reason. There are lots of ways to plant vertically. You can buy a vertical planter like this one, and although it is bound to look good, it sure does cost more. There are ways to DIY your vertical garden. Standing up an old pallet, filling it with soil, and planting in the gaps is one method. Building a planter with sturdy two by fours is another idea. If you don’t have that much space, you can always use a hanging basket to set up a raised plant in or outdoors for the same unique effect.

Decorations

There are all kinds of cute objects that make great additions to your garden. The classics, like garden gnomes, are never a bad decision, but if you want something more interesting, try hanging mason jars with tea lights in them, or hanging string lights across the garden. Try a bird bath filled with colorful pebbles and rocks. A bird cage with ivy-like plants flowing out of it always looks beautiful as well. Wind chimes also add a lot to any garden, and there are thousands of designs and options to choose from. And don’t forget fountains! This is a bit more of an expensive option, but a lovely little fountain sure does spruce up a backyard!

Of course, your hard earned plants should always be the star of your garden, but it certainly never hurts to add some exciting new items to your backyard. And, if you have a bunch of old, unused stuff lying around your house, start thinking about how you might be able to recycle them into something new! This way, you’ll give new life to old objects as new life springs up all around in your garden. Just get creative!

Herb gardens are some of the most useful gardens you can plant. Almost all recipes benefit from some herbs tossed in, and homegrown herbs are even better! Herb gardens are also relatively low maintenance and they are super versatile. Whether you have a large space available, or just a kitchen window sill, herb gardens will work for you. You can start with nursery plants or seeds, whatever works best for you. There are just a few basic things to consider before starting your useful new garden.

Location

Like most plants, herbs need sunlight. They like about six hours per day. Herbs can definitely thrive indoors, but you will need a spot that gets good sun- try facing them toward a southwest window. If you want to grow the plants outside, make sure that they are in an area that gets plenty of sun as well. You may need to move them inside for the winter if you live in a particularly cold place. If you just can’t get them the light they need, though, you can always purchase some growing lights for your new plants. Herbs will grow pretty big if you let them, but if you are looking for a smaller garden, plant the herbs in smaller pots. You can even double up and place two herbs together.

planting

Plant your herbs in high quality, well draining soil and they should be happy. They also like to be treated with a good fertilizer every once in a while. Water your herbs as you would most other plants- that is, when the top of the soil is dry. If you over water the plants, their roots can get waterlogged and begin to rot. If you under water them, they will quickly shrivel up and die. Check the moisture level of the soil (you can use a moisture meter like this one) regularly to make sure that the soil does not get too wet or too dry.

Herbs in water

Unknown to most people, you can grow many types of herbs in water. This makes for a unique,, modern looking indoor garden.

You can experiment by putting your herbs in all types of containers from rustic looking mason jars to chic vases. This method of gardening is definitely different, but it is worth trying out!

I hope you feel more prepared now to go out and start your own herb garden! Fresh herbs can be very expensive at the store and often spoil in the fridge before you use them up, so an herb garden is sure to save you some money. It looks great in or outdoors, it isn’t difficult to get started, and it’s easy to maintain. What are you waiting for?

There’s nothing worse than going out to check on your garden only to discover holes in the leaves of all your beloved plants, or rotting roots, or drooping stems. Bugs are a huge problem for garden owners, but pesticides are never a good option, no matter how tempting they may be. They may kill bugs, but they also release chemicals into the environment that can be pretty bad for your health. But don’t lose hope! There are plenty of totally natural ways to deter pests from snooping around your garden.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth is made from fossils of tiny sea creatures whose skeletons contain a lot of silica. It has razor sharp edges that can easily kill bugs, snails, slugs, you name it. Those edges don’t effect humans or pets or most beneficial bugs though. Just sprinkle some of it around the troubled plants and the bugs will be discouraged from approaching. This is a super easy and super effective option. An even cheaper idea that tends to have a similar effect is using eggshells. Simply spread crushed eggshells around the base of your plants and the bugs will be less likely to bother you.

Scents

There are plenty of natural ingredients- herbs, garlic, citrus- that work well as deterrents against garden pests. Try a few options to find what works for you and spray it on to the leaves of your plants a couple times a week.

Healthy Plants

Pests are less likely to go after strong, well rooted plants in your garden. Keep your plants healthy by removing any rotted leaves or fruit, getting rid of diseased plants and leaves, and keeping your garden well watered. Healthy plants are also far better suited to withstand pest attacks. If they just get nibbled every once in a while, a good strong plant should have no trouble surviving.

MAke the PEst the prey

Introduce the pests’ natural enemies to your garden and they should do all the work for you. For example, if your garden has a big aphid problem, bring in some ladybugs and they will eat them all while leaving your plants alone.

animals

From deer to rabbits to skunks to raccoons, there are all sorts of creatures who want to eat up your garden. In most cases mesh, wire, and netting should keep animals away. Try putting certain plants in cages, or put a large fence around your whole garden. When it comes to birds, you can try something like tomato netting around affected plants.

Experiment with different combinations of these natural insecticides to get all those nasty pests away from your plants.

Nothing adds more to a room than a houseplant. Plants add color, life, comfort, and beauty to your home. However, keeping a vase of flowers from drooping after two days is hard enough, not to mention keeping a potted plant alive long term. That said, not all plants are created equal. Some require hard work and constant maintenance, but some are far less demanding. Adding plants to your home doesn’t need to be difficult, you just have to choose wisely.

Air Plant

The air plant is just about as easy as they come. In this case, there is no need to worry about soil because the air plant grows, well, in the air. All you have to do is mist it with water every couple days, or submerge it in water every couple weeks. Easy!

African Violet

African violets are popular houseplants because of their beautiful blooms. But just because it’s pretty, doesn’t mean it’s high maintenance. All this lovely flowering plant needs is bright, indirect sunlight and frequent water.  African violets are pretty hard to kill, so even if you forget about it every once in a while, after a bit of water, your African violet should perk right back up. And they bloom multiple times per year, so you get the benefit of flowers more than once!

Succulents

Succulents and cacti are pretty trendy right now, and for good reason. They come in all sorts of fun shapes, sizes and colors, and they’re some of the most low maintenance plants you can purchase. They require a fair amount of sunlight and water once every one or two weeks, but other than that, they’ll take care of themselves. Heck, I’ve forgotten to water one of my cacti for months and it’s still thriving today. Plus, succulents can be propagated, meaning if you take off one leaf and plant it, another whole plant will grow! Pro tip: the thicker the succulent or cactus’ leaves, the less water it requires.

English Ivy

English ivy is a gorgeous addition to a home. Its long tendrils covered in lovely dark green leaves add color and class to a room. English ivy doesn’t require much sun, so it’s ideal for those less sunny rooms that other plants might not survive in. It has to be watered enough to keep the soil moist, but it can tolerate dry environments occasionally.

Rubber Tree

Rubber trees are fun, unique plants that can grow to be pretty large, depending on the pot you plant them in. If you want your rubber tree to be a tabletop plant, place it in a smaller pot and prune it regularly. If you want it to be a living room tree, transfer it to a large pot and let it grow to your desired height. Rubber trees prefer indirect light and moist soil.

Dragon Tree

This is a lovely plant, but it can be toxic to cats and dogs, so think twice about it if you’re a pet owner. Dragon trees like low light, so they’re great for darker corners. They need water when the soil is dry, but other than that, they aren’t too picky.

If you’ve had a tough time keeping plants alive in the past, don’t give up! There are plenty of plants out there that don’t need too much care.