I'm Gardening and My back is Killing me!

I'm Gardening and My back is Killing me!

How many times have we gardeners said this 'my back is killing me'? All too often if using the traditional gardening method of digging up the dirt, putting out the plants or seeds, weeding through-out the year, then harvesting.

Today’s gardening tip won't solve all of these problems but it can help with one - planting seeds. If you plant from seed over any size of an area you know how back killing this gardening task can be. How about making your very own seed planter?

All you need is a section of PVC pipe, 1/2 inch works great. This can be purchased at your local hardware or lumber store very inexpensively if you don't have some lying around and it will last for years and years to come.

You will want the pipe to be long enough so you can comfortably hold it without bending. To get the proper length just put your elbow at your side and reach your hand out as if to shake hands - that is where you will want to hold the pipe. Measure from your hand to the ground and add 4-6 inches.

Now as you walk down your garden row simply place the bottom of the pipe where you want your seed, drop one or two seeds down the pipe and then use the end of the pipe to cover the seed with soil. Tah Dah! You’re now planting seeds without breaking your back. You can add a fancy handle by using a pipe tee or a funnel to the top but they are not at all necessary and personally are just added weight that is not needed.


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What to do with a Steep hill? Plant using Pantyhose

I've never tried this tip but read it some place and now wish I had a steep or rocky area I could test it out on. The biggest problem with these areas is keeping the soil on the area so plants can grow. How you solve this is by using old pantyhose (I always have those ones with runs that just can't be worn any more.

All you need are the legs of the pantyhose. Cut these off and fill the legs with your favorite mixture of soil. I would suggest what I use for plant pots a combination of topsoil, compost, and vermiculite (this helps hold moisture). To fill the pantyhose you can make a funnel from a coffee can with the bottom cut out - of course use the coffee first. Just slip the open end of the pantyhose over one end and start filling with soil then tie the end closed.

You now have a five or six foot 'tube' just lay it out where you want to plant, cut small holes where you want to place your plants and watch your slope come alive. If your working on a really steep slope you can make 'stacks' out of old coat hanger - make a 'U' from the hanger and poke it through the pantyhose tube and into the ground.

As I said I haven't personally tried this so would love to hear from any readers who have done this as to how it worked for you.


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What did I plant there?

How many times have we planted our seeds in the early spring and a week later forgotten what we planted where? This has been a common practice of mine. I've tried sticking the seed packet near the row or section I planted but with spring comes rain and those packets seldom survive the dirt, rain, and sun.

One think that works fairly well is collecting the plastic card holders that come with flower arrangements just insert the seed packet where the card would normally go and stick it in the ground by your newly planted seeds. If you don't get a lot of flowers sent to you ask your friends or family to save theirs for you. Another option is talk to your local florist and see if you could purchase a dozen card holders from them - most will be will to sell them to you for a couple dollars a dozen.

Another option I've used for some time involves 'Ziploc bags' I am convinced there is a never ending list of uses for Ziplocs (I learned this from my Mom). The sandwich or snack sizes work great just pop your seed packet in a bag, zip it, and place it beside your seed row. You do want to make sure you don't lay it on top of seeds you planted though and I like to add a small rock to the back before closing - this keeps the wind from blowing the bag and packet away.

A third method that works wonderfully for marking your seeds is pop-cicle sticks. Of course first you'll want to eat the pop-cicle but once that done wash the wooden stick, using a permanent marker label such as 'carrots', 'lettuce', or 'radishes' and stick it in the ground. These last for several seasons and are simple to store in the winter - I just collect them in the fall, wash and dry, then place in a zip-lock bag to store with my gardening tools.

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Square Foot Gardening

I was first introduced to 'Square Foot Gardening' growing method around 25 years ago through a gardening television show. I ordered the book offered at the end of the show and have it to this day although I haven't needed to refer to it in many years. This concept works as good today as it did back then and can be modified for all sizes of gardens.

The very basic idea is that just about any garden variety vegetable can grow in a 'square foot' of space. This works whether you have an acre garden plot or a couple planters on your high rise apartment patio. If you have a square foot of earth you can grow a tomato plant, any variety of pepper plant, or even your own fresh watermelon.

The "Square Foot Gardening" book recommends 4 X 8 foot raised beds which when measured out can accommodate 16 plants. Taller growing plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans must be provided a trellis to grow upwards and should be planted at the 'back' of the bed - furthest from the sun so as not to block sun from the shorter plants. Next would come peppers, eggplants, or bush beans and in the front vegetables such as carrots, celery, leaf lettuce, and radishes.

Remember though we are talking square foot so the smaller plants mentioned you will plant according to the seed package directions so you can plant a bunch of carrots in one foot - not just one carrot. Also remember when the smaller crops are harvested you can mix a little fertilizer in that square and plant another crop in that space.

While you can grow a beautiful cherry tomato plant in a 12 inch pot I recommend a 14-16 in one just to give that plant a more solid base because it will get big as long as you feed and water regularly. So if you are concerned about what you are eating and want fresh, safe produce you can grow your own no matter where you live. And as this is my favorite form of garden planning I will discuss this more in later posts but for now - happy planting.


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Make Your Own Seed Strips and Save Time Planting

Here’s a great gardening time saver tip. One of the most tedious tasks of gardening for me is planting seeds in the spring – I’m all for just throwing them out there and seeing what comes up. I tried that one year at the back of the garden and it didn’t work. I couldn’t figure out what was ‘plants’ and what was weeds.
To save time planting seeds take advantage of the winter months when you can’t be out in the garden. Make seed strips… It’s really easy to do, costs next to nothing, and is much nicer than the back breaking task of bending over planting seeds.

All you do is cut newspaper into one inch wide strips. Next mix up a concoction of water and flour (you can add a little water soluble fertilizer if you’d like). The mixture should be about the consistency of pancake mix.

Now the fun starts. You can do this at the kitchen table or on a counter but be forewarned you won’t be using the table for at least a few hours. Great excuse to go out to dinner! Place the newspaper strip on a flat surface and using a ruler or yardstick place your seeds on the paper at the proper spacing. I like to do one strip at a time and slide it back when finished making room for the next strip.

With the seeds in place you’re now going to glue the seeds to the newspaper. Yes you read that right. Using your flour mixture put a small drop on each seed. An eye dropper works great but you can let it drip off a spoon if you don’t have a dropper. Cover the seeds but you don’t want to use any more ‘glue’ than needed.

Once your seeds are glued to the paper leave them alone and let the glue dry. Suggest you go out to eat or watch a couple movies – DO NOT set and watch the glue dry. When the strips are completely dry you can roll them up and place them in plastic bags until spring.

Then, when you’re ready to plant just take your bags to the garden, roll out the seed strips, cover with soil as needed, and wait for them to grow. As the newspaper gets wet it will rot and can be worked into the soil at the end of the garden season.

Special Note: Make sure the strips are completely dry before putting in plastic – I didn’t one year and they got all moldy.


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Use Cat Litter to Mark Your Spot

Am I the only one who’s done this: I was always planting bulbs and then the next year would forget where I had planted them – or that I had even planted the bulbs? I can’t remember where I read or heard this but it works.

When you plant bulbs such as tulips, crocus, or lilies sprinkle a little clean clay cat litter over the spot after you’ve finished planting. That way when you are digging around in the garden or flower bed when you spot kitty litter you know there are bulbs there and to dig around that spot.

Special Note: Especially helpful if you are planting in a location with poor drainage go ahead and some of the litter in hole under your bulbs this helps with drainage problems and your bulbs won’t rot.


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Garden Tip - Protecting Young Plants

I’m going to kick this off with one of my favorite garden tips. This tip is particularly helpful for those of us who live in the northern climate concerned about the ‘late frosts’. When putting out new plants or seeds protect them with ‘mini-greenhouses.

My personal favorites are Sunny D plastic jugs but you can use plastic milk jugs, or any other plastic container that isn’t colored. If you can see whatever it is it originally held then it will work.

Cut the bottoms off the jugs or bottles (I like to clean them first so the ‘stuff’ doesn’t dribble on me as I’m cutting. If you cut as close to the bottom as possible you can continue to use your ‘greenhouse’ as the plant grows.

Now all you have to do is plant what ever it is your going to grow as usual and then place a ‘greenhouse’ over it. The greenhouse will protect the new plant from frosts, helps to hold moisture on the plant, and will help deter critters from getting to the young garden plants.

Depending on how large a garden you have you may want to start saving your containers through the winter or get your friends and family to donate theirs when garden planting time nears.

Special Note: Last year I did a test and plants under Sunny D bottles grew twice as fast as ones under plastic milk jugs. All I can figure is the type of plastic used lets in more sunlight or the thicker plastic keeps the temperature more uniform from day to night.

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