It’s fairly easy to recycle plant pots if your municipality is set up for it. And if not, there is still a way you can make sure that your plastic pots have a second life. Here’s everything you need to know about plant pot recycling.
Recycling has turned into quite a process. I find myself asking if things are recycled more often than not.
And with plastic being our top packaging method, we go through a lot of it. But as much as I wish we could toss everything into the recycling bin and give it a new life, that isn’t always the case.
Here’s how you can recycle plant pots and keep just a little bit more plastic out of the landfill!
Coloured plastic pots are still eligible for recycling at most facilities.
What Plastics Can You Recycle?
Containers that can be recycled will have a resin identification code on the plastic. This is depicted as a number surrounded by a triangle. This will tell you what type of plastic an item is made of.
While there are more common numbers for plastic, it doesn’t necessarily mean the item can be recycled. Typically, 1, 2, and 5 plastics are commonly recycled and allowed in most recycling programs.
Those with the number 3, 4, and 6 are somewhat specialty plastics and often need to be dropped off to be recycled as specialty facilities.
Check your plant pot to see if you can identify the number on it to help you determine if it’s recyclable or not.
These same rules apply to seedling trays and cell packs.
How to Recycle Plant Pots
Most plant pots are okay to go in the recycling, including the plastic trays used for seedlings, the plastic nursery containers and pots, and the cell packs smaller plants come in.
Like any containers in your recycling bin, the containers must be clean. Check to make sure the pots are free of soil and plant debris. Give your containers a quick rinse with your garden hose before you place them in your recycling bin.
There may also be stipulations on the size of plant pots for recycling. For instance, where I live in British Columbia, the plant pots can be no larger than 25 litres.
When in doubt, look up your municipalities local recycling regulations. They’ll tell you directly if they recycle plant pots or will list out the types of plastics they accept.
Larger pots may not be allowed in curbside recycling programs.
Where Can I Recycle My Plastic Plant Pots?
Most plastic plant pots can be placed directly in the curbside recycling program that most cities or municipalities have.
If you don’t have a curbside recycling program, you can take these containers to a local recycling depot. Most should offer a free drop-off.
My province, BC, has a great resource called Recyclepedia where it allows me to input what I’m recycling and where I am to help me find a drop off zone. Your city or municipality may have a similar resource. Just Google the recycling rules of your town or city!
If you have a large collection, many small nurseries will happily take them back and reuse them if they’re in good condition. Call your local nursery and ask if they’d accept plastic pots.
While I grow many plants from seed, I still end up with some new plastic pots every gardening season. Don’t we all!
How to Upcycle Plant Pots
While recycling is a wonderful thing, the reality is that most of our plastic doesn’t make its way to a local recycling facility. Trying to reduce plastic usage and reuse it whenever possible are always great options.
Here are some ways that I have seen plastic pots being used:
Use them again for seed starting. The more you grow from seed, the more you need to reuse these plastic pots, and the less likely you are to buy plants in more plastic containers.
Fill up space in patio containers or raised beds. Rather than fill the base with expensive soil, flip plastic pots upside down. This works wonderfully if it is a very deep container or you’re working with shallow-rooted plants.
Cut off the bottom of the pot to make a watering halo.
Use it as a water reservoir, similar to an olla (as I mention in this post).
Use the pot as a planting guide to create a ready-made hole when repotting a new plant.
Use larger pots with drainage holes to hold produce and rinse it with a garden hose
Make a squirrel or rat baffle by slipping a plastic pot upside down onto the pole of a bird feeder.
Cover a tender perennial with a large pot, filling it with dry leaves for insulation.
If you have any more clever uses for plastic pots, leave them in the comments below. Then I can add to the list for everyone to benefit from…and keep plastic out of the landfill!
Have water, will thrive. We must do our part in limiting our water usage when it comes to our backyard plantings. Try these seven ways to reduce water usage through a diverse effort of water catchment systems and clever planting.
In our current environmental crisis, we’re all trying to do a little bit more. From encouraging biodiversity to helping support local wildlife, these are all small switches that hold the power to create big change.
Reducing your city water usage is another step to practicing sustainable, regenerative gardening.
For over 25 years, I’ve lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gray skies and relentless rainy days. During this time, I’ve witnessed a drastic change in water preserves, with caches not large enough to fulfill the city’s needs through the summer months.
Coupled with the raging wildfires that plague each summer season, doing our part to limit city water usage is more crucial than ever.
Today, I’m sharing 7 ways to reduce water usage with storage hacks that work for any yard or garden of any size.
Hand watering is more mindful than most irrigation systems.
Principles of Efficient Water Use
Before we get started, I thought it might be useful to review the basics of what we’re trying to achieve. I outline these ideas in my book, The Regenerative Garden, as the foundation for efficient water use.
Step 1: Capture and store rainwater for garden irrigation.
Step 2: Recycle this water as many times as possible.
Step 3: Know your local water budget and stay within it. Never use more than your rainfall.
Even places with known rainfall should collect and store rainfall for future use.
7 Ways to Reduce Your City Water Usage
To reduce your city water usage, you’ll need to diversify your efforts. A combination of catching, storing, recycling, and smart planting can help you reduce your city water usage in a major way.
These are a few strategies to get you started.
1. Get Rid of Thirsty Lawns
Lawns use a truly outrageous amount of water. While they have become the norm in most communities, there are plenty of lawn alternatives that use far less water.
If you don’t need your lawn, replace it with a low-maintenance ground covers like micro clover or a native, drought-tolerant grass species. Many seed companies have an eco-lawn alternative that you can try out.
I’m in the midst of revamping the lawn at my new house with a new alternative lawn mix. Check it out below.
2. Plant Native and Drought-Tolerant Plants
Xeriscape principles, or conserving water through landscaping, go beyond the lawn.
The plants you choose to include in your garden can majorly affect your city water usage.
Choose plants that are native to your area, as they can survive on natural rainfall with little to no supplemental watering. Choosing drought-tolerant plants will also help you through the summer months when rainfall lessens.
Sedum and lavender are both great drought-tolerant plants.
3. Capture and Store Rainwater
One of the basic principles of sustainable water use is capturing and storing rainfall for the drier months.
Rain barrels with overflow pipes directly to your garden are an efficient way to capture rainfall. Barrels can be made from plastic, metal, or wood drums—all food-safe materials.
An average rain barrel can hold 50 gallons of rainwater, enough to water 80 square feet of garden.
You can set up drip irrigation directly from your rain barrel for easy watering with low consumption.
4. Redirect Drain spouts
Have plants that love extra water? You can redirect your drain spouts to feed directly into your garden, giving your plants the extra water they crave without digging into the city’s water supply.
Do note that not all roof runoff is recommended for our gardens, depending on the material of the roof. Roofs made from non-porous metal are ideal, while untreated wood shingle roofs are also acceptable.
Avoid roof runoff from asphalt, rubber, and galvanized zinc roofs.
Solid, non-porous roofs work best for water collection.
5. Build a Rain Garden
Designing a rain garden sounds complicated, but it’s surprisingly low-maintenance and simple in concept. These gardens are designed to filter and release stormwater runoff, keeping water to the soil and creeks.
Rain gardens use moisture-loving plants that act as biofilters to purify the water, along with drought-tolerant plants with deep roots.
These gardens range from simplistic to elaborate, redirecting natural water sources through drain spouts, gravel troughs, and an overflow area packed with rocks.
6. Use an Olla Water Catchment System
Self-watering planters are an efficient way to save on city water usage while also saving you time.
Ollas are one of my favourite self-watering systems; they’ve been used for thousands of years to provide slow irrigation and deep root watering.
This ancient watering practice teaches plants to reach down and find this water source, limiting the need for supplemental watering.
You can even attach your ollas to a rain barrel, drawing water when needed.
You can set up a rainwater catchment or greywater recycling system directly toward the ollas.
7. Build a Wicking Bed
Want to take self-watering to the next level? A wicking bed is essentially a giant self-watering container. It may resemble a classic raised bed, but there’s much more below the surface.
These beds have a water reservoir under the soil, dramatically reducing the need for supplemental watering.
The reservoir is made with an impermeable barrier to hold water, gravel to store the water, and drainage pipes for water flow; it can be filled manually, by rainfall, or through overflow spouts.
Through the hottest summer months, your wicking bed will only need a weekly top-up, with less manual care through the rest of the year.
Use recycled materials to build your wicking bed.
FAQ About Reducing City Water Usage
Have more questions about reducing your city water usage? These are the questions I get the most. If I don’t answer your question here, please leave it for me in the comments below.
How can I reduce my city water usage in a small yard?
It’s easy to have grand plans for water conservation when you have acres of space to work with. But when you’re dealing with a small city yard, you may feel more limited.
The good news is that all of these water-reduction strategies are designed to work in any space, with scale options for any yard.
A single rain barrel with redirected drain spouts is small-space-friendly, and can make a major difference in your water usage.
Planting lawn alternatives and native or drought-tolerant plants is another useful solution, possible in any size garden.
What are the best drought-tolerant plants for my garden?
I recommend choosing plants that are native to your area; they use the least amount of water because they are equipped to survive in your specific region.
With this said, there are plenty of drought-tolerant plants that would make good additions to your garden. Some of my favourites include agave, aster, columbine, delphinium, echinacea, lavender, phlox, sedum, statice, sunflower, yarrow, and zinnias. Find the full list in this post.
From cherry blossoms in December to spring bulbs in January, I’ve seen some flowers bloom exceptionally early. If you’ve also seen some early blooms, you might be worried about how this will affect your plant when it inevitably gets cold again. Here’s what you need to know about early blooming flowers.
It’s been a weird winter here in Vancouver. For a while, we had a very, very, cold snap. Then quickly, it warmed up and turned bright and sunny…only to get cold again.
I saw cherry blossoms in December—which doesn’t usually happen until late February.
I’m confused. The plants are confused. We’re all confused.
All across the world, we have been seeing extremes. So it’s no wonder I’ve been seeing lots of questions from gardeners about what will happen to their plants if they see early blooms.
If you’re concerned about early blooming flowers, join me as we look at the plant’s life cycle and what will happen to your plants should they sprout a wee bit early.
Why Are Plants Blooming Earlier?
It’s getting harder and harder for some (I won’t name names) to deny that the climate is changing. We will see very unusual things happening with the weather, and the plants will respond to it.
Some areas are seeing more prolonged periods of drought, while others have heavy rainfall. We may have a cold, severe winter, but they’re getting less frequent as these mild winters creep up on us.
Because of these temperatures, we’re seeing longer growing periods with an earlier last frost date and a later first frost date. In the US, the growing season has increased by more than two weeks compared to the beginning of the 20th century in 48 states. In the UK, flowers bloom an average of 26 days earlier than in the 1980s.
The plants are getting the message loud and clear. They’re responding to the climate the best way they know how, one of which is early blooms.
As the climate changes, the plants are also changing. Anything that’s a perennial, like trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs, will continue to evolve. The strongest plants will be the ones to survive this.
The next generation of plants will create their future. The plants will become hardier in these conditions as the climate changes. The weaker ones may not make it, but the stronger ones do.
Apple trees are one of the first trees to blossom in the spring.
A Plant’s Life Cycle
It’s always important to consider the plant’s life cycle, like what we do in pruning. Most plants go dormant in the winter by dropping leaves, stopping flowering, and devoting their energy to the root system.
That goes for most plants, like perennials, trees, bulbs, and even our edible vegetable plants.
When shoots come up early, remember that very little of the overall plant energy is above the soil line.
If it cools down again and there’s damage to the plant, most of it is still safe under the soil. There may be some damage to the above plant material, but the rest should be fine.
There may be some gnarly leaves and fewer flowers. She may not be looking her best. But know that she’s looking beautiful beneath the soil and will survive just fine.
Place your trust in the plants. Observe, but try not to worry. You can’t do much—it’s in the plant’s hands!
What Happens to Perennials Blooming Early?
Perennials can pop up early when they see the cues of spring. But once it freezes again, the plant’s energy will retreat to the root system.
The plant isn’t fully developed above the soil, but it can still withstand some damage to the upper part of the plant. It’s rare that any of that damage will go down to the root.
Soil is very insulating and will help maintain a temperature the plant is hardy to. If you planted it in the right space, that is.
Snow on top of rhododendron leaves and buds.
Early Blooming Flowers on Trees
Generally, the leaf buds will be okay on trees. Trees send out many leaf buds early in the season when it’s cold. If they lose some, the tree will be okay.
Flower buds, however, tend not to bounce back as easily.
This year, we had cherry blossoms blooming exceptionally early in Vancouver due to a mild winter. I anticipate that they aren’t going to flower as prolifically this spring. Since they tried to flower early, they likely won’t set out a second flowering.
Cherry blossom trees in Vancouver.
Early Blooms from Flower Bulbs
Bulbs are very used to this seesaw of warm and cold temperatures. Bulbs store all their energy under the soil. Within the bulb, there is enough energy for the plants to grow before there’s much spring sun.
The shoots will begin to pop up when it feels right. Generally, most bulbs don’t mind the cold. Some, like snowdrops and crocuses, even thrive in the snow. Bulbs have very strong root systems that help them bounce back in cold conditions.
The shoots may die off when it gets cooler again. But that’s fine. In the end, you could end up with fewer bulbs that are less robust and not as strong. This is more likely if there is a late freeze and most of the plant has already sprung up.
Crocus bulbs thrive in cooler temperatures.
Dealing With Vegetable Plants That Freeze
Some vegetables don’t mind cool temperatures. Imagine you didn’t cover your Swiss chard or kale, and it froze so much that it wilted and died back instead of getting sweeter (which we all hope will happen).
Those vegetables tend to grow back again. They might not grow back as much as before, but anything under the soil will be okay.
So your root vegetables, like parsnips, beets, or carrots, will be doing great underneath the soil, even if the cold damages the leaves above the soil.
Swiss chard is quite hardy compared to other vegetables.
FAQ About Handling Early Blooms
What happens if my garlic blooms early in the fall?
We plant garlic in the fall (I always do so around Halloween). Sometimes, you can plant it a little too early or have a warmer-than-usual fall, and the garlic will send up shoots in the fall.
When it freezes, the garlic will die back. But don’t worry; the garlic will start the whole process again in the spring.
You can even plant garlic with shoots growing on it, like when you buy them a little late. This won’t affect your garlic overall.
Yes, there is a gold standard when it comes to garlic. Garlic growers won’t want shoots affected by the freeze or provide any stress to the plant as that can affect the overall robustness of the plant.
But will you still get garlic? Absolutely.
What happens if it’s a late freeze?
Let’s say it’s late spring and starting to get to summer, and we suddenly have an unexpected freeze. In this case, the plant’s chance of survival would drop.
At this point, most of the energy the plant is expelling is now on the upper part of the plant and not beneath the soil where it is protected.
Most perennials will bounce back, but the damage may be more significant if they are further down in their seasonal growth.
How are bees affected by earlier flowering plants?
Rising temperatures and earlier springs will mean that bees will wake up earlier. It’s estimated that they wake up five days earlier than twenty years ago.
With more species blooming at the same time than in the past, there isn’t such a continuous, even supply of flowers for the bees. This mismatch between when the flowers and bees are active could threaten the bees looking for food sources.
This will also reduce plant pollination and their ability to reproduce and yield crops. Rising temperatures may also mean the bees come out earlier, but they need their timing to align with the flowers to avoid being affected.
Why do some plants bloom earlier than others?
Each plant (or seed or bulb) will respond to different environmental factors, such as temperature, amount of sunlight, light quality, and more.
As these conditions change, chemical production inside the plant triggers the growth. In response, the plant will begin to sprout new growth.
Many plants start growing when temperatures get warmer or the days get longer. Each plant will have specific responses, some needing higher temperatures or more light before growing. Others require less.
Likewise, cooler temperatures can tell the plant to redirect the energy back to the roots, set seed, and die back for the fall.
Organic gardens are as good for the earth as they are for its lucky inhabitants. The secret to growing a healthy, lush garden all begins with a single seed. This guide covers all the basics for starting seeds so that you can revel in your gardening wizardry this spring.
Are you planning to start a garden this year? Congratulations! It’s a big deal! Whether you are a seasoned gardener or a beginner, growing a garden is good for everybody. It feeds the soul and the soil and can even feed your family.
Starting a garden off right with healthy seeds sets the roots for how the garden will grow for the rest of the year. Sure, you can help manage sick plants and dried-out leaves, but starting seeds with good intentions and mad skills will make the rest of the year’s jobs a whole lot easier.
Some of you may think I’m crazy, but I believe that how you care for seedlings will be reflected in the plant that grows and the fruit that ripens. The garden is resting now. Perhaps even covered by a blanket of snow. Now, there is ample time to slow down, plan, and nurture the very best plants to grace your garden beds.
Let’s get this gardening season started with this guide on starting seeds.
Experienced gardeners can save the seeds from their plants to use the next year.
The 10 Steps for Starting Seeds
“I made this!” I gloat while serving up a dish made entirely of food that I grew in my garden. Well, “gloat” is probably not the right word. I prance around like the fantastical wizard I am, cheering about my mad skills in making real food from tiny seeds.
It took me months. I had some fatalities. But overall, it’s fairly simple to grow from seeds. And more importantly, it’s awesome. Here are some basics for how to start seeds at home.
Make sure to label your seeds so you know exactly what they all are. Trust me, you will forget.
1. Choose Your Seeds
Starting seeds in the spring (or even winter) is one of the best ways to save money. While you could buy a pack of snapdragons at the garden centre to fill your containers, why not start them from seed at a fraction of the price? You also get way more varieties when you go the seed route.
This list covers my favourite annual flowers to grow from seed, while this list covers some of my go-to perennial flowers. Keep in mind that starting perennials from seed is often more difficult and time-consuming, so it is better suited for those with a few gardening seasons under their belt.
Seed companies in your area should sell the right seeds for your climate but do make sure that you pick the right plants for your experience level. If you’re a seedling yourself when it comes to propagation, don’t bother starting watermelons in Northern Ontario. Many seed companies will also list a difficulty rating that will help to guide you.
You might even be able to find some seeds in a seed library.
2. Read the Packet
If you want the best possible start for your seeds, your best bet is to read the packet. Most seed packets will list everything you need to know to start the seeds and their special requirements, like how deep to plant the seed, how much light they need, how long they’ll take to germinate, soil temperatures required, etc.
I cover all the basics of reading a seed packet in this post if you want to ensure you’re buying the right seeds and those that will actually thrive in your garden.
3. Choose a Container
You can start seeds in just about anything you can find around the house that will create a mini-greenhouse, or you can buy all sorts of interesting setups to best suit your needs.
Greenhouse Kits
Many different greenhouse kits are available now. Most will have a plastic tray with a clear plastic greenhouse dome. Some come with a soilless mixture for starting seeds, like peat pellets that expand to a mini seed pot when soaked in water.
Others may have coconut fibre pots that you can transplant right along with your seedling. Others may even have a heat mat that gently warms soil to improve germination.
The beauty of these kits is that you can start a large number of seeds individually in one tray (up to 72) and many are made for small spaces like windowsills. The drawback is that the seedlings will need to be replanted, either in the garden or a larger pot, in a few weeks. Leaving seedlings in small pots with no nutrition will cause unwanted stress to the plants.
Seed Starting Trays
Garden retailers will sell many different types of professional-grade seed-starting trays, domes, and inserts with features like root training, moisture control, automatic watering, and grow lights. Certainly, many of these features have value in starting the year’s plants off on the right foot and can be used over and over.
Household Items
An inexpensive and creative way to start seeds is to use household items as seed containers. Lining a seed tray with pots made from toilet paper tubes, newspaper, or egg cartons will cost nothing
At times, your family may think you’ve gone mad, given how excited you will become when you get to take home the plastic cake dome from the party. But come on, that’ll make a really great greenhouse dome, right?
Search for biodegradable paper products you can plant right in the ground or food-safe plastic containers that you can use as mini-greenhouses for your containers if you are on a budget.
Paper egg cartons are one of my favourite inexpensive household items to use as a seed starting container.
4. Growing Medium
You can buy a pre-made seed starter soil, or you can make your own with a mix. I make my own mix using a peat-moss alternative, sterilized compost, perlite, and vermiculite. This mixture is light and holds moisture well, so it is wonderful for helping seeds germinate.
All growing mediums will need some time to absorb water, so add moisture and let it soak in for an hour before planting.
Be sure to use a sterile mix if you are starting seeds indoors. Soil or compost from the garden will bring in all sorts of critters, like soil gnats, which will drive you freakin’ crazy as you run around your propagation trays like a mad person swatting and squashing an endless supply of teeny tiny flies.
Seed starting mix needs to be sterile.
5. Water Your Seeds
Germination will be best in a moist environment for most seeds, so keeping the soil damp and a greenhouse dome on top will keep the right amount of humidity for optimal germination.
Keep the soil from drying out by checking it daily. Water gently, from the bottom where possible, so as to not damage the seedlings about to emerge.
When learning how to start seeds, having just the right amount of water is important. You never want the seeds to dry out, nor do you want the soil to be soggy.
Make sure to vent your container regularly to prevent fungal growth.
6. Get the Right Lighting
Seeds won’t need light until they emerge from the surface of the soil, but then they will need strong sunlight for most of the day to prevent them from becoming leggy (overly tall and spindly = weak).
You can supplement a lack of sunlight with fluorescent lighting, either by buying a set of grow lights made for seed starting or by making your own with fluorescent shop lights.
You don’t need fancy lights to help your plants grow. This was my DIY set-up!
7. Treat Damping Off
“Damping off” is a term for a fungal growth that looks like fuzzy hairs on the seedling stem. This fungal growth will kill the seedling, so it’s bad, really bad.
To prevent damping off, occasionally spray the greenhouse dome with a bottle of 3% food-grade hydrogen peroxide and vent it on a regular basis to regulate humidity.
I also recommend watering with my chamomile fungicide spray. Chamomile naturally prevents diseases such as damping off.
It’s almost impossible to get rid of damping off, so prevention is best.
8. Thin Your Seedlings
Generally, the seed instructions will suggest that you plant 2-3 seeds per pot and thin out all but the strongest. This seems to be the thing that some gardeners have the hardest time with.
If three strong tomato seedlings have popped up in one tiny peat pot, then the gardener rushes off to get tweezers to separate out the three wee plants and re-pots them all.
More inexperienced gardeners will damage each plant, giving none a strong chance at survival, so it’s best that you grab a clean pair of scissors, snip all but the strongest seedling in each pot and be done with it.
Choose the strongest seeding and snip any remaining seedlings in the same container.
9. Hardening Off
As the seedlings grow into plants and the date to plant outside gets near, it’s time to start hardening them off or toughening them for their natural environment.
I like to start by opening a window a few hours a day so they get a breeze. Then, start moving the trays outside, out of direct sunlight, for a few hours. Start at one hour and gradually increase to a full day outside.
By the time your plant date has arrived, you can safely transfer your tough little soldiers directly into the ground, with some delicious compost and a thorough watering, to brave the elements on their own.
Seedlings are used to indoor conditions, so make sure to gradually transition them to outside.
10. Set Your Expectations
Starting seeds is such an interesting and magical process, especially for children, so it’s the perfect activity to do as a family this coming spring. The months that you’ve spent germinating and raising seedlings will be a series of trial and error, so expect some loss.
Not every seed will germinate, not every seedling will survive being transplanted, and not every kind of plant will do well in your garden.
The gains will be clear when you have piles of leafy greens taking up every inch of your windowsills, bursting to get outside. Starting the plants off yourself ensures that you are in charge of the health of the plant and can control what goes into it. And the satisfaction you’ll feel from starting your own seeds is tremendous.
My kiddo loves starting seeds with me and planting them in the garden.
FAQ About Starting Seeds
Should you cover seeds with plastic?
Yes. This helps to keep the moisture in and increase temperatures. It essentially acts as a mini greenhouse.
Cover your seeds with a clear plastic container (I like salad boxes) right after you’ve planted and watered your plants. Every day, vent the dome and clean it with food-grade hydrogen peroxide to prevent damping off. Leave the dome on until the seedlings reach it.
Do seedlings need sunlight to survive?
Yes. Seeds don’t need sunlight until they’ve germinated (sprouted above the soil). Prior to this, the seed carries all the energy the plant will need to sprout. But once it has germinated, the seedling will need lots of sunlight to grow well. Otherwise, they get leggy and weak trying to reach for more sun.
Consider using a grow light if you can’t get enough sunlight in a windowsill for your seedlings.
If I could have every seed in the world, I would. But I know that when it comes to seeds, less is more. The key is knowing what you can actually grow, what you truly want to grow, and managing your expectations. Here are the nitty-gritty details about buying seeds for gardening.
Reading a seed packet can be like reading a whole other language when you first begin. Gardening has a TON of jargon and specialty terms that can make getting started a little daunting.
And I’ve been there! I didn’t grow up gardening, so it was a steep learning curve when I began my gardening journey.
We’re in the midst of seed starting season, and I wanted to go back to the basics. I’ve had people ask me things like how you pick what to plant (especially when you want to grow everything!) and what all the information on the back of a seed packet even means.
I’m going to explain it all, so sit back and let’s talk about what you need to know about buying seeds for gardening.
Rather than buying seeds for gardening, you can also save seeds from your existing garden to plant next year.
Today, I’m sharing some excerpts from my ebook Get Growing! Expert Seed Starting for the DIY Gardener. Be sure to check it out for the full guide and everything you need to know, from sowing to thinning to transplanting your seeds.
Choose Your Seeds
Combing through seed catalogues and seed websites can be a fun adventure if done properly, but if you don’t prepare, you may end up with more than your garden (and you) can handle.
It is important to first think about what kind of plants you want (Flowers? Herbs? Vegetables?). Is it warm enough to grow watermelons in your garden or cool enough to grow kale? Do you really have space for three varieties of squash, or will one do?
Make sure to label your seedlings so you know what is what!
Perennial vs Annual Seeds
Starting seeds early in the season is a great way to save money on annuals like flowers, herbs, and vegetables that will flower or fruit in the first year. For beginners, annuals are typically the best garden seeds to buy.
More advanced gardeners could also start perennials from seed in many cases, but it is a more difficult and time-consuming process as perennials may need many months or even years to reach the size of a nursery plant.
Some perennials are easier to grow from seed than others, so if you want to try your hand at starting perennials from seed, be sure to read up on which ones are your best bet in this post.
It’s important to keep in mind that some plants do better than others from seed. This does not mean that what you sow has to be severely limited. There are plenty of flowers, vegetables, annuals, and perennials that will grow easily from seed and thrive. With so many options, you might even have a hard time choosing what to plant.
Of course, your unique location will have its own limits in terms of climate, so be sure to check the seed packet before you buy to see if your area fulfills the seeds’ requirements to succeed.
Only Buy Your Favourites
When buying seeds for gardening, it can be easy to buy every colourful, enticing seed packet you see. But try to stop and think about how much you will use.
The best garden seeds will be different for each person, depending on what you like to grow and where you live.
Make a list of your absolute favourites, and only sow the amount of veggies you will eat or the flowers you need to fill the beds.
This will make the growing process simpler and more fun, and you won’t find yourself overwhelmed by crops you can’t keep up with later in the season.
Herbs are one of my favourites to grow, so that’s what I prioritize in the garden.
Heirloom vs Hybrid vs GMO Seeds
These are terms that can get confusing for new gardeners. And they can easily get mixed up with one another! Learning the difference between the terms heirloom, hybrid, and GMO is key. This will help you in your seed selection process and ensure you buy the best garden seeds for your preference.
I have a whole post on the difference between these types of seeds and all of their pros and cons. Check that post out here.
How to Read a Seed Packet
I can’t stress this enough. Following the instructions on the seed packet will give you the best possible start. Unless, of course, the growing directions read like the radicchio I once started, “Sow seeds a few days after a moonless night.” There is a long history of growing plants with the cycles of the moon, which you can read about in this post. But for this post, we’ll stick to using the last frost dates and the Gregorian calendar.
The majority of seed instructions will list everything you need to start seeds, like when and where to sow, planting depth and spacing, special watering requirements and the number of days to germination.
Some will list special information like germination temperatures, repeat sowing, transplanting, and thinning. Following the instructions gives you the best chance of success, so those map-hating, instruction-scoffing types out there best pack away their stubbornness for seed packets.
A good seed packet will give you all the information you need to begin growing the plant.
Key Seed Packet Terms
Here are some terms you might encounter on your seed packet and what they mean.
Germination rate: the likelihood of a seed germinating, represented as a percentage.
Plant type: answers whether the seed is a perennial, annual, or biennial.
Seed spacing: how far apart you should ideally place each seed from one another.
Plant spacing/spacing after thinning: how far apart the plant should be from other plants.
Height: the height the plant will be upon maturity.
Days to maturity: how many days from planting until the plant is ready for harvest/blooms.
Planting depth: how deep to plant the seed.
Days to germination/sprout: how many days you can expect to pass before the seed begins to grow.
Bloom period: when the plant will be flowering.
Read the packet and the growing instructions before buying the seeds.
Determining Your Growing Conditions
Before you can plant or even buy your seeds, you should have a fair grasp of your growing conditions. Each plant has specific needs to germinate and grow, so you need to make sure your garden can meet those needs if you want to grow a specific plant.
Timing
On the seed packet, it will usually tell you when to plant your seeds based on frost dates. Finding your average frost date for your area is crucial. To do this, you can use the calculator from the Farmer’s Almanac.
You can then use this date to count forwards or backwards or know when to begin certain seeds indoors.
I also encourage you to try and implement succession planting. By carefully timing when to start seeds, you can extend your harvest and space it out.
Avoid having all your vegetables ready for harvest at the same time.
Lighting
All plants will have specific lighting requirements, which are listed on the seed packet. These are usually described as full sun, partial sun, partial shade, or shade. Before buying seeds for gardening, ensure your garden has the right amount of sunlight (check out this post for how to measure the sunlight in your backyard).
Seeds will also need a specific amount of light when germinating. Seeds with a low planting depth that only have a thin layer of soil overtop will require lots of light to germinate. Likewise, those planted deeper in the soil will require less light.
Sunny windowsills or grow lights are a must for starting seeds indoors.
Temperature
Some seeds require certain soil temperatures to germinate. A heating mat can help achieve this supplemental heat indoors for certain plants like peppers or tomatoes. Others, like carrots or radishes, prefer the temperature of the outdoor soil.
Most plants prefer well-draining soil, but not all do! Your seed packet may provide some information on the type of soil or location the plants prefer. If not, do a little research beforehand for the plant’s soil needs.
For seed starting, you want potting soil with sterile ingredients that won’t promote fungal or bacterial growth. You can find my go-to seed-starting potting soil recipe here.
Moisture
Some plants are considered drought tolerant and do better in areas that won’t receive supplemental watering or hot climates. Others prefer lots of water, doing best in places close to the house where they will receive extra water or areas that receive enough rainfall.
When selecting your seeds, consider your garden’s moisture conditions and how much extra watering you want to do.
This olla watering system slowly waters plants in my raised bed.
Best Places to Buy Seeds
If you’re like me, you get giddy when the seed catalogues arrive in the mail. It feels like Christmas is coming, and you can’t help but circle all the best garden seeds you want.
But for most people getting started, the first step is finding a reputable sources for buying seeds online. My favourites for Canada include West Coast Seeds and Richters.
Avoid buying seeds online from across borders or anything that could be invasive to your area. When in doubt, don’t buy the seeds. The local garden centre will always carry good-quality and safe seeds.
Also, see if there is a little seed library in your neighbourhood! Some libraries even offer seeds as well. Because who could say no to free seeds?
FAQ About Buying Seeds for Gardening
Is it better to buy seeds online or in person?
Either is a fine option. When buying seeds online, you get a wider range of seeds available. You can find many varieties and rare plants that you couldn’t get at the garden centre. You do have to double-check and perhaps do some extra research to ensure the seeds will germinate and grow in your area.
How do I choose the right kind of seeds?
The most important factor when buying seeds for gardening is ensuring your garden has the right growing requirements for the plant. Look at the seed packet for its sunlight, water, soil, and space requirements. If your garden matches, then the seeds are good to go.
The other main aspect you want to look at is gardening zones. This will give you a quick indicator of whether or not the plant can handle the temperatures in your gardening zone.
What’s the best way to store seeds?
Seeds should be stored in airtight packaging and then labelled with the plant name and variety, where you grew it, and the date. This information will be very helpful when you decide where to plant it the following year.
Keep the seeds in an area where they won’t get damp and at a relatively stable temperature. They should be in a cool, dry place. Most seeds are good for two years. After, their germination rate decreases with every additional year in storage.
Coriander seeds.
More Seed-Starting Resources
This is just the beginning of all the seed-starting info I have to share. Check out these posts for more information about the next steps in growing plants from seed.
When making your own beauty products, there isn’t a printed expiry date you can turn to. Knowing when to keep or toss your products can make people feel a little worried about making their own products in the first place, but it really isn’t that complicated or scary (I promise!). Here’s how to find out the shelf life of beauty products you make at home.
One of my favourite activities to do is interact with all the comments on my blog posts. Sometimes, they’re lovely comments about your own garden or musings about nature, while other times, they’re questions about the blog.
And I love it when you ask questions! I’m always ready to help clarify things or let you pick my brain.
One of the questions I get a lot on my DIY beauty or cleaning recipes is how do you know the shelf life of beauty products. So, I wanted to break it down for you, as it depends on what ingredients were used.
Here’s what you need to know about homemade cosmetics’ shelf life.
Shelf Life of Beauty Products Without Water
If a product doesn’t have water in the ingredient list, such as my balms and salves, you can use the soonest expiration date from your ingredients. The final product will last as long as the earliest expiry date from the ingredients you use.
For instance, let’s say you make a lip balm with beeswax, cocoa butter, and grapeseed. Out of those ingredients, the cocoa butter has the earliest expiry date. Even if the beeswax and the grapeseed oil last longer, the lip balm’s expiry date will be the same as the cocoa butter.
Using the earliest expiry date is the general rule of thumb, but also use your common sense. If it has a weird, funky smell or looks off, throw it away. I know when you make products yourself, you become attached to them from all the time and money you put into them. But it’s never worth the risk. Just throw it away!
Shelf Life of Beauty Products With Water
When you start working with water, it’s a whole other ballgame. Anything that has water in it will only last a few days. Water will grow bacteria in it and is only good for a few days unless you add a preservative.
For example, my sugar scrub is good on its own since it’s just sugar and oils. But once you add your wet hands into it while in the tub or shower, the sugar scrub will only last a week.
Meanwhile, my magnesium lotion has water in it, but I’ve added leucidal as a preservative. The lotion then lasts for about six months.
How to Make DIY Beauty Products Last
You can extend the shelf life of water-based items without preservatives by keeping them in the fridge. Just like our food, the cold will help slow down bacteria growth and keep the product good for longer.
Products With Fresh vs Dried Herbs
Many of my recipes harness the healing properties of plants from my garden. And almost all of them use dried herbs. When you dry herbs first, you’re removing the moisture (AKA water) that will cause the degradation of the product and the growth of bacteria that can cause the product to spoil.
People also like to ask how long the scent will last in products, especially bar soaps and bath bombs. Over time, the scent and colour will naturally fade. The essential oils will dissipate in the air.
To help keep the fragrance of your products, store them in an airtight container. This will help the essential oils to last longer.
But say you keep a rose scented product with a mint one in the same bin, everything will end up smelling like the more dominant scent mint. Keep scents separate, or the scents will mingle.
FAQ About Skin Care Shelf Life
Do natural skincare products expire?
Yes. Refer to the expiry dates listed on your ingredients list. The earliest expiry date is the skin care shelf life. If your product contains water and doesn’t have a preservative, it will only be good for a few days before bacteria begin to break it down.
What’s the best way to store homemade skin care products?
Always place items in an airtight container with a lid. Your goal is to preserve the scent and make sure the product doesn’t go bad. Keeping moisture and dust away from your product is the best way to extend your DIY cosmetic’s shelf life.
How can you keep homemade cosmetics fresh?
Storing items in the fridge will help prolong your products’ life since it slows the growth of bacteria. This is especially important if your product contains water and doesn’t have any preservatives. Products without water do not need to be refrigerated.
Before the internet, or even the printing press, we relied on the knowledge passed down through to learn about gardening. While there is so much to know from our ancestors, some old wives’ tales about gardening just aren’t true. There are still a handful of gardening myths that people still use today. Instagram and TikTok are full of them! Let’s get to the truth behind these common gardening misconceptions.
Bees are only attracted to the colour yellow.
Peeing on a jellyfish sting will alleviate the pain.
Turkey makes you sleepy.
If you swallow gum, it will take 7 years to digest.
These are just a handful of old wives’ tales I’ve heard over the years.
When it comes to gardening, some of these old wives’ tales about gardening can have a hint of truth to them. They’re all rooted in some science, even if they didn’t realize it.
BUT (and this is a big but), most of them are said to work better than they actually do. Or they at least started with good intentions. You’ll see what I mean when you keep on reading!
Here are the gardening myths I’ll be talking about today…
A Note on Listening and Experimenting
When it comes to old wives’ tales about gardening, some of them can actually be true. Making them not an old wives’ tale at all!
I’ve always sought to find a balance between science-based and grandmother methods that have been passed down.
While writing Garden Alchemy, I analyzed permaculture, herbalism, indigenous learning, and current science to develop organic concoctions for the garden. It’s all about striking a balance between these claims and fact-based evidence.
This review from Frau Zinnie sums it up. “[Garden Alchemy] empowers the reader to experiment with ways to fix common garden problems with minimal effort — and showing how there are so many things the home gardener can do before deciding to buy a “problem-solving” product at the store.”
From peat-free soil alternatives to using alfalfa as a fertilizer, there are many ways you can use organic elements effectively in the garden using Garden Alchemy as your guide.
And now, onto some myth busting!
Adding Coffee Grounds to Soil
The gardening myth: coffee grounds are a great soil amendment, and you can mix them right into your soil.
While coffee grounds do have plant nutrients, they’re not a significant source. People add them directly to the soil; while you can do this, it’s better to use them as a compost ingredient. They’re a great compost ingredient and will provide more benefits to your plants once decomposed.
Coffee grounds are a great addition to the compost pile, but not right in the garden.
Vinegar as a Weed Killer
The gardening myth: vinegar is a natural herbicide that is better for the garden than commercial herbicides.
Vinegar burns plants upon contact, and it is gentler than most commercial herbicides. BUT it doesn’t discriminate against which plants it will harm, burning anything it comes into contact with. It also may kill the leaves, but not the root system below. So, while it may be a weed killer, it’s not as effective as you might like and could hurt your neighbouring plants.
The gardening myth: you can soak bananas in hot water to create a potassium-rich fertilizer tea to pour on your houseplants and in the garden.
Very little of the banana peel decomposes when you soak it in water. As a result, the water doesn’t have much nutritional value. If you put a banana peel directly in the soil, it will take a long time to break down before it becomes useful to your garden. They’re not an immediate nutrient boost and work best when added to the compost pile.
The gardening myth: eggshells are a calcium-rich garden amendment that can help prevent blossom end rot from occurring.
Calcium deficiency is actually quite rare for soil. While blossom end rot occurs due to the plant’s lack of calcium, it’s not because there’s a lack of calcium in the soil but rather the plant’s ability to absorb the calcium. Furthermore, eggshells need to be fully broken down to provide calcium, and following a theme here, it takes a while to break down. They’re better off in the compost or in your worm bin.
The gardening myth: dish soap works as an insecticide spray.
Most commercial dish soaps are actually detergents, which contain ingredients that aren’t actually that healthy for the garden and your soil. Instead, you want to use fragrance-free castile soap. When mixed with water and other pest deterrent ingredients, it can help make your deterrent more sticky and useful when spraying it on pests.
The gardening myth: you can sprinkle cinnamon in your potting soil to prevent damping off from affecting your seedlings.
Cinnamon is actually quite a powerful spice and has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Many studies have proven these properties in combating illnesses for humans, and some show this for plants as well. However, many of the studies use cinnamon from different species and in different forms than the powdered version we get at the grocery store.
The gardening myth: if you speak kind words to your plants, they can actually grow better.
Sound vibrations are proven to affect plant growth positively. Does it have to be a positive affirmation? No. Your plant won’t know whether your words are good or bad. Music can actually have a greater effect on your plants. All in all, it doesn’t matter what kind of sound plants listen to, but they like noise!
The gardening myth: Epsom salts can prevent and cure blossom end rot and stop pests and other fungal diseases.
Epsom salts won’t help your plant when there’s a calcium deficiency, which is why your plant has blossom end rot. In fact, Epsom salts are a high source of magnesium and that can actually hurt your plant when it’s trying to get more calcium. There is also no real evidence to support that it can stop other pests and diseases.
I love to use Epsom salts in the bathtub after a long day out in the garden.
Houseplants as Air Purifiers
The gardening myth: having houseplants in your home can help to purify the air and improve air quality.
Without a doubt, plants are powerful tools to combat pollution and filter through harmful toxins. Many large studies (like the famous NASA one) proved that plants effectively filter air. However, most of these studies were done in small, enclosed spaces. Large, open houses will make it difficult for a few houseplants to purify the air to a point where it’s positively affecting your health. But they certainly don’t hurt!
If you’re a crazy plant lady like me, you might have enough houseplants to have better air quality.
Gardening by the Moon Phases
The gardening myth: the lunar cycle can affect plant growth and can be a useful tool for planning planting and maintenance.
Since the moon can affect the earth’s tides, some believe it can also affect the water intake in plants. Depending on the moon’s phase, you can determine the best time to plant, cultivate, and harvest plants. There’s no real evidence to support this, but that hasn’t stopped other old wives’ tales about gardening and the moon to pop up.
Get inspired by planting a moon garden, a garden that is designed to be enjoyed in the moonlight.
Using Compost Tea
The gardening myth: diluting compost and using compost leachate can be useful ways to improve soil and plant health.
There’s a big debate about whether or not compost tea is actually helpful for the garden. Compost tea is something I use in my own garden, and I have written about it quite a bit in Garden Alchemy. Those who are against compost tea say there’s not enough evidence to support the positive claims behind compost tea.
The gardening myth: like us, plants experience aging and will eventually die as they get old.
Plants do not age the same way that we do. In theory, plants have infinite growth potential as they produce more leaves, flowers, stems, and roots. A plant can keep producing new parts to replace their old ones as long as they like. But as they age, they often get damaged over time and become weaker. This means the older a plant is, the more likely it is to fall victim to a pathogen.
The gardening myth: when you snip or damage a plant, you’re hurting it.
Plants have no pain receptors; they don’t feel the same way we do. However, they do experience stress and will react to poor conditions. For instance, I’ve seen how my garden reacts after lots of forest fire smoke has been in the air. Plants will respond to their environment but don’t have feelings.
Don’t worry about cutting your plants. They’re not going to feel pain.
Plants Don’t Need Oxygen
The gardening myth: plants take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.
This one isn’t actually a myth per se, but only half of the full story. During photosynthesis, plants take carbon dioxide from the air alongside water from the ground to turn it into sugars and oxygen. The plant uses the sugars, and the oxygen is a by-product. However, during the photosynthesis process, plants do use some oxygen. They just need a fraction of it compared to us.
What is the old wives’ tale about thanking someone for a plant?
An old gardening superstition is that when you thank someone for gifting you a plant or a flower from someone’s garden, the original plant will die or won’t bloom again.
What other old wives’ tales about gardening have you heard? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to add to this list and do some more digging.
After the holidays, don’t just toss your Christmas tree! Instead, try these crafty and fun Christmas tree recycling ideas. Here’s what to do with a Christmas tree to help you immortalize the spirit of the season all year long.
There really is nothing like a fresh tree for Christmas. It smells wonderful and brings some of the outdoors inside for a short while. When Christmas is over, it’s usually time to hack it up, but it seems to me that there is a more fitting end for something so special.
Not one to waste nature’s bounty, I’ve used my tree to make many creative projects over the years and found even more Christmas tree crafts from other creatives to share with you. Here is a list of my favourite crafty Christmas tree recycling projects to give an old tree new life.
This post will cover…
Christmas Tree Crafts and Recycling Projects
Sometimes, it’s hard to get rid of the Christmas tree. There are times when I struggle to pack up the holidays and get rid of the year’s tree.
If the Christmas tree holds lots of sentimental value for you as well, there are plenty of creative ways to recycle the tree when her job is complete indoors. Here are 20 ideas on what to do with a Christmas tree after the holidays.
If you’re looking for things to make with branches from your Christmas tree, this coat rack keeps the branches’ original natural look.
Take some of your more uniquely shaped and strong branches and build your own coat rack. This fun DIY project looks store-bought and is a handy accessory for the front or back door. Read the instructions on creating this branch coat rack with only a few tools!
From one Christmas tree to the next, this reindeer can allow the evergreen to live its next life and continue the holiday spirit. Miniature and adorable, this reindeer uses all sizes of twigs and branches to create a wooden ornament or planter decoration.
I love how versatile these wood-slice flowers are. They could work outside in the garden or on a porch. The flowers would also look great inside as a wall hanging or Christmas decoration. Wood slices are easy to make, and they can be used for a ton of projects.
For those looking for things to make with branches, you can use the thicker branches along with the trunk itself to get all the different sizes for these flowers.
When people ask me what to do with a Christmas tree, I always suggest these ornaments first. Ornaments made from an old Christmas tree could commemorate a special Christmas, such as a baby’s first Christmas or a first Christmas together. They are also a frugal way to get a bunch of ornaments to fill up next year’s tree.
I made these wooden ornaments from a very special tree for Kiddo and me. That Christmas, we went to a Christmas tree farm and cut down our tree ourselves. So we wanted to hold onto it long after the tree was gone!
Many of you probably know I am a huge wreath fan. I have one for pretty much every occasion! I love this simple twig wreath because you could use it any time of the year, and its simplicity makes it an easy addition to most home styles.
These twig flower pots give me major cottage vibes! Oftentimes, pots are more expensive than the flowers inside them. These are a great way to enhance plastic pots without breaking the budget on fancy clay ones from the garden centre.
Once you’ve tried pyrography, you won’t want to stop! This is the next step to doodling: decorating wood with a heated pen that burns designs into it. The result is gorgeous and makes for beautiful coasters, ornaments, or décor.
For these wood slices, I made coasters with botanical-inspired designs. One of the best Christmas tree crafts, they became wonderful personalized gifts for friends and family the following holiday season.
Who knew push pins could look so good? The little ones would work great on a corkboard, and the larger ones would work for hanging up décor and artwork around the house. They are a super quick project and require very few tools.
Why not make your wood stand out all on its own? If you have a section of the wall you are unsure what to do with, wood slices can fit in just about any space. Cut them as big or small as you want and arrange them in any pattern.
This artwork would look great in a cabin or for those who love a rustic style inside the home.
If you are wondering what to do with a Christmas tree and are willing to go big, this one is for you! A branch chandelier is a great way to combine nature with sophistication. Plus, the creator of this chandelier made the whole thing for just $35!
Windchimes have always been one of my favourite additions to the garden. Their soft jingle in the breeze is calming and fun to listen to outdoors. Making one yourself is easy, simply use a branch as the top of the windchime.
I’ve made a few windchimes over the years, including this beaded version.
Using branches from your Christmas tree and a few items foraged from the garden, it is super simple to replicate some popular planter ornaments. After loving some planter decorations in a garden centre but not loving the price tag, I set my sights on making my own!
Take a look at some of the rustic decorations and see if it is something you can do yourself. Wood slices, pinecones, and snowflakes are all easy to make out of wood, using both the trunk and smaller branches of the Christmas tree.
Bringing nature indoors gives you the perfect blend of rustic and chic. I used branches and some good-quality rope to make these swing shelves. It’s a very simple Christmas tree craft, but it looks like a million bucks.
I used these branches topped with stuffed animals to decorate my son’s nursery, but let your imagination go wild!
I hope you have the perfect trunk or branch for this unique idea of what to do with a Christmas tree. Lamps are a wonderful way to light up the garden at night, providing softened light to enjoy the outdoors in the evening. I made this outdoor lamp using a branch as the stand for my lamp.
You don’t even need a frame to create this project. Gather twigs from your tree, then place them together to make your own DIY photo frame. Why not frame a photo from this year’s Christmas?
Simple and effective, branch coasters are a must-have for the coffee table and have remained one of my favourite upcycled Christmas tree crafts over the years. Leave them plain or decorate them…it is totally up to you! Varnish and stain are essential in making these coasters pop out.
Once again, never underestimate the power of wood slices! By circling a mirror with wood slices, it went from a plain hanging to a feature piece in the home. The careful placement of the slices really makes this project stand out.
Don’t be scared to play with wood slices and branches. By careful whittling and cutting, you can create a myriad of shapes and designs to display as art on your wall or elsewhere throughout the home. Creativity is everything!
I go crazy for anything miniature. These twiggy gnomes look adorable in garden pots, indoors or out. They can be used for Christmas, but I think they look great year-round as a pseudo mini garden gnome.
The supplies are small on this one, with just a little bit of paint and twigs from your Christmas tree, making it one of the best things to make with small branches.
A successful garden is one that is full of helpful critters. To encourage bees, ladybugs, and other beneficial bugs to your garden, a bug hotel is a great idea. This bug hotel doubles as artwork for your garden, perfect for hanging on a fence. It’s long been one of my most useful pieces of garden art, made entirely with recycled tree branches.
By now, you should have plenty of ideas on what to do with a Christmas tree. With some creative recycling and crating, your Christmas tree can turn into something new.
Whether you’re carrying it on for next Christmas or turning it into something you can use all year, your tree will still hold some sentimental value of the time spent with family during the holidays. If you created one of my Christmas tree crafts, I would love to see it!
FAQ About Using Christmas Trees
Can you replant a cut Christmas tree without roots?
There is no way to replant a cut Christmas tree. It’s only meant to be enjoyed indoors and then gets composted or repurposed after the holiday season. But they’re still much more sustainable than buying a fake Christmas tree!
If you want to keep and replant a Christmas tree, you’ll need to use a living tree with the root ball still intact. In this case, it would be potted inside and then brought outside after the holiday,
Picking a fresh Christmas tree is one of the best parts of the season. However, you’ll need to learn Christmas tree care to keep the magic going all month long. This post will show you how to keep a Christmas tree alive throughout the whole holiday season.
For centuries, the Christmas tree has been an honoured tradition for the holiday season. The pagans first brought in evergreen boughs during the winter solstice to remind themselves of the greenery of spring.
Taking inspiration from the pagans, the Christmas tree originated in Germany. The first Christmas tree was said to belong to Martin Luther, who was in awe of the brilliance of the stars among evergreens. To recreate the beauty, he placed a tree in his home and decorated it with lighted candles.
The German settlers in Pennsylvania brought this tradition to America, erecting their first trees in 1747. It wasn’t until the 1980s that Christmas trees rose in popularity, and people began decorating their own.
To keep this brilliant tradition going, grab a fresh tree from your local seller. Many people avoid the mess of a real tree, but with the proper Christmas tree care, you can lose very few needles. Then you have a fresh, wonderful-smelling tree that’s much better for the environment.
Keep on reading for all my tips on how to keep a Christmas tree alive.
I worked as a Christmas tree seller for many years, and have gained lots of knowledge about Christmas tree care as a result.
Quick Tips for Caring for a Real Christmas Tree
The best tree starts with selection. Buy a fresh tree and test for needle retention. Gently tug along the branch; only a few needles should fall off.
Christmas trees must be placed in water 6-8 hours after being cut down. If you’re buying them from a lot, ask the seller to cut off the end 1-2 inches.
Check the water levels of your Christmas tree every day. Don’t let it dry out!
Keep your tree away from heat sources to stop it from drying out.
Add a humidifier if your tree is in a dry room or climate.
How to Keep a Christmas Tree Alive
Your perfect Christmas tree is only perfect if it lasts through the season! With these tips for caring for a real Christmas tree, you will be able to choose a tree that is fresh, as well as learn how to keep it alive and beautiful throughout the holidays.
Pick the Freshest Tree Possible
Head to a local tree farm and cut your own for the freshest tree. If you buy your tree from a lot, there is a simple test to help you decide if it is fresh enough to take home. The last thing you want is for all the needles to drop as soon as you hang your decorations.
Test tree freshness by holding a branch tip firmly between your thumb and forefinger; pinch the branch slightly higher with the opposite hand and slide your fingers up the branch against the grain. The needles should not come off the branch. (As a side note, this is the easy way to remove leaves from woody herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme.)
Christmas trees begin drying out as soon as they leave the tree farm.
Make a Fresh Cut
Keep your tree fresh by cutting a 1-2 inch thick slice off the base of the trunk before placing it in water.You may not have a saw handy, so ask if they can cut it at the tree lot before you take it home. Most sellers will automatically make a fresh cut for you.
Get the tree in the water right away if possible. Otherwise, you can leave it for 6-8 hours before you will need to make another fresh cut. If you can’t erect your Christmas tree right away, try to place it in a bucket of water and leave it somewhere unheated. A garage will protect it from wind and avoid freezing the water.
Water, Water, Water
Christmas trees drink LOTS of water so be sure to check the water levels daily. Purchase a stand that will hold enough water. The box should give an estimate of how much water it holds, but remember, that won’t count the water displacement when the trunk is in it.
As a general rule, a tree drinks 1 quart of water for every inch in diameter. A tree trunk 3 inches wide will drink 3 quarts of water a day. Keep this in mind when buying a tree and stand.
Display your fresh Christmas tree out of direct sunlight and away from heat vents. Do not let the reservoir in the tree stand dry out ever. All of these things dry out the tree more rapidly and speed its demise.
Cutting a Christmas tree down right at the farm is a must-try experience.
Help! My Christmas Tree is Not Drinking Water
Christmas trees need a fresh cut before you bring them inside. It can only be out of water for 6-8 hours before you need to make another cut to the base of the trunk to encourage it to drink more water. Most sellers will automatically cut the base of the trunk for this reason.
While it may be a hassle, and messy, cutting 1-2 inches off the base of the trunk will encourage the tree to drink water.
Living Christmas Tree Care
An increasingly popular choice for Christmas trees is to purchase a potted living tree. If you decide to get a living Christmas tree this year, plan on keeping it in the house for no more than a few days. The dry, warm air may be lovely for you, but it takes a toll on an evergreen.
Keep it Outside
Once you have celebrated with your tree, it’s time to set it back outside. You don’t need to plant it right away, which is good because some areas might be hard with frozen soil! But even setting it back into its natural environment should be done with caution. It is important that the tree be re-acclimatized to outdoor conditions gradually when returning outdoors.
Water Well
Place it in an unheated, sheltered location for a day or so for the transition. After that, water it well and take it back outside. If the ground is not frozen, plant it. If the ground is frozen, protect the root ball by insulating it in a moistened mulch or straw pile until it thaws outside.
What to Do After Christmas
With these tips on how to keep a Christmas tree alive, your fresh tree will look gorgeous for the holidays and provide your family with plenty of enjoyment. What should you do after Christmas?
Look up your local tree recycling programs. Some have a roadside pickup, while others have central drop-off locations. I know of at least one city that has a great program where you can take your tree to a goat farm and stay to watch the goats chow down. They go after the trees like crazy, and they will eat all the needles and branches right down to the trunk!
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Tree Care
When it comes to people wondering how to keep a Christmas tree alive, I get a lot of questions. Reference this quick guide to help figure out how to care for your tree.
What do you put in Christmas tree water to keep the tree fresh?
You may have seen advertisements for Christmas tree food or other homemade recipes to help keep your tree fresh. But don’t add anything to your water! Additives such as bleach, aspirin, sugar, or anything advertised for Christmas trees are completely unnecessary. In fact, some may harm the tree. Just plain water is all your tree needs to make it through the holiday season.
How do you keep a Christmas tree from drying out?
Every single day, check the water levels of your tree. Your tree trunk should always be submerged in at least 2 inches. A Christmas tree stand should hold a minimum of 1 quart of water, or you will notice yourself refilling it multiple times a day.
Besides lots and lots (and lots) of watering, don’t let your tree get too hot. Consider lowering the temperature of the room your tree will call home. This may mean placing it in a room you don’t spend too much time in. Keep it away from all heating sources, such as fireplaces, heating vents, and direct sunlight.
If your home is naturally dry, consider adding a humidifier to the room to help prevent your tree from drying out.
What do you do if your Christmas tree doesn’t drink water?
If you’re checking the water levels and notice it’s not changing, your tree is likely not drinking any water. This means you will need to make another fresh cut. When you cut a tree, resin seeps out and can block the pores that intake water.
Upon purchasing, the seller should make a fresh cut to help them absorb water. If you need to make one yourself, the cut should be at least 1-2 inches.
Is it normal for needles to fall out of the Christmas tree?
A Christmas tree will naturally drop needles throughout the holidays. But if you notice it’s dropping a TON, your tree is dried out. Water well and keep it away from heat to prevent needle loss.
When choosing a Christmas tree, make sure it’s fresh. Fresh trees should only lose a couple of needles when you pull along the branches. You can tap the tree on the ground if it’s not too big and see how many needles fall off.
As your tree ages, it will drop more and more needles. You want to try and take the tree down before it dries up entirely, or cleanup will be a big chore!
Can you overwinter a Christmas tree?
You cannot overwater a Christmas tree. They need lots of water inside the home, especially during their first week, so always keep the stand full of water.
The general rule is that you need a quart of water for every inch in diameter. For example, a trunk 2 inches wide will drink 2 quarts of water daily. This rule helps you pick the suitable size stand and tree to match each other.
How long can Christmas trees last without water?
Christmas trees can last 6-8 hours without water before they will begin to dry out. While transporting, keep the surface of the fresh-cut clean and avoid any damage.
When at home, leave it in water and the garage until you can bring it inside to set up. If it’s more than 6-8 hours later, you must make another fresh cut to the tree.
Do Christmas trees need sugar water?
Many wives’ tales will suggest adding sugar or aspirin to a tree to help revive it or encourage it to drink more water. But you don’t need to add anything to your water. This likely comes from the idea of adding sugar to vases as flower food. Your Christmas tree is so big it won’t need the sugar to stay alive for a few weeks.
Do you have any more questions about how to keep a Christmas tree alive? Drop them in the comments down below, and I’ll answer them as soon as I can. Until then, Merry Christmas!
Using cinnamon for plants as an antifungal is an old wives’ tale I’ve heard about for years. Like magic fairy dust, gardeners sprinkle cinnamon in their potting soil to help their seedlings. I wanted to know just how much truth there was to this claim, so I did some digging. Here’s what I found out about using cinnamon for plants.
Based on scent alone, cinnamon holds a special place in my heart. But it also has plenty of robust health and cleaning properties.
It’s a proven fact that cinnamon has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Many studies have shown cinnamon as a powerhouse spice for human health, but how much does it help plants?
Many gardeners have used cinnamon as a natural fungicide for plants. There’s lots of anecdotal evidence to suggest that cinnamon for plants is a great antifungal agent, but let’s dig a little deeper into the effects of cinnamon in the garden.
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What Does Cinnamon Do for Plants? The Myths in Question
When it comes to cinnamon, there are a handful of claims about its benefits for the garden.
Perhaps the biggest is that cinnamon is a natural fungicide for plants. You can use it as a spray to help prevent fungal disease, especially for damping off. When planting seedlings, people will sprinkle cinnamon in their potting soil.
Another common way to use cinnamon for plants is as a rooting hormone. People will use it alongside honey when they take clippings to encourage root growth. They roll the ends of the plants in cinnamon powder.
Finally, people also use cinnamon as an ant repellent.They will sprinkle it in the garden or as a border to stop them from entering the home.
Now, let’s see how true all of these cinnamon claims are!
What is Cinnamon?
It may seem like a simple question, but there’s more to the cinnamon you find at the grocery store than you might think.
Cinnamon is a spice that comes from the inner bark of Cinnamomum trees. There are over 300 species in the Cinnamomum genus, and a handful of them are used to make cinnamon.
To gather cinnamon, they cut stems and branches from the tree and then extract the inner bark into strips. Once dried, it curls and rolls and turns into the cinnamon sticks we find at the store. Then, those sticks can be ground into powder.
Cinnamon powder comes from grinding cinnamon sticks.
The Different Kinds of Cinnamon
You’ll want to be aware of two main types of cinnamon. Ceylon (also known as Sri Lanka) cinnamon is known as the “true cinnamon,” and it’s only found at specialty stores. It comes from Cinnamomum verum trees. True cinnamon is more fragrant and has a light brown colour. It’s slightly sweeter in flavour, though most consumers can’t tell the difference.
The other kind of cinnamon is called cassia or Chinese cinnamon, which is called “fake” cinnamon. It’s made from Cinnamomum aromaticum trees. It’s what you find for sale at the grocery store and is more inexpensive. It has stiff, dark, and thick rolls.
There are a few more cinnamons you might find for sale, including C. burmannii, C. loureiroi, C. citriodorum, and C. tamale. These are also considered “fake” cinnamon varieties.
Now, the problem with all these different kinds of cinnamon is that they’re all called, well, cinnamon! This can make it confusing when reading about all the different benefits of cinnamon as they’re not all equal in their benefits and uses.
Cinnamon can also refer to the plant, the powder, the essential oil, or an extract. These can be important distinctions when using cinnamon for plants.
Several kinds of cinnamon can be found at the grocery store as “fake” cinnamon.
Cinnamon’s Antifungal Properties
The distinctive smell and flavour of cinnamon come from the oils in the plant. The plant’s derivatives, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, and cinnamate, give it powerful health properties. Cinnamaldehyde is the sure standout.
Many studies have proven the antifungal and antimicrobial properties of cinnamon for humans. It can kill fungi that cause respiratory tract infections and inhibit the growth of bacteria, including listeria and salmonella, amongst other kinds of infections. It even has anticancer properties.
There have been fewer studies of cinnamon as a natural fungicide for plants, but there is still good evidence to support that these antifungal properties work in the garden, too.
One study tested 49 essential oils against grey mould (Botrytis cinerea), and cinnamon leaf was the strongest antifungal. It also has been proven to have antifungal activity amongst other fungal diseases such as powdery mildew (Oidium murrayae) and Colletotrichum gloesporioides.
Damping off is a horticultural disease caused by mould or a fungus that commonly affects new seedlings.
Does Cinnamon Work in the Garden?
It would be easy to suggest that all these studies prove that cinnamon’s antifungal properties would translate as magic in the garden.
The only problem is that these studies were in a controlled environment and done in a way very different than home gardeners. The study may use a specific type of cinnamon in an extract form, tested in vitro tests (in a test tube). Meanwhile, you’re using a cinnamon that comes from a different plant in powder form in a spray bottle. It’s not the same thing!
The reality is that most of these studies aren’t studying the powders we find at the grocery store. More often, they’re a more expensive cinnamon in an oil form.
Does that mean cinnamon powder won’t work in your garden? No. Does that mean it will work? Maybe. It’s definitely worth exploring and will likely have some effects on your garden. Just don’t expect it to be the miracle antifungal the internet may suggest!
If you’re looking for a natural fungicide for plants, I recommend making my chamomile fungicide as a base and adding some cinnamon. This way, you’ll be doubling up on your efforts with two potentially powerful antifungal ingredients.
Studies have shown cinnamon oil to be effective at killing mosquito larvae, controlling thrips, and the bean weevil. It has strong potential as a pest repellent, and I could see it being a great ingredient for my natural pest control spray.
How to Stop Damping Off and Other Fungal Issues
I also like to remind people that it’s not about treating fungal issues but preventing them from happening in the first place. It’s a much more effective strategy.
Here are a few tips for preventing fungal disease.
Sterile Ingredients
Use sterile ingredients that won’t stimulate fungal or bacterial growth. Most soil ingredients do not have active biology except compost. If you want to use compost inside the home, you must bake the moist soil in the sun or the oven at 180° F for at least 30 minutes. Store any leftover compost in an airtight container for future indoor and seed-starting potting mixes.
Water Correctly
Avoid overhead watering. Instead, focus the water at the base of the plant, where it will soak into the soil and the roots rather than get the leaves wet. Also, water early in the day so excess moisture will evaporate in the later sun rather than sitting overnight.
Location
Try to place plants in their ideal location as much as possible. While you may want to put some pretty annuals in a shady spot rather than the full sun they ask for, don’t force it. The reality is that the area might be too damp for them and encourage fungal growth.
Also, don’t crowd plants. Give them the right spacing requirements to promote airflow. Air circulation is essential for preventing fungal growth.
The proper sunlight requirements are among the best ways to prevent horticultural disease.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cinnamon for Plants
How often should you use cinnamon on plants?
Cinnamon powder or oil is best added to potting soil before planting seeds.
If you’re diluting cinnamon, like you would if you add it to my chamomile fungicide spray, you can spray it daily to water your seedlings or mist your established plants and soil as often as daily.
Will cinnamon hurt plants?
Cinnamon oil can affect plant growth in high concentrations. The use of cinnamon oil could be a possible natural herbicide. However, this is only in high concentrations, and the normal use of cinnamon shouldn’t affect plant growth, but there have been few studies on this. I always recommend applying a test in your garden before using it everywhere.
Can cinnamon act as a rooting agent?
I could find no evidence to suggest that cinnamon works as a rooting agent. You can use it in the water to prevent bacteria from growing, which can aid in the root developmental process, but it won’t encourage it. Try adding a drop or two of cinnamon essential oil alongside my willow water rooting hormone.
Talking to plants is a completely normal thing gardeners do. We can’t help but comment on how cute their new leaf is or say how nasty those aphids are for feasting on them. But can talking to your plants help them grow? Let’s get to the bottom of how much power your words have.
My plants are some of my best friends. I love having conversations with them. They’re great listeners and never tell me anything I don’t want to hear. It’s a great relationship!
I’ve definitely asked how my plants are doing while I dust their leaves or say sorry when I catch one drooping from lack of water—though maybe that last one is the Canadian in me.
And I know I’m not the only crazy plant lady out there talking to my plants. According to one survey, 50% of respondents admitted that they talk to their plants, and out of those that do, 65% said they do it because they believe it helps their plants grow.
I’ve seen many clickbaity articles telling you that the key to growing healthy plants is to play them classical music or whisper positive affirmations to them every day. But, does that actually help? Can plants even hear?
To get to the bottom of it, I’ve found a few studies to help us prove whether talking to plants helps them grow.
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Even humming or singing while you work could have benefits for your plants.
Does Sound Affect Plant Growth?
Before we can jump straight to talking to plants, let’s talk about sound in general. It is proven that the vibrations that come from sound affect plants.
In one study, they had Chinese cabbages and cucumbers listen to birds, insects, water, and classical music. All were found to increase the vegetable’s plant growth.
Another study from the International Integrative Sciences, Innovation and Technology played Indian music to chickpea and marigold plants. The study found that all the plants grew taller, had more foliage, and looked healthier overall.
It’s proven that the presence of sound has a positive impact on a plant’s health.
Maybe my fountain helped the plants grow better thanks to it’s sound!
Can Talking to Plants Help Them Grow?
So what about talking? There’s no definitive evidence that talking to your plants has specific benefits, but I won’t shut down the idea either.
Humans are often talking to things that can’t understand us. I don’t think my cat Magic understands a lick of what I say, yet I still talk to him on the regular. And when it comes to talking to my plants, I sure don’t expect to get any responses.
If I talk to something, I will feel more connected to it. The more time I spend with my plants and forming a “relationship” with them, the more likely I am to take care of them. And the better the care, the better the growth.
Sound and its vibrations are proven to help plant health, and since talking is one of the most common sounds our houseplants and garden plants are bound to hear, it’s reasonable to think it could make a difference. It certainly couldn’t hurt!
Ikea did a famous PR campaign where they did an experiment speaking kindly to plants. The experiment took place in anticipation of Anti-Bullying Day, and they encouraged kids to “bully” one plant and compliment the other. Over the course of 30 days, the plants grew in the same conditions. The plant that received compliments thrived, while the bullied one became wilted and droopy.
Now, this experiment is far from being scientific and more closely resembles a middle school science project. And if the real experiment didn’t change anything, I doubt Ikea would have admitted to it. But nonetheless, I think it’s worth mentioning.
It certainly doesn’t hurt to talk to your plants, so why not try?
Do Plants Like Music?
While there hasn’t been enough evidence to prove that talking to plants helps them grow, there is good reason to believe that music does help plants grow.
The TV show MythBusters did an excellent experiment to prove whether talking to plants helps them grow, adding music to the mix.
In the experiment, seven of the same plants were placed in different greenhouses and given the same growing conditions. Then, they changed the sound elements for each by adding a microphone to the room:
Plant with no sound
Two plants with positive speech.
Two plants with negative speech.
One plant with classical music.
One plant with metal music.
Can you guess which plant performed the best? Surprisingly, the plant listening to metal music did the best. The plant without sound grew the worst, while the plants that listened to people talking grew slightly better regardless of whether the words were positive or negative (take that, Ikea!). The plant listening to classical music did even better, and the plant listening to metal music topped them all.
I also love this Instagram post, which was one of the only good things to come out of 2020. The Barcelona Opera House hosted a concert entirely for an audience of plants. I bet the plants have never heard such beautiful live music!
Plants Talk Too!
Did you know that plants actually make noise themselves? When I was answering another common gardening question, can plants feel pain, I learned that some plants will actually “scream” when they’re cut.
No, it doesn’t sound like us when we scream. Nor does it even resemble a cry of pain. The noises they make are not audible to us but are a way for plants to communicate and warn nearby plants.
In one study, they found that plants having a “good” day will emit less ultrasonic noise. Meanwhile, injured or dehydrated people let out dozens of sounds every hour.
Just listen to how these musicians played a song with a sugar maple!
How to Talk to Plants
You don’t need me or any studies to tell you how to talk to your plants. Or someone to tell you that it makes no difference to their happiness. If you want to talk to your plants, then go for it!
I find that half the time, I’m really talking to myself. It helps me to express what I’m thinking at the time, even if it’s me commenting on how dusty my snake plant looks.
Being around plants, greenery, and nature is proven to improve our mental health. The practice of gardening, whether it’s bathing your houseplants or digging in the dirt outside, is mindful and calming. And you can’t deny how proud you feel when one of your plants thrives! Proud plant parent over here.
So go ahead and practice piano in front of your plants, rant to them about how annoying your neighbour is, or that you love their new leaf. Your plant will love the sound vibrations of your voice!
