Swedish gardener Filip Johansson ditched his job in IT when his love of gardening took off, after he and his brother commandeered a free plot of land the place they began rising flowers and greens.
Immediately, his ardour has gone viral, with almost 63.2K followers on Instagram alone, who he encourages to attempt his money-saving, sustainable hacks to profitable gardening.
He has now written his first ebook, Backyard Hacks, which options 70 suggestions for gardeners to shortcuts, providing step-by-step directions on concepts whereas recycling, saving cash and pondering sustainably.
Listed here are a number of of his concepts:
1. Make a cardboard weed barrier
Lower out a bit of cardboard, chopping via it to the center to create a gap, then place it across the plant.
“It stops weeds from competing with the little seedlings or the vegetation you’ve gotten simply planted. It really works as a collar across the stem of the plant and likewise helps deter slugs from consuming little seedlings.”
The cardboard will disintegrate in a number of weeks and in case you don’t just like the look of it you would prime it with grass cuttings or mulch, he suggests.
2. Harvest herbs shortly
Save time tearing off a number of leaves from herbs by working the stems via the holes of a colander from the within and tugging, which ought to take away the leaves, which can stay within the colander so that you can use. Good herbs for this embrace sage, mint and oregano, or the rest that gained’t profit from the stems being put into your dishes.
3. Save water rinsing your harvest
“I take advantage of a basket from my bicycle as a harvest basket, choosing the greens after which rinsing them within the basket over a bucket, so I save the water, which I then use to water vegetation. It’s a great way to not waste water. And in the summertime months it is advisable save each drop.”
4. Revitalise previous potting soil
Assume once more in case you’re planning to chuck out all of your previous potting soil within the spring, he advises.
“It could not have numerous vitamins, it might be exhausting and dense and doesn’t look so good, however you may recondition it, as I name it, and simply add some nettle water, or some espresso grounds, combine it round and let it sit for some time.
“In all probability worms will begin to work with the soil, so as an alternative of composting, which takes one or two years, this takes a number of weeks.” You could possibly additionally use comfrey water to feed to revitalise the soil, he suggests. Don’t fear whether it is root-laden as a result of espresso grounds and different additions resembling barbecue charcoal (not briquettes or ash) will give it construction, he says.
Don’t plant the identical vegetation within the previous soil, he advises, as a result of it’s going to lack the vitamins which these particular vegetation like. He makes use of previous rejuvenated soil as a topsoil layer for his vegetable beds when he vegetation new seed and mixes it with new compost to plant different kinds of vegetation.
5. Make your individual seed tape
Small seeds resembling carrot seed are troublesome to area evenly, however you can also make your individual seed tape out of bathroom paper to do the identical.
Combine flour with water to create a sticky ‘glue’, lay out the bathroom paper and fold it lengthways to make a crease within the center. Lay a tape measure alongside the size of the paper so you may place the seeds at a fair distance, then dip a pencil into the flour combination and place it into the seeds in order that one will get picked up. Twist off the seed on to the bathroom paper halfway between one lengthy facet and the crease.
Repeat utilizing even spacing for the seeds, and once you’re completed, apply some flour ‘glue’ alongside one fringe of the paper. Fold the paper alongside the unique crease, roll it up and let it dry, prepared to put out in a backyard mattress in spring when you may put some soil on prime of it and water it in.
6. Cease ants of their tracks
When you’ve got issues with ants in your patio, use espresso filters or insect netting and put them within the backside of patio pots, to stop the ants coming into the soil. “It hinders them from beginning their colony,” he says.
“The opposite factor is hold watering, as a result of if it’s damp they don’t prefer it. So attempt to all the time hold the soil moist.”
He additionally recommends utilizing cinnamon to discourage them, sprinkling floor cinnamon within the backside of your pot or pot saucer or alongside the strains that ants kind in between paving stones or close to the patio door.
7. Use corks to make excellent spacings for seedlings
“I take advantage of corks that are already uncorked from the bottle and screw them right into a wood board or plank with the spacing I would like.
“So for peas or beans, you would area them 10cm, then you definately simply push the lengthy board with all of the secured corks down into your backyard mattress and you’ve got excellent holes all the way in which alongside, the place you may drop within the peas or beans or small seedlings, completely spaced.”
Backyard Hacks by Filip Johansson is printed by Murdoch Books, priced £12.99. Out there now. Pictures by Peter Carlsson.
