Readers Share Five Clever Garden Tips

Fine Gardening magazine has published a collection of five clever ideas submitted by its readers. The tips cover organization, pest control, and plant care for home gardeners.

Organize Tools with a Shoe Rack

Toni Bandrowicz from Swampscott, Massachusetts, suggests using a closet hanging shoe rack to organize garden tools. The pockets are handy for dropping in various tools, gloves, and other small items, keeping everything in one accessible place.

Build a Simple Rose Fence

Joan Swanson of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, built an inexpensive fence from 1×2 lumber to protect her rosebushes from animals. She reports that, so far, her roses remain untouched and are blooming successfully.

Use Sweatshirts for Winter Protection

Janice Walls, a gardener in the Mid-Atlantic region, found a cozy solution for protecting tropical plants in winter. After learning plastic covers could make plants too hot, she used old zippered sweatshirts instead. She found them easy to put on and take off, providing adequate protection from the cold.

Create a Simple Slug Trap

Heidi Freestone from Sebastopol, California, describes an effective slug trap. Placing the bottom of a 5-gallon black plastic nursery pot on moist soil overnight can attract dozens of slugs. This method also gathers smaller slugs that are difficult to pick up individually.

Grow Mint in Poly Bags

Oglah Morogo of Eldoret, Kenya, recommends growing mint in woven poly bags to prevent it from taking over the garden. Mint is a fast-growing plant whose roots can quickly overwhelm garden beds or even ordinary pots.

Poly bags are inexpensive, compact, lightweight, and simple to store. To plant mint, fill each bag with potting mix, leaving about an inch at the top. Gently tap the bag to settle the soil instead of forcing it down, as loose soil is ideal for mint growth. Plant a single mint in each bag.

The fabric allows air to pass through, which causes the bags to dry out faster than clay or plastic pots. This reduces the risk of root rot but means more frequent watering is necessary, potentially every day in hot weather.

For healthy growth, trim mint frequently. Pinch off the top leaves when stems reach between 4 and 6 inches tall to encourage extra side branches. To maintain a bushy plant, snip just above the leaf growth each time you harvest.

Mint does not require much space and can be grown on a balcony, in a small yard, or in a sunny window. The best location receives four to six hours of sunlight per day.

The magazine invites readers to submit their own smart garden tips for a chance to win a one-year subscription with an All Access membership.