DIY Spring Gardening Projects

It’s almost time to start planting here in Southwestern Virginia! Our last danger of frost usually passes towards the end of April, though with the warm weather we’ve had recently it’s hard to believe we could still end up with a snow storm. (And we have before. I remember back in April of 1993 I believe, we ended up with 3ft. of snow!) But with the super warm days we’ve been having, I thought now would be a great time to share some spring gardening tips and ideas! Here are a few of my favorites.

le zoe musings blog has a great diy tutorial for getting a jump start on your outdoor garden by starting an indoor greenhouse. Kellie uses a 72 cell greenhouse kit with a dome, though you could use recycled newspaper to make your own seedling starter pots and cover with Ball jars, another wide mouthed glass container or the top half of a plastic 2L bottle. You can even start seeds in a lemon peel! Just plant the seeds of your choice and wait for them to bear fruit! I love the selection of seeds available from Mountain Rose Herbs – especially the Lifeline Medicinal Seeds Kit they sell which contains certified organic seeds suited for starting a medicinal herb garden. Each kit contains 1 packet of each: Astragulus (50 seeds), Holy Basil (100 seeds), Burdock (100 seeds), Calendula (100 seeds), German Chamomile (500 seeds), Echinacea purpurea (200 seeds), Elecampane (100 seeds), Evening primrose (200 seeds), Flax (200 seeds), Lemon Balm (200 seeds), Marshmallow (100 seeds), Motherwort (200 seeds), Nettles (400 seeds), Cayenne pepper (100 seeds), Sage (100 seeds), Valerian (100 seeds), Wood Betony (100 seeds), and Yarrow (200 seeds).

Photo Credit: A Journey To A Dream

Another great idea is to recycle a plastic jug into a DIY watering can rather than buying one. A Journey to a Dream Blog has a simple tutorial that shows you how to do just that using the jug of your choice and a heated needle to pierce holes into the lid.

Photo Credit: A Nest for All Seasons

I was also super psyched to discover I can grow my own ginger from leftover ginger I’ve purchased which keeps me from having to buy ginger over and over. A Nest for All Seasons Blog explains how you can grow ginger from an inch long, unpeeled chunk of ginger. You just need some soil, water, and small pieces of ginger root that have a node on them. You can also keep yourself in green onions without repeat trips to the grocery store by saving the roots once you’ve used the ends and placing them in water where they will grow back. There’s tutorial on how to grow green onions in water over at The Burlap Bag Blog.

Photo Credit: Camille Styles

Want an herb garden for fresh herbs all summer long but don’t have the space? Garden up! Camille Styles Blog has an awesome tutorial for crafting your own DIY Mason Jar Herb Garden. Plant all of your favorite herbs along a board that you can hang on a wall. Start your garden indoors by a sunny window, then transfer it outside once the danger of frost has passed. You can then bring your herb garden back indoors once the weather cools back down in the fall!

And, if you plan on doing a lot of gardening this spring and summer, be sure to try out the Handmade Exfoliating Lettuce Gardener’s Soap from Rebecca’s Soap Delicatessen. It’s scrubby enough to remove tough garden dirt, but gentle enough to keep hands from drying out. You can check out a review of this handmade goat milk and shea butter soap at Julie Ann Art Blog.

What are some of your tips and tricks for spring planting and gardening?