Spring has definitely arrived in Richmond. If you have not already started prepping your garden now is a good time to turn over your soil and add some amendments like compost and more manure.

This is also a good time to start some summer flowers and vegetables from seed. . However, don’t feel like you have to spend a lot of money on those disposable greenhouses they sell.

You have most of the items at home. You only need to buy some potting soil, seed starter or Peet seed pellets (30 for $2.00 at Walmart). The rest you probably already have.

Learn How to Seed Plants In Items From Home

This year I made a green house out of cleaned out egg shells and the plastic egg carton it came in. Just add some potting soil, moisten the dirt, add your seeds and cover. In a few weeks you will have the beginnings of a plant.

Just be sure to crack the egg at  the bottom when you empty it. This serves additional nutrients for the plants in the ground too.

I also used old items from previous flower purchases. I added a peat pellets into each slot, added the seeds and placed the containers into an old strawberry container. Be sure to check on these after a few days so they don’t dry out.

I also found cow pots at the local nursery and remembered seeing a segment about them on Martha Stewart last year. I thought I would try them. I added a peat pellet to some and just potting soil to the others. Placed them in an old garden tray you get when you buy flowers at the nursery.

I then used a clear plastic cover from a lettuce container at the top. Be sure to remove the tops when the plants starts to grow taller.

If you don’t want anything fancy just use the containers from the nursery fill it will soil and add seeds. This will work as well just have to thin the plants a little more.

Hope you find success and save some money with these garden tips. Also, reread Reuse Pots/Cell Packs from Purchased Annuals/vegetables for more tips

Make Plants from Plants– Simple Propagation techniques

I don’t know how many times I was planting an annual and somehow the tips of the plant were broken off. Or better yet, your anxious child picks a flower and pulls off most of the stem.

You may even have a Sweet Potato Vine that is growing too long and you need to trim it. Do not throw away the damage if it is long enough to fit in a bud vase.