A gardener took to TikTok to share a brilliant trick to help save money on topsoil in your raised flower beds or garden plots.
The scoop
TikToker Anna Arizona Gardner (@azzengarden) shared her helpful hint to affordably fill your garden beds. She points out that most vegetable roots are small, somewhere between 5-10 inches, so you don't need to fill your beds from top to bottom with good, expensive soil.
@azzengarden 🗑 Soil is so expensive 😫 do you agree? Are you tired of spending a fortune on store-bought soil that's so expensive? Ready to harness the power of nature's free resources? Let's dive into the world of DIY soil! Why DIY Soil? Cost-Effective: Save big by using materials from your yard and kitchen. Customizable: Tailor your soil mix to your specific plant needs. Eco-Friendly: Reduce waste and minimize your environmental impact. DIY Soil Recipe: 〰️Brown Materials〰️ ▪︎Dried leaves ▪︎Straw ▪︎Wood chips ▪︎Cardboard ▪︎Green Materials ▪︎Kitchen scraps (fruit, vegetable, coffee grounds) ▪︎Grass clippings Create layers of brown and green materials in your compost bin or directly in your garden bed. Avoid 🔻Meat and Dairy: These can attract pests and slow down the composting process. 🔻Plants that have pests or diseases 👩🌾 Bonus Tip: Ask your neighbors for theirs if you don't have any. . #compost #soil #gardentip #Vegogarden #gardentips #gardening #gardentok ♬ original sound - Sofia Richie Grainge
Instead, underneath that top layer of soil, fill your beds with cardboard, dead leaves, logs, or sticks, compressed down. She also says things like eggshells, old fruits and vegetables, and coffee grounds will work really well.
The goal, she says, is to "create layers of brown and green materials in your compost bin or directly in your garden bed."
How it's working
What you're doing here is creating good soil from scratch. You're using compostable materials underneath the topsoil you've purchased, which will generate the nutrients your plants need to grow and thrive as they break down into rich soil.
Essentially, you're creating a compost pile underneath your veggies, and doing so gets you good quality soil for your plants for far less than you'd be spending on the soil at your local hardware or garden store.
Growing your own food is also a stellar way to save money and help the environment by reducing your reliance on commercial agriculture, which in turn helps to reduce your carbon footprint.
What people are saying
Commenters on the post loved this idea.
"Earthworms are your friend here, too," one said. "They are considered invasive, but in reality they help aerate the soil and provide natural fertilizer. Sticks are good to add in the bottom."
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Which of these benefits is your biggest motivation in gardening? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Getting outside more 🌱 "Great trick of the trade!" said another. "Organic layers."
"Makes me wanna get outside and start gardening," said a third.
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