April is Lawn and Garden month. This month encourages planting, growing, and spending time outside. Not only is gardening great for the environment, but it is good for you too! Gardening can be a stress-reliever, boost self-esteem, reduce your risk of a stroke or heart attack, and increase your overall mental health. It has even proven to result in better performance at school for both adults and children.

Here are some helpful gardening tips.  

  • To make shoveling easier, spray the shovel with a silicone or Teflon lubricant. This prevents soil from sticking on your shovel and makes clean up a breeze.  
  • Prior to purchasing plants, line your vehicle with a tarp and place a ladder on top of the tarp. The tarp will protect your car from any messes and the rungs of the ladder help keep your plants from spilling over and getting damaged. 
  • Tired of houseplants losing soil whenever you water them? Before potting, try lining flower pots with coffee filters. This helps to keep the soil from falling out while still allowing the water to drain.  
  • An easy solution to pesky weeds is to make homemade weed killer with ingredients found in your kitchen. Combine 1 gallon of white vinegar, 1 cup of table salt, and 1 tablespoon of Dawn dish soap and spray directly onto weeds. Avoid areas where grass, flowers, and other plants grow.  
  • Save your coffee. Adding coffee grounds directly to the soil will break down during the growing season and nourish your plants. Coffee is rich in nitrogen and works best on acid growing plants. 

Buchheit Lawn and Garden expert, Michael Sheppard says that his favorite product for his plants is Blooming & Rooting Soluble Plant Food. It is a great water plant flood that delivers results, saves money, and is the closest item Buchheit carries as an “insurance” policy for your plants. It helps give your plants a jump start. At home, he soaks the root of a new plant in the Blooming and Rooting Solution before planting. This provides a quick nutrient push to the new seedling. The high phosphorus push is great for rooting development of a young plant. Dissolve 1 tablespoon per gallon of water and use it early for the establishment and feed weekly.

There are many ways that you can celebrate National Lawn and Garden Month, so stop by your local Buchheit retail store to get started today! We would love to see any pictures of your projects and be sure and submit them to the Buchheit Photo Barn, here. Your picture could be featured in one of your Buchheit Simpler Life blogs or ads!