15 most unusual hacks to help your garden - including teabags and beer (original) (raw)

The poll of 2,000 adults highlighted the more unusual strategies gardeners use to help their plants grow, with throwing used teabags onto the soil and watering with potato water making the list

People reported using crushed eggshells, cinnamon and tea bags to help their plants reach their best

A new poll has revealed the most unusual hacks people use to help their gardens thrive - including using bones as fertilisers, destroying fungus with cinnamon and singing to their plants.

The poll of 2,000 adults highlighted the more unusual strategies gardeners use to help their plants grow, with throwing used teabags onto the soil also making the list. Green-fingered responses also included making beer traps for slugs, using ash from the fireplace as a fertiliser, and watering plants with potato water. The average gardener reportedly spends three hours a week tending to their outdoor space, with TV programmes, social media, and gaming among the biggest inspirations. "The research has revealed some weird and wonderful ways people tend to their gardens” said Sabrina Carmona, VP of mobile game Farm Heroes Saga."

People use all kinds of hacks to make their plants grow (

Image:

Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"It's been interesting to discover some of these and understand why tending to gardens has become such a popular pastime. But for those who don't have access to outdoor space, or who might not have the time to garden, you can still get your nurturing hit from a mobile game. You'll hopefully get that same sense of enjoyment, escapism and reward by tending to virtual cropsies as you would real ones."

The main motivator behind people getting their hands dirty in the garden was said to be the satisfaction they get from achieving results, with 66 per cent of people saying this was the reason they gardened. Meanwhile 47 per cent claim it gives them somewhere to escape, and 45 per cent enjoy the nurturing aspect of tending a garden. More than four in 10 (42 per cent) most enjoy watering plants, 31 per cent thrive from mowing the grass, and 35 per cent love harvesting their own fruit and veg.

People also loved harvesting the fruits of their labours with tomatoes, strawberries, and potatoes the top three most popular produce to grow, with 27 per cent aiming to save money by this method. But it wasn’t just vegetables people were hoping to get out of their gardens, overall gardening goals include improving mental wellbeing (47 per cent), helping the environment (40 per cent), and learning new skills (25 per cent).

What’s more 49 per cent would like to spend more time in their green space than they currently do. And 54 per cent said they don't garden as much as they would like to due to a lack of free time. The study also found 54 per cent would rather go to a garden centre than a nightclub. And 72 per cent believe it is an activity that all ages can enjoy - and not just for older people.

Sabrina Carmona added: "Gardening is such a versatile and rewarding hobby that can be tailored to suit your lifestyle and space and can be enjoyed by all ages and abilities. This inclusivity is something that's demonstrated in the research and is also a foundational element of our game development. Whatever your background, age or circumstance, it's so important to find moments of fun and enjoyment within our busy schedules. Gardening - whether that's physically or virtually through a puzzle game - can bring countless benefits, from providing much needed moments of escapism, a sense of achievement or helping to learn a new skill."

Top 15 unusual tricks to help your garden grow

Using eggshells as fertiliser
Using used coffee grounds as a fertiliser
Growing new fruit/vegetables from leftover vegetable roots/seeds
Throwing used teabags onto the soil
Using banana peels as fertiliser
Talking to my plants
Making beer traps for slugs
Using ash from the fireplace as fertiliser
Using potato water to water plants
Sprinkling cayenne pepper to ward off pests
Using bones as a fertiliser
Singing to my plants
Sprinkling cinnamon on the ground to deter cats
Destroying fungus with cinnamon
‘Planting' plastic forks to keep animals away