Gardening tips 2023 — Simple step you must take to stop plant worse than Japanese knotweed from invading your home

AN invasive plant is ravaging buildings and homes due to its unique ability to produce its own seeds.

Buddleia davidii, more commonly known as butterfly bush, originated in China and was introduced elsewhere due to its ability to attract insects.

However, it is proving to cause more harm than good as expert Jonathan Barton has warned it can be "more troublesome" than Japanese Knotwood.

Barton previously told the Sun: "Buddleia, in many ways, can be more troublesome than Japanese Knotweed because of its ability to spread by seed, with those seeds able to germinate in tricky places under pretty inhospitable conditions."

To stop butterfly bush from spreading, cut off the flowers before they set seed.

Drying the cuttings out and composting them in a sealed bag can further prevent butterfly bush from invading where you don't want them to.

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Most plants native to the US can grow between zones three and ten.

Zone three includes the upper Midwest including parts of Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Maine.

The best time to garden if you’re in zone three is during mid-May.

Plants that thrive in this zone are,

Zone two includes cities in Alaska and the northernmost tip of Minnesota where temperatures can drop to below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

It's also best to plant during mid-June and prioritize plants such as,

Zone 1 indicates temperatures that can get under 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

The majority of gardeners don't have to worry about Zone 1 planting, but if you live in some parts of Alaska this may apply.

The best time to plant in this zone is mid-June and plants that thrive in these low temperatures are,

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is used to determine which plants grow best where.

The map is color-coded based on the average annual minimum temperature.

There are 11 zones included on the map with lower numbers indicating colder regions.

Sugar helps feed the beneficial microbes, insects, and worms within the grass, which would usually be killed by fertilizer.

These microbes and insects help to improve the soil structure, increase photosynthesis, and provide resistance to extreme climates.

Expert Jordan Page — the "Fun Cheap or Free Queen" — revealed how she uses sugar to keep her lawn greener than ever.

Rather than spend somewhere around $300-$500 on weeding and fertilizers, you can use white table sugar to solve many of your lawn's problems.

Typically costing around $4, sugar is both super cheap and super easy to apply to your lawn.

Other than making your grass extra green, she said sugar is also beneficial for the environment.

You could create another slow-release watering system by hanging a plastic bottle over your plants.

Simply take a bottle, pierce tiny holes in the bottom half and then enclose the bottle in a sock – other fabric should work just as fine.

You can then hang this above your plant by securing it to a stick that rests inside of your plant pot – but make sure it's done so securely.

Just like with the "magic" burying method, the plants will have a steady flow of water.

Gardening experts have said that a cheap, plastic water bottle can be an eco-friendly watering tool for gardeners.

"Using a plastic water bottle to create a simple, yet effective, watering system is a great solution to repurpose an item that could otherwise end up in a landfill," expert Sara Dixon said.

To make the irrigation system, simply poke holes in the water bottle and cover it with a sock or another piece of fabric before burying it inside of the planter – with the opening visible at the top of the soil.

The small holes mean the bottle will act as a slow-release watering system.

Mulch is an organic covering for the top of your soil and it helps keep it moist by protecting the surface of the soil.

Mulching reduces the amount that you should water your plants, so it's important to get it right.

When you make a raised bed or any type of bed, you should always add mulch.

You can use a shredded straw or composted wood chips.

When creating your garden, remember to leave about two feet between raised beds so that you can tend the plants comfortably.

"People don't think about the fact that they have to come through and work on these gardens and then they get annoyed and then they stop working on the beds," gardening expert Kevin Espiritu explained.

Espiritu also noted that having good soil is key to maintaining a successful garden.

"If you’re going to invest in something, you should invest in your soil," the expert noted.

"You don't go buy a nice quality raised bed and try to grow plants in that system with crappy soil. It doesn't make any sense at all."

Starting a raised garden can be overwhelming, but Youtuber Kevin Espiritu shared a video to help prevent common mistakes.

First of all, the position of the garden matters.

Gardeners should make sure that their plants face the sun to get the proper amount of sunlight.

Gardeners should also be sure that their gardens are getting the proper amount of water – and an irrigation system is important.

Raised gardens are a form of gardening where the soil is raised and enclosed, extending the planting season, reducing weeds, and a more controllable environment for your crops and plants.

It's important to know which crops to plant and which ones to avoid.

While gardening in containers is generally easier than doing so in the ground, here are a few important tips to help keep your plants healthy:

Expert gardener Fiona Jenkins points out you can easily kill weeds with something as simple as a lemon.

"Simply cut a lemon in half and then squeeze the juice over the weed," she says.

"The citric acid in the lemon should kill the weed within a few days."

The gardening guru goes on to say how this method is especially effective when there's strong sun shining on the weeds.

"The lemon juice can be used as it is, there is no need to dilute it," she continues.

"Alternatively, you can get some powdered citric acid and mix this with water in a spray bottle.

"Then, simply spray the weeds with the solution."

According to expert gardener Fiona Jenkins, salt can also be effective at killing weeds.

"Sprinkle some salt liberally over the weed and leave it there," the gardening pro says.

"This should kill off the weed within a few days."

Fiona goes on to say how salt is also great for deterring insects and slugs, but warns: "Be careful not to sprinkle the salt on the surrounding lawn and this could kill off some of the grass."

Another common vegetable that you can regrow is celery.

Chop off the bottom of the stalk and put it in a bowl with a bit of water, being careful not to submerge the scrap fully. Then let it grow for a week or so before transferring it to soil.

According to the folks at Farmers’ Almanac, it's sensible to try this one out in the Spring because it grows better in cooler weather.

You can use a similar process to regrow Romaine lettuce from scraps.

If you want to grow your own garlic, all you have to do is save one of the cloves from the bulb you bought at the store.

The gardening experts say you can just plant the bulb directly in your garden and watch it grow.

Green onions are one of the easiest veggies to test your kitchen scrap gardening skills.

Take the white end of the onion, with its roots intact, and re-plant it in potting soil.

The place it in a sunny window and keep it watered, the publication says.

It can take less than two weeks until the plant will be tall enough to snip the top off and add to your next meal.

The kitchen scraps you usually toss in the trash can actually be used to grow your own food, according to a gardening expert.

In an online post, the gardening experts at Farmer's Almanac say you can build a surprisingly robust garden by regrowing vegetable scraps into plants.

"Kitchen scrap gardening is the ultimate in recycling," the Farmer's Almanac writes.

"It's environmentally friendly, can save on grocery bills, and it's a fun, hands-on science lesson for young children."

The periodical lists a dozen veggies that are great for kitchen scrap gardening, with tips for how to blossom them into fully grown vegetables.

Although gardening is typically a spring activity, it isn't too late to start planting.

Water-tolerant plants can be planted up until mid-June.

These include California native sage, California fuscia, sage hybrids, Yarrow, Butterfly Bush, Crape Myrtle, Bougainvillea, rosemary, Hesperaloe, and Apricot Mallow.

Melon, winter squash, pumpkin, basil, corn, and okra can also be planted up until mid-June.

Your morning coffee can be used for more than just a way to start the day.

Leftover coffee and tea grounds can be used to acidify soil for plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, gardenias, and even blueberries.

To use the grounds, sprinkle about one-quarter of an inch on the soil to keep its pH on the acidic side.

Not all squirrel deterrents are safe for squirrels or non-toxic.

Peanut butter may appear to be a nice idea, but in big quantities, it is poisonous to squirrels, Master Class says.

Squirrel traps are very risky, and employing them, especially live traps, has a number of drawbacks.

Squirrels are often agitated, and if they are imprisoned with no way out, they can cause much more damage to your property.

While trap-and-release traps are available, they frequently pose a significant risk of damage.

Squirrels enjoy digging up the dirt and mulch in garden beds and pots, so if you notice this in your garden, you may have a squirrel problem.

Master Class recommends that you protect the roots and use one of the various natural squirrel repellents.

Squirrels are scavengers of rodents and they look at every prospective food source, including bird feeder seeds, Master Class reported.

Sunflower seeds, which are commonly found in bird feed, are a favorite of squirrels.

Squirrels will not only eat what falls to the ground but also climb up and eat from the real bird feeder.

Squirrels eat natural foods, and they don't recognize the difference between food that falls from trees and food planted in a garden by homeowners, according to Master Class.

Squirrels dig up planted bulbs in the spring and fall, not only for food but also to provide hiding places for other foods they’ve acquired.