Quirky tips to keep your garden growing

Stiffen wilting flowers.

• Simply dissolve a tablet of Viagra into a vase of water and keep cut flowers looking fresher, stiffer and better for longer. It's the effervescent that works wonders.
• If your flowers are already wilting, soluble aspirin as well as Viagra will help stiffen them up.

Ice cubes in a plastic bag

Do your own irrigation on hot days.

• Firstly, spike a carrier bag with holes
• Put some ice cubes inside the carrier and then tie the top of the bag in a knot.
• Finally, rest the bag of ice on the surface of the pot container/window box first thing in the morning. The heat of the day will slowly melt the ice-cubes and keep your blooms hydrated for longer.

Banana skin

Banana skin contains nutrients that are good for roses.

• Peel your bananas and place the skin fleshy side down against the soil surrounding your roses.
• Simply leave the skin to allow the nutrients to penetrate into the soil, and provide a good source of food for your roses.

Nails and brillo pads

Rust is great for limey soil.

• Pop the nails around your plant. Over time, they break down and rust which is excellent for plants that need iron such as rhododendrons and azaleas.
• Pop the brillo pad into a bucket of water and leave for a few days. Use this rusty water to water your plants to add iron.

Vodka and other spirits

Great for keeping cut flowers.

• A tot of vodka will keep vases clear of algae. Simply pour a small measure into the vase. The alcohol sterilises the water and will keep your cut flowers lasting longer.

Broom

Water your plants with your broom handle. This great tip is perfect for dry days, when the water won't penetrate the soil.

• Insert the broom handle as deep as you can into dry soil around your plant.
• Water into the holes, and feel confident the roots of your plants have been well watered.

Coca Cola

Sugary drinks are a great alternative to plant food if you've run out.

• Coca Cola is a good plant food - they love the sugar boost, so be sure to use full fat coke and not the diet variety. Simply pour into plants like plant food.

Roll-on deodorant

Great for spot killing weeds, without killing surrounding plants and lawn.

• Pop out the ball of an empty roll-on deodorant.
• Wash out the bottle, fill up with weed-killer, and replace the roll-on ball.
• Find your weeds, and simply roll over rogue weeds poking through the lawn or in flower beds.
• Make sure you label the bottle accordingly!

Cold tea bags and Deep Heat

The perfect solution to keeping cats off your flower beds.

• Spray a teabag with whatever muscle/deep heat solution that you have.
• Position wherever cats appear to be a problem. Cats don't like the smell so will no longer choose your flower bed as a place to dig and make a mess.

Socks

Great for growing young trees as an alternative to wire support which could damage the trunk and restrict the growth.

• Simply tie your sock around the tree and support stick, instead of a tree tie. The sock will expand as the tree grows stronger and the sock will simply rot away.