Making use of Bubble Wrap and other ingenious gardening tips.

In reflection it's probably a bit sad to instil the virtues of bubble wrap to a stranger in a shop. I just couldn't help it though and I'll probably never meet them again so there's no harm done. Apart from being a great talking point at the checkout, bubble wrap is also great for relieving stress as you pop the bubbles one by one. Bubble wrap can also be used in the garden to stop your outside taps from freezing win winter.  The greenhouse and outdoor pots can be insulated with it too. Fantastic stuff.

As I have a bit of time on my hands in this wet spell I thought I would find other ingenious ways that gardeners make use of everyday items. Pallets are a favourite way of making a cheap fence for and if we have poor drainage in our pots and window boxes then can we use a layer of broken up  polystyrene packing foam over the drainage holes. It makes the pots easier to lift too.

Let's have a look at other ingenious things gardener's do

Break up the aforementioned pieces of polystyrene even further and mix in with compost to fill the main body of larger containers; this will reduce the amount of potting compost needed overall, saving you money

Monitor moisture around a newly planted tree by pushing a 12-18" stick of wood into the ground. Pull the stick out to see if it's moist and water if it isn't.

Use turf ash as a slug barrier. If you try to scatter the ashes across the ground make sure the wind is blowing away from the house and away from your neighbour's washing. If you lay the dust down in a lump it will turn into cement and if you walk on it when it is wet, it is nearly impossible to get your boots clean.

To weed a brick or slab paved driveway you need a good digging tool (the man at the Credit Union building in Buncrana uses a nail on a stick) and a skateboard. Sit sideways on the skateboard and slowly roll along in nice neat rows. This saves the knees, the back, and the sheer exhaustion of getting up and down over and over to move location. It's not as much fun as a space hopper but much, much safer.

Plastic sledges make nice garden trollies. They pull through the grass easily and hold lots of tools. You also can carry plants or bulbs that need to be transplanted. The sledge will easily rinse clean when finished.

A golf cart also makes a good tool caddie. You can put a shovel, rake, and pitchfork in the bag. Smaller tools and gloves can be stored in the pockets.

Haul leaves to the composting area in an old plastic paddling pool or bedspread.

Herbs are nature's insecticides. Be sure to include a variety of them in your garden. The EU ban on medicinal herbs introduced last week had no mention of growing your own, so thankfully it's perfectly legal, unless of course you go into business and manufacture remedies, and then you need them to be tested...

Make an effective and natural insecticide by adding onions and garlic to a jar of water. Let it stand for a week and then spray your plants.

Make a miniature greenhouse out of plastic milk cartons. Cut off the bottom and leave the cap off for ventilation. Place these over your young plants outside gently pushing the carton into the ground.

When starting plants indoors, place trays of seeds on top of your refrigerator. The extra heat radiating from the fridge helps the seeds to germinate.

Rinse vegetables and fruits outside before bringing them indoors. Place chicken wire over a wooden box that the bottom has been cut out of. Rinse the vegetables with your garden hose. The dirt and insects will stay outside and your kitchen will stay clean.

If you're working in a muddy garden and you know you'll need to go in and out of your house, keep a couple of plastic carrier bags inside the door. As you come into the house put your feet into the bags. You'll save time by not removing shoes and still keep your floors clean.

In window boxes that are on the window ledges, place a layer of gravel on top of the soil to keep the soil from spattering on windows during a rain.

And finally if you have new topsoil, wait until the first flush of annual weeds come up then hoe them down before planting any vegetable seeds. We didn't and had to start again this year.

Have a look at your indoor plants when it's too wet to go outside.

• Water your houseplants with room temperature water, so not to injure your plants.
• Water that you boil eggs in is filled with minerals and is a good drink for your plants.
• Put eggs shells in water and leave to set overnight. This is also good for your plants.
• Old aquarium water or water in which fish have been frozen is top choice for fertilizers.
• Use an old knitting needle or pencil to check the soil to see if you need to water a plant. Stick the needle or pencil in the soil and then pull it out, if it's dry, water the plant.
• Bulb plants should be watered from the bottom. Let the plant sit in a saucer of water, or kitchen sink filled with water.
• Indoor trellises can be made out of coat hangers. Bend to any shape you desire (heart, star, or other) and insert into pot.

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