10 Ingenious Gardening Hacks to Save Time and Money

5. Ground coffee disinfects insects

Coffee grinds are needed as materials. Cost to Make: $10–$11 per bag of ground coffee* There are many, but not all, environmentally beneficial methods of keeping pests at bay. Try something more natural, like coffee grounds, to keep insects from destroying your garden, rather than using harsh chemical sprays. Coffee grounds are a safe and efficient technique to deter pests, according to the EPA.

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Bugs Are Repelled by Coffee Grounds (@pcentrone) and Pinterest Give your used coffee grinds a try first. Put the coffee grounds in a basin outside or on a level surface. The grounds should be burned in the same manner as incense. Select a location that faces upwind to encourage the smell to spread. Pests will stay away from the area for a very long time after they smell coffee grounds, especially if they are burned.

6. Grow Pineapples From a Crown

Ingredients: water, pineapple, and a jar of warm water Cost to Make: $2.75 per pineapple* You'll need to have a lot of patience with this one because it can take years for your plant to produce a juicy, sweet pineapple. First, take the top of your pineapple, sometimes known as "the crown," and twist and grab the leaves to remove it. Take off the crown's lower leaves to reveal the bottom two inches. Little brown nubs will be visible, and these are where new roots will grow.

Grow Pineapples From a Crown on Pinterest at @florangelagreda Put the section of the crown free of leaves in warm, fresh water. Every other day, change the water. Even if the leaves turn brown, the season is still ongoing. You'll have to experiment with another pineapple if the crown completely dries up. Should roots appear, you can move the crown into a soil-filled container to initiate the growth process.