• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Bees and Roses. Gardening tips and hacks.

Bees and Roses. Gardening tips and hacks.

Plant guides. Gardening hacks. Botany secrets.

  • All Things Garden
    • Useful Gardening Hints
    • Flowers
    • Trees
  • Outdoor Living
  • Landscaping
  • Plant Guide
    • Annuals
    • Perennials
    • Vegetables
  • Christmas

19 Mind-Blowing Backyard Hacks

October 19, 2015 by Jenny 7 Comments

Last updated on May 29th, 2022 at 05:06 pm

Aren’t backyard spaces absolutely wonderful?  Unfortunately,with a gorgeous outdoor space comes lots of of work, and lots of headaches for the problems that may seem un-fixable. Fortunately, here are some of my favorite gardening hacks and backyard hacks.

These will help any problem (or even just annoyance!) seem a whole lot easier to fix. Keep reading for them below!

Backyard Hacks, Backyard Fun, Outdoor DIY , Backyard Ideas, Backyard Ideas on A Budget

Backyard Hacks

1. Trampoline Safety Hack

The springs of a trampoline can be dangerous, for both adults and children alike. Use old pool noodles as an extra safety precaution on the springs of your trampoline. No one likes pinched skin!  Measure the pool noodles before cutting, and just pop them on over top.

2. Pest Control Tip 

If pests and critters are your problem, save your old pine cones and use them like landscaping bark around your trees and plants to deter those obnoxious animals you cannot seem to get rid of! Mother Nature will thank you for using this natural pest control solution.

3. Repurposed Backyard Chandelier 

An idea perfect for a bird lover, use an old chandelier to create a bird feeder, just remove the light bulbs and use the area where they used to be as a place to stash the birdseed. Check out the full tutorial from Craftster.

4. Garden Pathway Hack

Glow in the dark pebbles can be a great way to light up your garden pathway at night. You can paint the pebbles yourself, or you can buy special glow in the dark rocks. Idea from Book of Joe.

5. Pillow Quilt

Sew together a pillow quilt by hemming the edges of the pillows together. This is perfect for outdoor picnics, or even an outdoor slumber party. It’s so cozy that you’ll probably want to take it everywhere!

6. Recycled Garden Edging

Recycle your old wine bottles by turning them into garden edging. All you have to do is place them mouth-side-down into the ground around your lawn or flower beds. The shape and color of the glasses really add a bohemian vibe to your outdoor space.

7. Bury Pots In Ground

If gardening is not exactly your forte, plant actual pots in the ground. It’s easier to care for this way and garden infestations are less likely to happen.Plus, when it comes time to re plant, it is so beyond simple! Genius idea from Townhouse.

8. DIY Towel Rack

PVC pipe can be turned into absolutely anything, including a towel rack! Perfect for summers at the pool, this DIY rack is easy to assemble and keeps your towels warm and dry. Get the instructions from eHow.

9. Picnic Table Hack

If storage space is an issue, turn your table into a cooler by removing the center pieces of your table. You can find the full tutorial here.

10. Rust-Free Furniture Hack

Rusty furniture is a backyard buzzkill. Instead of using harsh chemicals, cut a potato or a cucumber in half. Then scrub the rusty area. It’ll remove the rust practically before your eyes!

11. All Natural Weed Killer

The Bloomingtales states that boiling water is an all natural way to kill weeds without harming the soil. Try it in your garden today.

12. Outdoor Window Washing Tip

Believe it or not, the best time to clean windows is when it’s dark or cloudy. This helps to prevent streaks from forming, Keep this in mind for next time and you will certainly see the difference!

13. Keep Sidewalk Cracks Plant Free

If you are trying to kill all of the vegetation between cracks in your driveway, one of the best backyard hacks is sprinkling salt in the area.

14. Keep Bugs Away From Your Guests

Before a party, wipe down your patio furniture with vinegar. This keeps flies and other insects away from your guests.

15. Design Your Own Trellis

There’s a kit that allows you to create trellis designs of any size. Get the great kit here.

16. Other Weed Hacks

If you struggle with preventing weeds growing up through the sidewalk cracks, use concrete crack filler to prevent weeds from sprouting.

17. Outdoor Hacks

If you are short on light, or perhaps there is a power outage. Use a gallon of water and a headlamp to create a makeshift lantern.

18. Fire Starter Hacks

Doritos are actually a great form of kindling! Crumble them up and set them on fire.

19. Baking Soda

Sprinkling baking soda around your tomato plants will make them even sweeter. Whether you’re growing Brandywines or Romas, sprinkle it directly around the plants. More info here. 

Let me know which ones you have tried. Do you have any other backyard hacks that you use?

If you tried any of these and liked them—and if you like camping—you might just be ready for these mindblowing camping hacks!

About the author: Jenny Wallentine is a master gardener, home remodeling enthusiast, and DIY-er. She is also the co-founder of Origins Genealogy, a company specializing in helping adult adoptees find their birth parents, biological siblings to find one another, and people to get in touch with their genetic origins. When not remodeling a house or snowmobiling in the mountains, Jenny can be found enjoying her grandchildren.

Filed Under: Outdoor Living, Useful Gardening Hints, Outdoor DIY Tagged With: gardening, backyard hacks, DIY, projects

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. terri says

    June 18, 2016 at 1:27 pm

    love this idea but can’t find it on IKEA’s site. What’s the product name? I’ve tried curtain, awning and shade and can’t seem to locate it. Thank you!

    Reply
    • perigrine says

      September 18, 2016 at 10:13 pm

      they are Merete curtains on stainless steel wire with proper shade cloth attachments. You’ll need to put holes in the bottom of the curtains.

      Reply
  2. Dianna says

    April 13, 2018 at 4:18 pm

    How does this hold up in rain? Can you sit under it during rain or just to make shade? Also, does it thin the longer it is exposed to the elements?

    Reply
    • admin says

      April 16, 2018 at 5:58 pm

      sorry which one are you talking about? It doesn’t tell me which one you commented on.

      Reply
  3. Kate says

    May 12, 2018 at 4:01 am

    Just wondering the sewing the pillows together idea what is the best way to do so and what size pillows would you use and could it be used to make a book Nook comfier for children

    Reply
  4. Rachel C. says

    July 11, 2018 at 1:37 pm

    Love these ideas! Thanks for the tips!

    Reply
  5. Agathe Cardinal says

    August 13, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    Re pine cones: will it prevent weeds to grown around my plants or just deter pests?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I’m Jenny

Hi, I’m Jenny Wallentine, a Certified Master Gardener, and lover of all things outdoors! My mission with beesandroses.com is to help you find useful, practical solutions to all of your gardening challenges--and help you love it as much as I do. I’ve come across many helpful tips and tricks to make gardening more enjoyable and more productive. You can learn how to layout your garden for a better yield, use a variety of natural pest controls, the “ins and outs” of organic gardening, and much more.

Sign Up!

**Posts may contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links

Free delivery! for orders over $499.We sell everything from flats of annuals up to 24

  • Privacy Policy
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter