15+ One-Hour Projects You Need to Get Done By Summer

Clock’s ticking. You’ve got a few sunrises ‘til summer… That list of “maybe someday” projects?

They’re staring you down like a stubborn goat.

Time is of the essence. So, skip marathon projects that could lead to procrastination. Embrace hyper-focused, one-hour wins.

Take last June, for instance—I rigged a solar-powered pest deterrent in 47 minutes. By August, my squash yield had tripled.

Or consider my neighbor’s rain barrel overflow fix. She cobbled it together during naptime. Now her carrots receive an extra 200 free gallons every month.

Here are 15 one-hour projects that’ll ensure you’re more self-sufficient come summer:

Fire Ant Deterrent Moat

Fire ants colonized my compost pile until I dug a 6-inch-wide, 4-inch-deep trench around it and filled it with diatomaceous earth.

They won’t cross sharp-edged barriers—add crushed eggshells for extra bite.

Line the moat with landscape fabric to slow erosion, and top it with cedar mulch for aesthetics.

Speaking of eggshells—did you know this is just one of the many ways you can put them to good use instead of throwing them away? For example, you can make a powerful remedy for your health by turning them into a natural calcium supplement. And this is just one of the many clever ways to repurpose everyday discards into effective solutions for your homestead.

Curious to see what else you might be tossing away without realizing its potential? Here is a surprising list of things that are hiding in your trash and that could change the way you live.

DIY Rain Gauge

Grab a clear plastic container—a 2-liter soda bottle works 92% as well as pricier models—and slice off the top third with a utility knife.

Flip the cut piece upside down into the base to funnel rainwater, then epoxy it in place.

Use a waterproof marker and ruler to etch measurements every ¼ inch on the outside; I calibrate mine by pouring in 10 ounces of water to mark the 1-inch line. Mount it on a post 5 feet from buildings or trees.

DIY Home Defense Setup

A locked door isn’t enough. I swapped flimsy screws in my door hinges and strike plates for 3-inch steel ones—now a battering ram would struggle to break through.

Next, I installed motion-activated solar lights at blind spots and a wireless camera above my main entry. Even a dummy camera near the driveway makes strangers think twice.

Inside, I staged a quick-access defense setup: a flashlight, a reinforced bat, and—depending on the situation—something with more stopping power. When seconds count, I refuse to be caught unprepared.

Pollinator Hydration Station

Bees can’t swim, so fill a shallow ceramic dish with marbles, pebbles, or wine corks to create landing pads.

Position it near flowering herbs like lavender—my station boosted squash pollination rates by 22% last season.

Use rainwater to avoid chlorine, and refresh it every 48 hours to deter mosquitoes.

Solar-Powered Pest / Critter Deterrent

Raccoons raided my corn six nights straight until I made a $12 solar path light with a motion sensor.

Mount it chest-high near vulnerable crops; the sudden glare spooks most critters without harming them.

For smaller pests, repurpose a solar fountain pump to spin CD shards hung on fishing line—the flashes disorient birds.

Chicken Dust Bath Upgrade

Chickens roll in dust to smother mites—but a basic dirt patch won’t cut it during wet summers.

Dig a 16×24-inch trench in their run, line it with scrap lumber to keep edges intact, and mix 60% sand, 30% wood ash, and 10% food-grade diatomaceous earth.

My hens’ mite infestations dropped a hell lot after I added dried lavender stems for scent.

DIY Herb Drying Rack

Skip store-bought racks that cost $50 and sag under weight.

Nail four 18-inch cedar stakes into a 12×12-inch square frame, then staple hardware cloth across the top—it’s mouse-proof and lets air circulate 3x faster than fabric.

Hang it vertically near a shaded, breezy porch corner; sunlight bleaches herbs like rosemary into flavorless confetti.

Gutter Garden for Herbs

Upcycled gutters are prime real estate for herbs.

Bolt a 6-foot aluminium gutter (with end caps) to a south-facing fence using heavy-duty brackets, drilling ¼-inch drainage holes every 8 inches.

Fill it with a 50/50 mix of compost and perlite; shallow-rooted herbs like thyme and chives thrive here.

DIY Wasp Trap

Wasps steal protein from your chickens’ feed, but a 2-liter soda bottle trap stops them cold.

Cut the top third off, invert it into the base, and staple the edges.

Pour in 1 cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup sugar, and a banana peel—the sweet stink lures them in, while the narrow neck traps them.

Livestock Mineral Lick Shelter

Your goats deserve better than a rain-soaked mineral block dissolving into mud.

I built mine using scrap plywood and hardware cloth in 53 minutes—it’s stood firm through three winters.

Cut two 24-inch squares of pressure-treated lumber for the roof and base, then screw four 18-inch posts into the corners.

Staple hardware cloth to three sides (leave the front open), and slope the roof 10 degrees to shed rain. Position it 20 feet from feeders.

Cold Frame Gasket Upgrade

Cold frames lose 40% of their heat through gaps—I figured this out the hard way when a March frost zapped my spinach seedlings.

Peel off the old, cracked gasket with a putty knife, then cut adhesive-backed closed-cell foam weatherstripping to fit the frame’s lid edges.

Press it into place, overlapping corners by ½ inch to block drafts.

Quick Compost Aerator

Stabbing a pitchfork into compacted compost feels like wrestling concrete.

Build an aerator from a 4-foot PVC pipe: Drill ½-inch holes every 3 inches along one side, then cap both ends. Jam it vertically into your pile and wiggle to create air channels.

Position the aerator near the pile’s center, where temps hit 140°F; anaerobic bacteria die fast without oxygen.

Rain Barrel Micro-Filter Installation

Your rain barrel is only as good as the water it holds—I once pumped sludge through my irrigation lines because I skipped this step.

Buy a 100-micron mesh filter (under $15) and silicone it to the inside of the barrel’s downspout connector.

Angle the filter 30 degrees downward so debris slides off instead of clogging; mine stays 89% cleaner with this tweak.

Flush it monthly by blasting a garden hose through the access port. For hardwater areas, add a vinegar rinse every third cleaning to dissolve mineral buildup.

Upcycled Tool Sharpening Station

Dull tools waste time and muscle—my pruners once took 8 hacks to cut a tomato stem.

Bolt an old bench vise to a salvaged pallet plank, then mount two sharpening stones (coarse 200-grit and fine 800-grit) on either side.

Clamp tools at a 20-degree angle and push away from your body; 10 strokes per side restores edges faster than a store-bought grinder.

DIY Natural Pesticide Sprayer Upgrade

Store-bought sprayers clog with neem oil and garlic pulp—hack yours in 20 minutes.

Swap the factory nozzle for a brass adjustable one ($8) to handle chunky mixtures.

I repurposed an old backpack sprayer by adding a 200-mesh inline filter; it stopped clogs and doubled my coverage area.

Mix 2 cups water, 1 tbsp castile soap, and 10 drops peppermint oil for aphids, or crush 4 garlic cloves steeped in vinegar for beetles.

Rinse the tank with baking soda after each use; residue breeds mold that’ll gum up gears by week two.

Another thing that you could do is simply plant some anti-pest flowers in your garden. Some that I have tried were yarrow, calendula and feverfew.

Yarrow is great for repelling aphids and other small pests, while also strengthening your plants’ resistance to diseases. Calendula works to keep whiteflies and nematodes at bay and even enhances the health of your soil. Feverfew, on the other hand, is fantastic at keeping mosquitoes and beetles from ruining your plants.

A simple, hands-off way to keep bugs in check all summer long.

Plus, all of these flowers offer health benefits—they’re known for their healing properties, and you can even make tinctures from them to support your health.

I got my seeds from this medicinal garden kit, which has everything you need to get started—you can also get yours here and start planting just in time for the summer growing season.

DIY Solar Oven

A solar oven isn’t just for hippies—it’ll bake potatoes at 250°F for $0 fuel cost.

Tape aluminum foil inside a cardboard box’s lid, then line the bottom with black craft paper.

Nest a glass baking dish inside, and cover the box with a clear plastic sheet sealed with duct tape. Angle the lid toward the sun, using a stick as a prop.

For faster results, wrap food in foil and place dark stones around the dish to trap heat.

Prepare for a Summer of Homestead Success

You don’t need 80-hour weeks to prep for summer—just focused bursts.

These projects are the difference between scrambling when drought hits and sipping lemonade while your systems hum. So which project are you trying out first?

Let us know in the comment section below.

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