Why buy gardening materials when you can just re-use or upcycle many household items to do the same job?
By growing your own food you are already taking a step forward in helping the planet but you can be even greener and save money too just by being resourceful with waste. Here’s some quick ways to get started.
- Have a think about what you need to start growing?
- Make a list such as seed trays, pots, cloches, wood for raised beds etc.
Then take a look at this section for a plethora of ideas to see what you can use instead of buying.
Seed sowing and labels
Don’t go buying any seed trays or pots before you check out this list of alternatives.
- Seed trays – check your recycling box for plastic meat trays and fruit punnets. Some even come with lids which make ideal propagators to start those early tomatoes
- Toilet Rolls – filled with compost and placed in a tray are great for growing veg with long roots like:
- peas & mangetout
- beans – french, runner and broad
- parsnips
- sweetcorn
- Cardboard egg boxes – drop a seed into each egg cup, these can be transplanted later by cutting to separate the cups and potting on.
- Make paper pots with newspaper – Find out how to here
- Don’t forget to label your pots and trays by re-using wooden lolly sticks or cutting plastic strips from milk cartons, write plant names with a permanent marker
Plant protection
- Make plastic cloches by cutting the bases off plastic bottles, keep the lids on or off according to the weather
- Cut 4cm rings of plastic by cutting across a plastic bottle and place them round your seedlings to prevent attack from slugs
- Make a plastic bottle greenhouse – this could take some time but the results are pretty amazing – Find out how to here
- Make protection hoops for putting a fleece or netting over by using old hose pipe cut into same sized lengths and pushing the ends over canes or wooden pegs in the ground
- Make irrigation easy – drill several holes into a plastic bottle then bury next to your plant with only the neck above the soil line. The water will be directed straight to the roots
Check out this great little you tube video by Huw’s Nursery on re-using plastic bottles for use in the garden. Huw started gardening at the age of 12 and has gathered quite a big fan base through his educational growing videos.
Containers
If you can fill it with soil you can probably turn it into a planter, just make sure there is adequate drainage. So anything from a dustbin to a colander or a chest of drawers to chimney stack, a bucket to a bath can be used. Happy planting and have fun!
Get creative
- You can also have a look at what other gardeners use to make resources for growing by visiting an allotment site or a community garden.
- Research on the internet – the pinterest site has some great ideas to copy- pinterest.co.uk
- Check recycling/swap/free-stuff websites and local social media sites for gardening bargains and giveaways like: www.preloved.co.uk, www.gumtree.com, www.freecycle.org
Skips
These are great sources of free goodies so if you are one of those people that likes a rummage in a skip -please ask the owner of the waste before you take it away as a courtesy and a check; it could have been put in by mistake.
Old slates
These make great signs to really smarten up your beds and keep your growing in order. You’ll need to drill some holes in the slate so you can attach wooden pegs. Make sure that any sharp edges are sanded down to keep them safe. Use chalk pens to write on the signs.
How about making a scarecrow?
This is a great activity to do with children, they can be completely made from recycled clothes, even down to stuffing the clothes to make him fat.This is a great activity to do with children, they can be completely made from recycled clothes, even down to stuffing the clothes to make him fat. Find out more here
Growing related tips
- Recycle the wood chipping from paths to make compost
- Always try to grow from seed – you’ll save a small fortune and you can give excess plants to friends and relations
- Make your own plant food from comfrey or nettles and have some well rotted manure on hand in a bucket topped up with water (great feed)
- Make an organic bug killer from a garlic clove popped in a spray container of water
- Gather leaves and bag them up for next year’s mulch
- Save water costs if you have a meter by having plenty of water butts around the plot or garden
- Take cuttings and propagate from your existing plants
- Always try save your own seeds from last year’s crop and if you have any potatoes in that sack left from Christmas put them in a dark place to sprout
