Remember that old World War II ditty: Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without? Nearly seven decades later, it’s still true, especially when you want to live more “green” – and not spend so much green, either.

Assorted recycleables
Reuse empty household items that might otherwise end up in a landfill. You’ll save money in the garden – as well as save the planet!
Photo Credit: Lori Sparkia
Egg carton planter
Why buy seed-starting kits when you can just save up a few old egg cartons?
Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho
Newspaper and lawn mower
Keep stacks of newspaper in your garage for all kinds of uses, like scrubbing off dirt and grass on your lawn mower.
Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho
Newspaper in pot
Folded newspaper can help keep potting soil from sifting out the bottom of a planter.
Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho
Old bed sheet covering plants
An old bed sheet can offer tender plants frost protection.
Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho
Sled for hauling
Don’t put away your kids’ sled at the end of winter – it can be handy for hauling lots of gardening goods across the lawn.
Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho

So before you lug something out the door to pitch it in the garbage can, think about how you can put it to new use, especially in the garden. Of course, you can always compost all sorts of kitchen waste, but think outside the compost bin: Tin cans and egg cartons are excellent for starting seedlings. A broken ceramic bowl is great to smash into large bits to put in the bottom of pots for promoting good drainage. And here are some other ideas to get you started…




Old Newspapers

  • Use as mulch, topped with grass clippings, in the vegetable garden. They’re excellent for suppressing even tough weeds.
  • Use in place of landscape fabric under wood chip mulch in ornamental beds and borders. Newspaper won’t last for years the way landscape fabric will, but if you put down several layers, it can last 2-3 years, depending on your climate.
  • When building a water garden, use several layers between the bottom of the excavated hole and the liner to help prevent punctures.
  • Keep a stack in the garden shed or garage to scrunch up and use as a scrubber to get grass off mowers and mud off tools. Pitch in the compost heap when you’re done.
  • Shred and add to the compost heap (but avoid shiny advertisement paper).
  • Wad up several pages and add to the bottom of a tree or shrub planting hole. It absorbs moisture well, keeping the planting hole a little moister for longer.
  • Fold up a piece and place over the planting hole at the bottom of pots. It prevents soil from sifting out but still allows water to seep through. (It should last about a year.)
  • If you have a deep container to plant, add 1-3 inches of stacked newspaper to the bottom to reduce the amount of potting soil needed.

Old Cotton Sheets or Tablecloths

  • Use as frost cover for plants on cold forecasted nights. (Pull off in the morning.)
  • Cut and use as landscape fabric underneath wood chip mulch.
  • Use as a light tarp to toss soil onto when planting small trees and shrubs.
  • Cut into strips to wrap around the base of tender young trees in fall to prevent winter rabbit nibbling and winter burn.
  • Use instead of burlap to wrap a tender rose for winter protection in cold zones.
  • Toss over small trees and shrubs when planting on hot, sunny days as a temporary shade cloth.
  • Keep a sheet or tablecloth in the car to protect your trunk or seats from dirt and mud when purchasing plants (or giving pets a ride, for that matter).
  • Cut into strips to use as plant ties.

Old garbage cans

  • Cut off the bottom third and sink the top part into the ground, an inch or 2 above the soil line. Use when planting potentially invasive plants – like certain ornamental grasses, mints and other spreading herbs, lily of the valley, etc. – to contain them.
  • Cut off the bottom to use as a tub planter.
  • Use in the garage or potting shed to store extra wood chip mulch or gravel.

Plastic Bottles

  • A 2-liter soda bottle is hands down the best small watering can for houseplants and porch plants. It holds a lot, yet is easy to handle, and its narrow opening gets down to the base of the plant.
  • Cut off the top of soda bottles and slip them over small seedlings, such as peppers or basil, for cold protection in spring. (Leave the cap off for ventilation.)
  • Put lids on small soda bottles and lay them along the bottom of window boxes and large planters and pots to keep them lightweight and reduce the amount of potting soil needed.
  • Cut them into strips and write on them with permanent marker for unobtrusive plant labels.
  • Punch a small hole or two into a large plastic bottle and sink in the ground up to its neck next to tomatoes, peppers or any other inground plant you want to keep watered for a day or two at a time. (This is a great weekend vacation strategy.) After you’ve buried it, just fill with water, and irrigation is taken care of for the next few days. This is also a great way to assure that the plant gets water deeper down.
  • Cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle for an inexpensive pot in which to start plants. (Punch drainage holes in the bottom.) Slip the top part over your little planting – with the cap off – to create a mini-greenhouse that’s excellent for starting seeds.
  • Cut off the top and remove the cap. Use it as a funnel for filling bird feeders.
  • Make another bottle funnel to nail onto the inside of your garage wall or shed. Put a ball of string in it and guide the string down through the neck. Voilà – an instant string caddy that prevents tangling!
  • Cut the bottle in half at a 45-degree angle. Both the bottom and the top (with cap on) can be used as scoops for potting soil, birdseed and more.

Once you start recycling household items for garden use, you’ll find it hard to stop. You’ll keep thinking of Earth-wise ideas that save you time, money and the environment to boot!