 Add Photo to Journal |
 |
| Photo Credit: c (stet) |
| 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! | 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. 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…
| Add Photo to Journal |
 |
| Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho |
| Keep stacks of newspaper in your garage for all kinds of uses, like scrubbing off dirt and grass on your lawn mower. | 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).
| Add Photo to Journal |
 |
| Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho |
| Folded newspaper can help keep potting soil from sifting out the bottom of a planter. | - 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.
|
| Facts |
- Old water in a fish tank is great for irrigating pots and planters. All that fish waste in it is actually excellent fertilizer! (It’s also great for moistening the compost heap.)
- Plastic boxes and tubs can be used to help your potted plants stay watered for a few to several days if you’re taking vacation. Set the pots in the tub and fill with 1-2 inches of water so the pots can be watered from the bottom up.
|
| Tips |
- If you’ve got old spring-type hair clips around the house, use them to help keep opened bags of potting soil (or other bagged products) shut. Large metal “bull” clips, such as those used to clip together paper or reports, are also good for this.
- Don’t store your kids’ plastic sled when spring comes. Use it as a place to toss soil when planting or as a tray to keep things neat when potting plants. You can also use it to drag heavy pots, bags or stones across the garden more easily.
|
| Faqs |
- Q: Do you have any tips for quick cold frames?
A: In the spring, use shallow, clear sweater boxes and underbed boxes as a type of cold frame or greenhouse. Put seedlings in and slip the entire box inside a large dry-cleaning bag. Leave your instant “cold frame” outside to help grow and harden off plants (leaving the bag loose on one end for ventilation.) If your sweater box is large and clear, use the lid as a tray for the pots, then put the box, upside down, over the plants. Prop up with a brick or other item for ventilation.
|
|
|