Nature, Reuse, Sustainability, Sustainability
Reuse in the Garden
Making small changes in our daily lives really can make a big difference. Learning how to reuse items rather than throwing them away can help us move towards a zero waste lifestyle. More than this, turning trash into treasures can also give us the tools we need to live in a greener, more eco-friendly and sustainable way. Growing at least a little of your own food at home is something we can all do. Here are a few examples of reuse in the garden and home that will help you do just that:
1. Reuse Plastic Packaging To Sow and Grow
Plastic pots and trays, punctured in the bases, can be perfect seed sowing containers. Plastic bottles and bags can be given a new lease of life as cloches or mini-propagators. And there are a huge range of other ways to reuse plastic food packaging to sow and grow edible plants.
2. Use Old Toilet Roll Tubes as Biodegradable Plant Pots
Toilet roll tubes can also mind a second life as biodegradable plant pots. Sow seeds in these and they can be transferred directly to the ground or containers where they are to grow. This minimises root disturbance.
3. Compost Food Scraps to Make Your Own Growing Medium
Food waste can be as big an issue as plastic waste. Avoid food waste by setting up a home composting system. The compost you create can be used to fill your pots and containers.
4. And Even Grow Your Own From Vegetable Scraps
Fruit and vegetable scraps can always be composted. But some can also regrow. Take the bases of onions, celery etc., carrot tops and more.. These can re-root and make new plants for edible yields.
5. Repurpose and Use Old Clothes and Other Textiles in Your Garden
Old clothes also find many uses in a garden – from row covers t
o hanging planters… and more. Old bed sheets or other textiles could be used as row covers, for example. You can make a hanging planter from an old T-shirt, or an old pair of jeans. You could sew together pieces of old fabric to make a hammock or hanging chair. Or even make a vertical garden with planting pockets (like a shoe organizer).
6. Use An Old Piece of Wooden Furniture to Make a Vertical Garden
Speaking of vertical gardens, it is common to make one from an old wooden pallet. And this is certainly one good example of reuse. But you can also repurpose other wooden items. One simple example is to use an old set of wooden bookshelves as the structure for a simple vertical gardening solution. You could also consider making a vertical or tiered garden from an old chest of drawers.
7. Reuse Old 5 Gallon Buckets in Your Garden
A 5 gallon bucket that has contained food or another non-hazardous substance can also be put to good use in your garden. There are an astounding array of ways to use them. For example, you could put a couple to use in a composting or bokashi system. You could simply use them as planters, or use them in a Dutch bucket style hydroponics or aquaponics system. You could turn them into stools for garden use… and more.
8. Consider Other Repurposed Planter Ideas
There are a huge range of old items that can be turned into planters. From rubber boots and old ski boots that are no longer used, to kitchen pots and colanders, to old washing machine drums, baby baths or sinks… there is no end to the imaginative ways in which you can reuse something old to make a new container growing area for your garden.
9. Make Use of Old Tires in Your Garden
Tires can pose a challenge when it comes to disposal. But you might be able to put them to good use when it comes to growing your own food. Tires can potentially be lined and used as planters. They can be stacked and lined to make raised beds. Or they can be used to make bed edging or even, filled with rammed earth, used to make a retaining wall on a sloping site.
10. Reuse Glass Jars and Bottles in Your Garden
Glass can be recycled. But you could also consider reusing old glass jars and bottles at home. Of course, you could use them as storage vessels, or candle holders, for example. But you could also use them in your garden. They can be placed in the soil to serve as attractive pathways or bed edging. They can be used to make garden lighting when LED lights are placed inside. You can also use glass bottles in place of watering globes to slowly release water for plants in your garden. And those ideas are just the beginning…
11. Reuse 55 Gallon Drums For Food Production
Large drums and barrels can also be reused in a huge range of ways in your garden. For example, you can use them in a rainwater harvesting system to collect the rain from the roof of your home. You can also cut plastic barrels in half and use them as planters, or use a full barrel to create a ‘barrelponics’ system.
12. Create a Greenhouse From Reclaimed Materials
An undercover growing area can be very useful. It can allow you to grow food year-round, even in a colder climate zone. But you don’t need to go out and buy one. Often, it is relatively simple and straightforward to make your own. You can make a greenhouse with a frame of reclaimed wood, and plastic bottles. You can also craft a greenhouse using windows that would otherwise be thrown away. On a smaller scale, you could consider making a mini-greenhouse from old CD cases.
Use your imagination and you will find there are plenty of ways to reuse in the garden. You will find that almost everything can be put to good use in some way. So before you throw anything away, think about how you might be able to use it to grow more food at home and move forward towards a more sustainable way of life.
Interested about sustainability and the future of our planet? Tune into Netflix and watch David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet.
Check out the Reyo review here.
Or visit the official page at https://www.attenboroughfilm.com/
