reusing and recycling unusual things!

starstella

Not exactly the same but it's being inventive and saving money.I wanted a nice bench for my garden and didn't have the funds.I got my brother's old fire hearth ,creamy marble with peach bits in it. (free) I bought two concrete plinths from my local paving centre £10 for 2..I painted them magnolia and then varnished them with clear varnish,giving a "marbley" affect.This cost next to nothing as I already had the paint and varnish.Result a lovely looking bench that I have been offered good money for.
I also bought a classic statue type ornament from a gift shop down in Cornwall for £3.99
It's an impression of Venus de Milo.Very fragile and light weight.I poured concrete in the hole in the bottom and gave it the save paint treatment.I bought a smaller plinth about £3.00 and now I have a very nice garden ornament covered in ivy..They have both been in my very exposed garden for about 5 years now and are still looking good.Hope this helps with some ideas:)

sparkleworld

ooh just thought of another one ... i use curling ribbon stretched across two poles really tightly as a bird scarer.

bishboshbluebell

Wow! what a lot of fabulous ideas - Its amazing what we can come up with. I've put out a request on freecycle asking for the old plastic tubing from gazebos (they never seem to last longer than a couple of years!). I plan to build cages around my fruit bushes and cover with fleece/net curtains to protect from birds. I also want to experiment with old tent tubes and create a cover for strawb bed.

rosie383

I have some of those wee tiny bottle that you get probiotic drinks in. I have been saving them up in the cupboard to use for something in the garden, but don't know what!
Any ideas welcome please. The only thing I can think of is to top canes with them for safety ( I think you're meant to!!!) but how would they stay on?

Aries

Yellow plastic electrical tape around the handles of garden tools, so I dont loose them. I also bind it around the tops of canes.
Old tights with the toes cut out, for storing plant pots (hang them up and pull the pots out of the toe) Tights are handy for tying plants up too.

Painkiller

Clear plastic ready meal containers as water trays for carnivorous plants (VFTs, Sundews & Pings).

Large, dome-shaped M&S Salad container as large water bowl for Sarracenia.

Plastic fish cake containers as watering trays for pairs of round 10cm pots.

Mini Doughnut tub (with lid) as small propagator.

jd87

We've got hundreds of Muller Light pots saved up. We were saving them to take them to our local recycling place, but it isn't taking plastic any more. If I advertise them on freecycle do you think someone would take them, or are they the wrong shape for growing things in?

saucy77

I save absolutely everything that I can grow things in.
My seed pot started as a sandwich box and has now progressed into a storage crate.
Every yoghurt pot (even muller corner's) are great for starting seeds off.
Loo tube's as always are useful for when planting out.
Pop bottles of any kind are brill, I usually pop them over seedlings that have just been planted out to stop bird's and other well known pests from getting to them before I can. Effectively a mini greenhouse.
Reusable carrier bag's are great for growing potatoes in, make sure to place a few holes for drainage if they don't have any.
I have old laundry basket which has slots all round obviously to vent the laundry, but these make great herb/strawberry pots, just line with a good quality black bin liner - hey presto!

I'm currently trying to find a solution to having a water butt in the garden to save the full length garden walk when refilling the hen's waterer... Have seen someone using a wheely bin for this purpose, so this will be my next venture I think.

paybacktime2008

jd87 wrote: »

We've got hundreds of Muller Light pots saved up. We were saving them to take them to our local recycling place, but it isn't taking plastic any more. If I advertise them on freecycle do you think someone would take them, or are they the wrong shape for growing things in?

Local school/nursery/playgroup might like them...great for glue/paint.

mi_jardin

nothing new to add to the list, but I also use mushroom trays and foil take away dishes for seedlings. I also have an abundance of washing baskets, so I am using the one that doesn't have wholes in it for a trug for getting things to the compost bin and produce into the house.