EVERYDAY ITEMS YOU CAN USE IN THE GARDEN
Added on: 18th Nov 2014
AN OLD PAIR OF TIGHTS
Use them to tie up tomatoes and beans, turn them into
a hammock for growing melons; use them to store onions
and off-season bulbs; fill them with soap scraps for cleaning
hands at a garden tap; and use them to prevent soil from being
lost in houseplants.
TEA
Tea can nurture your plants in a variety of ways.
it can be used to spur the growth of rosebushes;
water acid-loving plants; nourish houseplants; prepare a planter
for potting; and speed the rotting down of compost.
ALUMINIUM FOIL
Aluminium foil is more versatile than you might imagine.
You could use it to create a sun box for window plants or
an incubator for seedlings; mix it with mulch to deter insects;
hang it in strips to scare crows and other birds; wrap it
around tree trunks to keep nibbling mice and rabbits away;
and use it to keep cuttings from getting tangled.
NEWSPAPER
Today's news is tomorrow's garden fodder. You could use
old newspapers for slowly ripening tomatoes in autumn;
mulch or adding to compost to remove unpleasant smells;
blocking weeds in flower and vegetable beds; and
getting rid of earwigs.
WD-40
WD-40 is a real all-rounder. Spraying it can help to keep
squirrels off bird feeders and animals out of flowerbeds;
stop tool handles from splintering; stop snow from sticking on a
shovel or snow thrower; prevent wasps from building nests;
repel pigeons from roosting; and kill thistles.
MILK CARTONS
Before you throw your milk cartons away, consider how they
might be put to work in your garden. For example, a carton
could be used: as a seed starter; to make a collar to
protect growing vegetables; to collect kitchen scraps for compost;
and to make a bird feeder.
PLASTIC BOTTLES
Empty plastic bottles can be recycled in all manner of ways in
your garden. they could be used: to make a bird feeder,
a scoop for clearing a gutter, a watering can or an
individual drip irrigator for a plant; to secure netting over
flowerbeds; to isolate weeds when spraying; to cover
seed-packet markers or make plant tags from cut strips;
to space seeds; and to trap insects.
SALT
Salt isn't just for the kitchen. It can also be used to:
inhibit the growth of weeds in cracks in paths; extend
the life of cut flowers; and clean flowerpots.
PLASTIC BAGS
Are plastic bags piling up in your kitchen? You could
consider re-using them to: protect plants from frost
and shoes from mud; speed up the budding of
seasonal plants; keep insects away from fruit on trees.
CANS WITH LIDS
Cans can be transformed into helpful garden tools.
They can be used to: make a sprinkler to spread seeds
and fertilise; and measure rainfall to ensure your garden
is getting enough water.
PLASTIC CONTAINERS
Wondering what to do with those old ice cream tubs?
Plastic containers can be used to: start seedlings;
make traps for slug and wasps; and stop ants from
crawling up the legs of a picnic table.
Comment on this