Bits and Pieces...The reduce/reuse/recycle thread

[Containergardener]

Some good ideas here.
I use loo rolls for sweet peas , mushroom trays for radish/salad, grapes/tomato plastic tubs for sowing seeds, polystyrene in pots for drainage..although we gets loads so the idea of in a high raised bed I like, card we have loads of which goes to recycling for animal bedding and pallets I need to make more use of, currently screening off 'messy zone' by greenhouse and raising staging, compost off the ground there too.

[Nicos]

^^^^ fantastic!
Brill idea
Well done.

[Cadalot]

I thought this was an appropriate location for my modified Self Watering Pop Bottle Propagator

[4390evans]

Coke bottles are ideal for making into a closh just remove lid and saw off the base, you will be able to see a actuall ring/crease around the bottom, thats where to saw. They are stronger than cheap pop bottles.

Old book cases, bed side drawers, chester drawers could be used to make bug hotels

Coffee grounds for acidic plants, just mix into soil.

We drink bottled water so use the massive bottles we get the water in for rain water. Because I have a bent bit of guttering that comes off the neighbours out house we get loads so I re fill and leave a few in the greenhouse to heat up for the seedlings.

Polystyrene is the bane of my life but now I use it in the bottom of large pots to save on compost, it can also be used whenbuilding high raised beds it will help them heat up quicker as well as saving on compost/ soil.

I also use the lumpy bits of compost you get after sifting for my potatoes that are in pots, along with all the bits I sweep up.

Space saveing is that one? Well i use the parcel shelf in the car to start off seeds when i have no room.

[vixylix]

Love it - they look like totem poles!

[Lumpy]

OK as I am always skint I thought I would share with the whole world my D.I.Y plant labels.

Bits needed are-
old canes
permanent marker
tape
old milk bottles

Der Derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

[vixylix]

Depends on what they're made of!
Cardboard = mini seed trays that you could plant out without root disturbance.
Plastic = drip trays?

Cardboard VC - I hadn't thought about actually planting them out in the lid - good plan!

[Bigmallly]

We have to buy in bottled water for cooking and drinking, so i have been collecting the 8 litre ones, i will cut off the bottoms and put over the top of delicate plants at night

Cut them in half Lisa, put water in the bottom half, put some rag part through the cap end and place into the bottom half so the rag is in the water to act as capillary feed, fill the top up with compost & use as a self watering pot.

[Lisasbolt]

We have to buy in bottled water for cooking and drinking, so i have been collecting the 8 litre ones, i will cut off the bottoms and put over the top of delicate plants at night

[veggiechicken]

Depends on what they're made of!
Cardboard = mini seed trays that you could plant out without root disturbance.
Plastic = drip trays?

[vixylix]

I have enjoyed reading this thread! Lots of great ideas!

I'm currently using old egg boxes for my potatoes - I've taken the lids off and I'm just using the base - any suggestions for using the lids?

[gringo]

Windowsill space is at a premium in my house between germination and hardening off, so square pots are a must. Hard to find square trays for them though. Sausage trays are perfect for two pots, and just the right size to put perpendicular to the window to fit even more on the sill.

[lottie dolly]

I use mushroom trays for small amounts of things beans for instance,collecting produce like berries,in fact any container,i find suitable for,since i got a entry card for a wholesalers,i have been buying some larger cake,they come with a dome top that clics into the base,what with son getting the odd things and me,i now have at least 6,they are only 4in high,but enough to get things started off,plus they stack on top of each other,they 12in wide,more in less space,thats where the bigger seeds will get chitted in,

[Nicos]

The French sell cakes, croissants etc in plastic trays like this...



They are perfect little propagators!

[veggiechicken]

I'm working on a plan to reuse the lightweight plastic boxes that mushroom are sold in for successional sowing. More later when I've worked out how