Change of Use

[gemlady]

What article either household or other have you recycled for use in your greenhouse/garden/allotment. It strikes me that gardeners are an ingenious lot and very good at seeing an alternative use for all sorts of articles. I use a small office trolley with wheels on it (originally used for stationery etc) for keeping my trowels, gloves, string etc in it. Everything is kept together and it's light and moveable. What have you recycled?

[rustylady]

I use a plastic colander for sieving compost to cover small seeds. Probably lots of other things too, but I'll have a think and get back to you.

[Growem]

I have a bag, orignally designed as a nappy change bag that I use to carry my seeds, gloves, knife, trowel, plastic bags and whatever else I decide I need up to my allotment. It's great because it's all plastic, so easy to clean.

[lainey lou]

My Dad used an old UPVC window to make me a brilliant coldframe.

[Paul Wagland]

I've always wanted to plant a fig tree in an old washing-machine drum.

...and I'm collecting old windows to build a bespoke (read 'Heath Robinson') greenhouse!

[Snadger]

Does an old wardrobe used as a potato clamp count?

[carlseawolf]

paul; i've got my drum at the plot waiting for the tree , but also using an old double mattress with the cover taken of so just the springs showing to grow my suger pod peas up ( matress laid on it's side )

[Paul Wagland]

Pee-ing in the bed, as it were?

[carlseawolf]

ha ! ha! very funny

[8LGM]

If you have heavy weed infested soil then a small stick of dynamite works well.

Not the usual way but boy does it turn over the soil.

[gemlady]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Does an old wardrobe used as a potato clamp count?

Absolutely!

Paul I'm assuming their is a logical reason why you would want to plant a fig tree in a washing machine drum

8LGM I think that would a recycling step too far

[Paul Wagland]

Figs fruit heavily if their roots are tightly confined - you bury the drum and plant into it. It even has ready-made drainage holes!

[Sue]

When my old gas cooker gave up the ghost I saved the oven shelves as I thought I'd fix them to my shed with cup hooks and hey a very strange trellis!

One of my cats lept on my shoulder as I was carrying a bowl of dirty washing up water - result water everywhere, kitchen carpet ruined, now have fitted carpet in allotment shed...

Kitchen cannisters make their way up to the allotment to store bird seed etc and I eye up any cracked china to smash up for the area in front of my shed.

Sue

[sewer rat]

Polystyrene Fish boxes - left them out in the rain for a month to let the smell of Norwegian Cod disappear then sowed Flat leaf Italian Parsley and Rocket in them, the boxes actr as great insulators so I overwintered in tunnel and am currently croppping it just now - not bad for 35 miles north of Inverness.
Car tyres - I am going to plant out my courgettes and then place a car tyre round each one - will keep down weeds, protect the young plants from the wind, and the black rubber should absorb heat during the day and keep the plants cosier at night !
Blue Plastic Barrels - cut the lids off, filled with rainwater, net bag of locally collected seaweed in each barrel - lid back on held in place with a large stone - wait about 6 weeks - seaweed feed for my plants.
Pallets - compost bins, cold frames, fence, windbreaks, firewood etc etc etc
Old spade handle - ideal dibber for leeks and young plants raised in plug trays.
Sure there are more but at the moment that's all I can remember

[Flummery]

I use the hard plastic fish boxes - they can be found washed up on the East Coast. Have usually only brought home the good ones - got 2 filled with garlic at the moment - but with the lottie I can foresee using ones with no bottom as a little netted bed to keep the villains off!