Turn milk cartons into plant pots and cloches

[Lily]

I've started turning the plastic 2ltr and 4ltr milk cartons into plant pots and little cloches.  (I can already hear someone shouting ' We know that already' )    This is for those that don't know. 
Chop them in half, the bottom part makes a plant pot and the top half makes a small cloche. Because they are nice and square they fit very nicely into seed trays with no wasted space. I saw this idea on TV and thought what a great way to save money.  The most popular recycling is the loo roll centres.
I recently turned an old book case into a cold frame by taking the centre shelves out and creating a cover using lengths of wood and some bubble wrap.

I'd like to know what else people recycle, anything to save money.

[aquilegia]

I recycled viritually everything into my garden. I've collected large sheets of thick clear plastic from work to make into cloches and soil warmers. I use plastic cups from the water cooler as plant pots. pop bottles as cloches. Trays from food as plant trays. Large pickle jars as cloches. probably lots more i can't think of.

[wardy]

Lily    us plotties can't go past skips or throw owt away.  We only go to supermarkets to look at the packaging to check if it'll make a seed tray or a cloche.  It's an illness and there is no cure.  Once you've started you can't stop - you just have to make something out of your milk cartons and your bog roll middles.  I even bought some moist toilet paper cos I wanted the box to make a slug trap.  (see my pic I posted on this subject )    You find yourself looking for challenges like what can I do with the wrapping that shirt came in?  We are doing a public service as an allotmenteer's dustbin is far emptier than a "normal" persons.  I think we should get a rate rebate 

[Lily]

I too have started looking at packaging in a different way.  I bought a large bottle of water, just so that I could use it as a cloche, the only problem is that it's still in the fridge and no-one has started to drink the contents yet.  I threw one of those so called 'slug traps' away a while ago, why didn't I think to save the box.  I'll just have to become a bag lady and vet all the rubbish before it goes in the bin.

[Gardenantics]

I use the waxed cardboard type cartons that fruit juice comes in. Just cut across the top when empty to open it up, cut each corner off at the bottom to provide drainage, fill it with compost, and sand mixed, and the extra height makes a great pot to strike hardwood cuttings, or anything twiggy. After growing on for a couple of seasons in a quite corner, rip the carton off and plant in position. They seem to encourage a good root "ball".
I'm new to the site so sorry if you already know this!

Brian

[Roy Bham UK]

I've started turning the plastic 2ltr and 4ltr milk cartons into plant pots and little cloches. 

Hi Lily, I thought of using Milk containers but wondered if being opaque would slow down the growth rate?

[wardy]

Roy   I don't think it matters it being opaque.  I've pinched the idea off my lotty neighbour and she has them all over everything (last season that is) and she seemed to think they worked.  I think she must have been satisfied with the results as I notice they are all neatly stashed in her shed.  I know they're still in her shed as I borrow her barrow as I haven't got one - a shed or a barrow 

[NattyEm]

Aqui do you use clear cups? I've just been using clear cups then it occured to me, will it matter if the roots stray to the endge of the pot and the light gets to them?

[carrot-cruncher]

Pot noodle pots - great for planting larger seeds such as pumpkins.

Also those Baxters fresh soup pots - same as above

Empty 2-litre pop bottles - have cut the bottom off, chucked the cap & now used as individual cloches.

Small pop bottles - finials for canes

carpet - weed suppresant

CC

[wardy]

Has anyone seen the "mini propagators" that they sell Bisto yorkshire puds in?  Well that's what I'm using it for 

[Marianne]

Unfortunately, I do not have an allotment.  I have a garden about 4 metres by 5 metres and a patio twice the size. 

I could not get myself to use left over containers for germinating, cloches, etc.  even though all these ideas are super fantastic !   

I always worry what the neighbours would say, if they saw my bits strewn over the property ! 

But then, maybe I should just go ahead with it and ignore what they might think ! 

[kenkew]

Too right. And it's only in the short term, not all year long....And anyway, who's **** garden is it!

[wardy]

The bisto plastic container I bought some yorkshire puds in is very small and not meant to go outside but on the kitchen window sill  (just fits nicely behind the taps)  Won't upset the neighbours at all 

[wardy]

More recycled plastic containers.  I'm growing geraniums in the packaging off plums (complete with holes in the bottom - very thoughtful)  The blue outer box had mushrooms in it. 

[Marianne]

Kenkew - the garden is mine, all mine 

[fred]

What is the fascination we have for recycling items on the lottie

I spent a drunken hour over dinner last year harking on about the amazing value of buying water from tesco for 19p and then using the bottle as mini cloches and slug pubs.

I also now have an appreciation for AOL as their disc's make great bird scarers suspended by string

When I hired a cottage a few weeks ago and was very stressed at having to bin the old potato peel and tea bags as it was not practical to bring it home

Perhaps I should get out more  

[wardy]

fred have a look at me new bin for my compostibles in the kitchen (I think I put it in top tips) 

[chrispea27]

does every body use the 2 litre pop bottles as plant waterers for container grown veg with nifty little stopper for the end 99p from wilkos?

[kenkew]

Not me cos I can't find any spouty things to fit the bottles. (Belgium is still in the last century when it comes to removing the finger.)

[Mrs Ava]

I do Chrispea, altho I do find that sometimes a vacuum is caused and the watering doesn't work!