Topic: Recycling ideas

[shonam]

Hi all

I'm new here - a bit of a fraud as I don't have an allotment  :o . I moved into my house a few years ago - new build so a blank canvas which I've been trying to work out what to do with. I've always wanted to grow my own fruit and veg so I've decided to bite the bullet and am starting making plans in earnest now. :)

I'm watching my money just now and don't want to spend a fortune on the garden, so am interested in ideas for things I could recycle.

I'm planning to get a compost bin (or two) from the council and am a member of freeserve so will be putting a few wanted requests there I'm sure. Just interested for any ideas everyone here has had for saving the pennies.

Thanks for looking
Shona :)

[pigeonseed]

I think you start to realise what you need as you go along.

But most common items I recycle are small plastic drinks bottles and yault-type pots to put on top of canes, to stop people poking their eyes out.

And anything which plants like squash can climb over - old clothes horses, old cots...

CDs tied to wool, to scare away birds and cats.

I see people making cold frames out of old windows - I'd like to do that sometime as well, but haven't got round to it.

The thing I would love to make one day is one of those classic allotment sheds made out of old doors!

[GodfreyRob]

If you have any hedges that need cutting back (apart from holly/hawthorn!) don't forget to save the stems for pea/bean sticks.

You can make your own raised beds by using turf for the banks (just make sure there is no couch grass in it) and you get self-repairing green edging that drains well too.

Get hold of a few comfrey roots and grow your own tomato feed.

[lushy86]

Welcome to A4A Shonam.  I keep lots of stuff from the house like meat trays and yog pots for seeds, 2 litre drink bottles for cloches, toilet and kitchen roll inserts, big bits of cardboard, you will find that so many things can have a use in the garden

Good luck with the garden and post some pics if you can.

Lushy x

[Mr Smith]

Hi Shonam and welcome,
                            I think you are on the right track by watching or advertising on 'Freecycle' a friend of mine recently managed to get hold of a 8'x6' greenhouse and the slabs to put it on for nothng apart from dismantling it, :)

[1066]

Hi and welcome

Just be warned - growing your own is addictive  :D .

I always save loo rolls and use them for planting seeds in. also look in skips for bits of wood - perfect for making cages to net your fruit and veg. And you can always check out the charity shops for things like net curtains which make great netting/ covers for your veg to stop the likes of cabbage white butterflies laying their eggs etc

And there are regular seed swaps on here so you can try different veg and different varieties

anyway happy gardening and happy planning

1066

[caroline7758]

And cut up plastic lids or boxes, or old venetian blinds to make plant labels. I get free spent hops from my local brewery to use as a mulch or soil conditioner and lots of people use cardboard to keep weeds down, although you do need something to keep the cardboard down!

[cornykev]

Hi Shonam and welcome, check out   top tips   further down.  ;D ;D ;D

[SPUDLY]

Hi Shonam,

The one thing i have found invaluable is old pallets. Strip the slats off and save them. It's amazing the things people build using these, from cold frames, right up to large sheds.

[shonam]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Only one I don't think I'll be able to put to use is reusing old loo rolls. My wee house rabbit, Murray, might have something to say about that as he loves to play with them (especially when they are filled with basil, his favourite lol).

Thanks again
Shona :)

[dtw]

New build houses tend to have very poor soil, a few inches of low quality 'topsoil' on top of builders rubble/hardcore.
Just enough to sustain grass.

[shonam]

Hi DTW. :) I already have a mini flower bed that I dug out and planted not long after I moved in and you are so right - in a space 1m x 4m we had all kinds of rubble and rubbish including crisp packets, a big thick rubber glove and a foot long bit of concrete edging. I'm planning on digging out the beds to clear away as much as I can and then building raised beds, incorporating lots of suitable compost etc this autumn in preparation for planting next year.

Well I say I'm planning on digging but I'm only really doing the planning - OH will be doing the digging and building.  ;)

Its going to be alot of work but I know it will be  worth it in the long term.

[Lizann]

We have rubbish soil but my hubby built me raised beds and they work really well, especially for carrots as planting them high seems to work for me in discouraging the carrot fly ... have never had any trouble with it at all.  Am sure if you bide your time you would be able to pick up some timber from freecycle.

[Mr Smith]

Because the prick on the next lotty to me lets his kids run wild I have  put a sign up on my shed which reads, 'Unaccompanied children caught on this allotment will be sold for recycling', ;D