Saturday 17 Feb 2007
Save the Environment and Save Money! Part Two!
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
Here is the continuation of Save the Environment and Save Money!
Styrofoam Peanuts and Packaging Material
Like your shredded paper, packaging material can be used to cut down on the cost of potting soil and ease up on the weight of pots! Put Styrofoam peanuts, or other packaging materials into a perferated plastic bag or an old pillow case to keep together and simply pack in the bottom of your pots. You should definitely contain them, otherwise next time you change your soil, they will fly everywhere!
Bubble wrap is another super saver! You can make mini green houses by wrapping your tender plants in this versatile material. It helps keep the frost at bay and extends the growing season!
Popsicle Sticks and Tongue Depressors
Use as a biodegradable label! These wood sticks will eventually go back to nature yet in the meantime they keep you organized!
Egg Shells
My grandmother used to put egg shells in a gallon of water, let them sit for a while, and then she watered her houseplants with them. It helps add calcium and minerals to the plant- it’s like giving them a multi-vitamin!
Egg shells also help keep slugs away from your plants- just think of them as barbwire for slugs!
Styrofoam Mushroom Containers
I save Styrofoam Mushroom containers for starting my seeds in. I puncture holes in the bottom of the containers, and put them inside a regular flat. I plant my seeds in the containers and water them from the bottom by filling up the flat with water, and letting them soak until I see some glistening on top of the soil in between the seedlings, then I empty the flat. I then let them sit and make sure all the excess water is gone, and then back they go under the lights! This helps keep them healthy by not letting them get too damp!
It also allows you to plant several different varieties in the same flat because you are keeping them separate with the smaller mushroom containers.
Banana Peels
These babies aren’t only good for you! They are good for your roses too! Give your roses a a vitamin shot, by planting them around the bush about six inches deep!
Also use on the compost pile- they do an all around great job!
Onion Bags
These bags are great when your bulbs come in a little too early to plant. You can store your bulbs in them all year round, because of the mesh-y material, the air circulates around the bulbs, ands keep them from rotting. I hang mine from my basement beams to keep the mice away.
CD’s
I used to hate all those “free” CD’s that filled up my mail box advertising special offers, but now I love them! I use them in my garden to keep predatory birds and deer away! I make a garden mobile out of them, by hanging them at the end of fishing line. The sun catches them causing them to shine and generally send off rainbow prisms that scare away all those large unwanted pests!
Who knew that you could save the Earth and save money by recycling your unwanted items into garden helpers!?
I hope you enjoyed this article, if you have any gardening tips n’ tricks to save money or great ways to recycle, tell the world! Share it with us in your comments!
Happy Gardening,
Marie Suzanne
Marie | fertilizing, composting, northern gardening
3 Responses to “ Save the Environment and Save Money! Part Two! ”
Related posts:
I really enjoyed your recycling parts 1 & 2. I am teaching a unit on recycling at U.P. Leadermete in April, and your ideas for recycling for the garden are great! It really helps me tie it all to my Master Gardener trainee hours!
[…] I told you about how to make your roses healthier with banana peels in my article “Save the Environment and Save Money” Just cut all those banana peels into 1 inch pieces and place in the soil around your roses to give them a major vitamin boost! And if you end up with too many peels for your roses- just freeze them! They’ll be just as good later! I recommend using 3 banana peels per bush! Now I have learned of a new use for banana peels! […]
Save the Environment and Save Money
Love your hints. Am going to use the plastic milk containers this summer in my flower boxes on the deck. Have been using crushed egg shells for years around my Hostas and they really do keep the slugs away — just pop the shells back ing the container and when all the eggs are used, crush shells and put them in a glass or plastic container for the spring. Keep up the good work!!!