The Repurposed Garden

There’s nothing quite like getting dirt under your nails.  Studies have shown that gardening boosts your outlook on life, and increases your mood.  The primitive act of digging, planting and harvesting invokes an incredible feeling.  Gardening is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the world.  With grocery prices on the rise, and more families wanting to get ‘Greener” every year, many people are starting to grow their own food.  Container gardening and urban gardening have seen a huge rise in popularity as well.  This trend has also seen a spike gardening counterparts: composting, backyard chickens, and seed saving.  There is so much debate on GMO seeds and foods that people would rather grow it themselves and be confident in the origin of the food they cook.

The downside to this resurgence is the price of gardening supplies and seeds.  These essentials have risen over 12% in the past few years.  Heirloom seeds are also in high demand, as the plants are typically easier to grow, and have a truer taste than their hybrid counterparts.   

Extension offices are reporting a larger demand for gardening classes, and community centers are also seeing a large upturn in gardening related offerings.   Many families do not want to invest a large sum of money into their gardens, so they’ve taken to recycling unused/unwanted items and re-purposing them into their gardens with some incredible results.

Here are a few ideas to get your started:

• Use old bike frames, wheels, play structures as trellises

• Transform toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, and paper egg containers into seedling cups.

• Create clouches (seedling protectors) from rinsed milk jugs and 2 liter bottles.

• Old wooden pallets, scrap lumber, feed sacks, or carpet remnants make wonderful walkways between garden rows.

• Repurpose blinds/old silverware/popsicle sticks into plant markers

• Use old newspapers and cardboard as weed blockers

• Old camping chairs make great tomato cages

• Gutters that have seen better days can be turned into planters

• Worn out shoes make great planters

• Pastry containers like the ones you get that hold muffins can be repurposed into seedling containers

• Ancient bathtubs make wonderful planters

Use old tires as planters; you can also plant potatoes in them, and then fill with dirt.  Wait for leaves to show, then top with another tire, add more potatoes, wait for leaves and repeat.  Once you have three tire heights of potatoes, wait until harvest time and knock them down.  You’ll have 50 gallons of potatoes!

Old bedframes make wonderful borders for real “flower beds”!

Finding creative uses for what others would consider junk can be quite profitable.  There are many websites, photo boards, and articles on making the most of your garden budget.  Find an item, and use the internet to find repurposing ideas.  Many times you will find the perfect inspiration, complete with step by step instructions.

Saving money by growing your own food is a wonderful way to ensure your family’s health.  Saving money by repurposing things that would otherwise wind up in the landfill is something to be extremely proud of!

 

Megan Wilson is a stay at home mom, farmers wife, green living enthusiast, and freelance writer.  She frequently writes for Environmental Data Resources, Inc.