Upcycling & Reusing

[tlintx]

Inspired by the "getting ready to garden" thread.

I make newspaper pots (from free newspapers) and squeeze as many rows as I can into a jellyroll pan (which I get second hand).

I also turned several TJ's juice bottles and some brown paint into some really cute wick-watered pots that even my MIL thought were "real" at first glance.

I keep saving OJ cartons so I can make some of these, but my spouse always manages to recycle them before I get a chance.

My next project is to transplant some peppers into semi-passive hydroponics in the cutest coffee cans ever. I've been drinking LOTS of coffee so I can have a set of three. Can you tell?

What has worked for you in "upcycling"? What would you never try reusing again?

[Labradors2]

We get lots of "goodies" from our local coffee shop. The owner saves all the coffee grounds for people to take for their composters. He also saves large plastic ice-cream boxes for us.

This winter I'm using recycled paper coffee cups for seedlings. I pierce some holes in the bottoms and can fit 5 cups into an ice-cream box which fits sideways under my grow lights and lengthways on the window sill. Picture attached (I hope).

My grow lights were a $10 book-case from the Habitat Store. Hubby attached a pole to it for my Spot Grow-light and wired up 2' fluorescents (with 2 x cool white bulbs) from Lowes. Picture attached.

Hubby is buying Tropicana OJ in lovely plastic jugs - sigh! I use one for watering and we pour all our leftover tea and coffee into it for added nutrients. Unfortunately, it doesn't pour very well....

For plant markers, I save wooden popsicle sticks from our ice creams during the summer, or else I cut up a large yoghurt container and write on the white part.

Linda

[tlintx]

I love the yogurt cup idea, do you find they hold the marker well? I bought a box of craft sticks but they literally fell apart after three months in the ground. Was seriously considering buying a metal embosser and reusing some old spoons!

I tried plastic cups last season and the plants were very happy when I got it right, but I found drainage was a huge issue, both during setup and after. I'm going to look at the paper ones!

[Labradors2]

I used a ball point pen which didn't last very well this summer. Thank goodness for a master plan of the garden layout attached to the fridge! I hear that good old pencil is the best thing to use! (At least yoghurt markers don't fall apart!)

I used some individual plastic yoghurt containers in the spring and they did very well for me. You did poke holes in for drainage didn't you? The newspaper pots worked well too, and were a bit taller, which is good.

I have a problem with fungus gnats here. Must be the Miracle Grow seed starting mix that I use as I don't have them in the north where I use a different potting mix.

Linda

Originally Posted by tlintx

I love the yogurt cup idea, do you find they hold the marker well? I bought a box of craft sticks but they literally fell apart after three months in the ground. Was seriously considering buying a metal embosser and reusing some old spoons!

I tried plastic cups last season and the plants were very happy when I got it right, but I found drainage was a huge issue, both during setup and after. I'm going to look at the paper ones!

[newatthiskat]

I use foam cups at work and bring them home and save them for planing up my tomatoes and peppers

[Worth1]

I love my half pint mason jars I drilled 1/2 inch holes in to grow plants in.
If you don't break them they last forever and are easy to sterilize.

Small glass club soda bottles.
I put BBQ sauce I make in them and drill a hole in the lid to squirt the sauce out.
An old BBQ joint trick that has been done for years.
I buy Blacburns jelly because the left over jar is a drinking glass.

Worth

[tlintx]

I love the old peanut butter glasses! But how on earth do you drill a hole in a mason jar?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by tlintx

I love the old peanut butter glasses! But how on earth do you drill a hole in a mason jar?

You have to go on line and look up diamond drills or hole saws.
Mine are a 1/2 inch tube with diamond grit on the end they cost about $12.00 each.

You chuck them up in a drill press and I use water as a lubricant and to cut down on the glass dust.
It takes about 4 minutes to drill throught the glass.

I have found the sunlight has no effect on the roots.
The jars are tapered and the plants pop right out.

My next idea is the build a swage so I can taper tin cans to grow plants in.

There are a lot of cans tossed out every year that would be perfect for this.
Even with no taper you could use a can opener on the bottom and shove the plant out.

I do not use the plastic pots anymore because they don't last as long.
Besides this stuff is just begging to be recycled.
This isn't who I ordered from but it is the same stuff.
http://www.diamond-drill-bit-and-too...rill-Bit.shtml
Worth

[Labradors2]

Worth,

For the tin cans, how about removing both ends with the can opener. Put a few layers of newspaper at the bottom of the tin pot, and you'll have no problems bottom-watering or removing for transplant.

Linda

[ddsack]

If you're going to be using tin cans, you should probably use a can opener that does not leaves sharp edges to cut yourself when working with soil. I just found an OXO Good Grips Smooth Edge Can Opener from a recommendation in Cook's Magazine. It costs about $20 and cuts below the rim on the outside of the can, instead of on the inside rim. It's a little awkward to use until you figure out how to hold it on the can. The first time I used it, I thought the cut had failed because the lid did not fall off the can like normal. There is a little pincer tool on the can opener that you use to grip the lid and lift it off after you have cut it, so your fingers never touch the cut surface. I can't figure out why the cut is not sharp, but it's not.

[Worth1]

Got one it is the Euro style can opener.

Worth

[Barbee]

I bought a nice batch of thick square plastic pots 5 years ago and they are still going strong. I wash them and soak in a mild bleach solution each season and they work great. Each year I lose a few pots to give aways but people bring them back the following spring (mostly) and usually bring me extra pots they have laying around.

I like the square pots because they sit side by side on anything you want to use for a tray.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by ddsack

If you're going to be using tin cans, you should probably use a can opener that does not leaves sharp edges to cut yourself when working with soil. I just found an OXO Good Grips Smooth Edge Can Opener from a recommendation in Cook's Magazine. It costs about $20 and cuts below the rim on the outside of the can, instead of on the inside rim. It's a little awkward to use until you figure out how to hold it on the can. The first time I used it, I thought the cut had failed because the lid did not fall off the can like normal. There is a little pincer tool on the can opener that you use to grip the lid and lift it off after you have cut it, so your fingers never touch the cut surface. I can't figure out why the cut is not sharp, but it's not.

I have the same tool. I bought it at bed bath and beyond, about 8 years ago. I love it.

Marsha

[Douglas_OW]

I have a more traditional hand can opener, the type with two wheels. I was fooling around with it and was surprised to learn that it can cut off both the top and bottom of aluminium soda cans. It takes a little practice, but there's usually no shortage of cans in the recycle bin to play with.

Jim

[tlintx]

I often cut the bottom off tomato paste and "push through" to get all the paste out, same idea I guess. It's too bad I don't get on well with power tools or I'd totally be out there drilling through all the mason jars in the garage.

I'm debating reusing the 16 oz cups I used last year, after poking MUCH better drainage holes in them! I'm thinking I'll put a coir pellet in each one, then fill with container mix as the seedling gets bigger. Keep repeating after me, "I will only plant twice as many seeds as I have space for".

I love the tidy look of plastic square pots lined up in trays, just wish I had a local source. I usually get a few "free with purchase" of the plant in them every year but not enough to keep up with demand!