Green Gardening- Making use of Recyclables

Take a good look at this planter- it's an old chair, rescued from the trash, it's upholstery removed and replaced with chicken wire, a coir insert, and a terrific combination of bloomers!

The following is an article written by a guest blogger- you never know who you might meet on the internet, eh? Some great points are made, reinforcing the things we already know as Master Gardeners, ideas we can use, and things we learned about starting seeds outdoors at last month's meeting using recycled materials.

There isn’t a better way to enjoy the warm springtime weather while making a difference on the environment than with indoor or outdoor gardening. Not only are we adding a little bit of green to our home but we’re also lowering the demand for non-organic vegetables and herbs by starting our own supply of fresh food for our cooking and eating enjoyment. Once you take up gardening, you’ll soon find that you can make the space around your outdoor furniture even greener by taking up eco-friendly practices such as using recycled materials to aid in the growth of your garden and by creating a nutritious compost pile.

One of the easiest ways to get started on living a greener life is by creating a compost pile in a backyard area from grass clippings and dry leaves produced from past seasons. Compost piles benefit your garden by providing an organic fertilizer filled with an abundance of minerals and nutrients that will nourish your organic garden and allow you to recycle waste from your kitchen. Used coffee grounds and tea leaves can be added to your damp mulch pile and are the perfect addition to plants that thrive off of acid-based fertilizers. Adding sheets or shreds of old newspaper around your plants will help with weed control as this material decomposes and becomes part of your nutritious garden soil.

If you’re looking to get your garden growing, there are a number of materials that are normally thrown out in the trash but can actually be used to house seedlings for a young garden that is just starting out. Plastic yogurt containers as well as milk and egg cartons provide a great space for transplanting new seeds and plants while you’re getting your soil ready. If your garden is well underway and you’re looking for a way to use recycled materials, try tying old pantyhose or T-shirt strips around metal or wood gardening posts to keep your tomato plants upright and growing strong. Also, add a charming aesthetic by building a small walkway with reused pieces of concrete or stone leading to or through your beautiful garden.