(Offline)
I love the garden and am glad to find anything that lets me have a really nice looking garden that's not going to cost me a king's ransom. This video on how to plant those giant containers while saving money on soil and water, and being able to move it around because it's not too heavy, is great! The gardener uses plastics and other materials in the pot as well as soil. Cool idea!
(Offline)
I have used styrofoam "packing peanuts" in my large planters and 1/2 whiskey barrels for a number of years. They never deteriorate and you are recycling at the same time~ win-win.
(Offline)
I have used styrofoam "packing peanuts" in my large planters and 1/2 whiskey barrels for a number of years. They never deteriorate and you are recycling at the same time~ win-win.
Great idea! I wouldn't have known they would be okay to use. Thank you for the tip micharch. :)
(Offline)
I never buy enough compost when I'm getting together everything for planting. I always think I have plenty and then start buying more and more pots and plants LOL.
(Offline)
LOL, I'm guilty of that as well frazzledmom. In fact, I plan to go plant shopping over the weekend to see if the garden centers have their spring stock in yet. I'm raring to go! I started saving up all the plastics and I'm sure I've got some of those peanuts in the shed too.
(Offline)
micharch, I was saying to my husband about those packaging peanuts and we were wondering where to get them. He works in retail and said boxes don't come in with those in them much now. I want to try this too.
Thanks for this, pennywise. I'm still getting the lay of the land here and trying to find out the best spots for the sun in this garden. Being able to move them if I pick a wrong one would be great!
(Offline)
I got some nice 12" wicker basket planters in Walmart yesterday for $2 apiece. They were on clearance. :)
(Offline)
Another thing that I have done for a few years is to use my shredded paper (financial, mutual fund statements, end of the year stuff, any paper that has our address/name on it, etc). After getting a bag of the shredded stuff I cram it all into a container in the backyard and hose it down with water. After it sits for a while, I use that mess to fill up the bottom of flower pots (good drainage, good decay) and fill up with potting soil. Again~ win-win.
BTW, I have packing peanuts over 10 years old that I have used over and over again. It's true that they will never decay as they are none the worse for wear after being buried for 10-15 years or so.
(Offline)
Another thing that I have done for a few years is to use my shredded paper (financial, mutual fund statements, end of the year stuff, any paper that has our address/name on it, etc). After getting a bag of the shredded stuff I cram it all into a container in the backyard and hose it down with water. After it sits for a while, I use that mess to fill up the bottom of flower pots (good drainage, good decay) and fill up with potting soil. Again~ win-win.
BTW, I have packing peanuts over 10 years old that I have used over and over again. It's true that they will never decay as they are none the worse for wear after being buried for 10-15 years or so.
You were recycling long before it was trendy. :) I'm going to watch out for those packing peanuts now. Thanks for the tips!
(Offline)
I'm glad I revisited this thread and saw your shredded paper tip, micharch! Does it matter if it's glossy magazine type paper? I have plenty of old magazines piled high in the shed I could use and wondered whether it was okay to use the shiny stuff too.
(Offline)
Hmmm, don't know Kay. Suggest you shread 2-3 of them and experiment in the back yard and see it the begin to "melt."
(Offline)
I know from experience they don't burn as fast as ordinary paper, Kay. And that insight is probably not the slightest bit of help LOL! :)
(Offline)
I'm glad I revisited this thread and saw your shredded paper tip, micharch! Does it matter if it's glossy magazine type paper? I have plenty of old magazines piled high in the shed I could use and wondered whether it was okay to use the shiny stuff too.
OMG this is so smart. I would never have thought of it. Wish I had read this post yesterday when I was doing some planting!
There should be little difference with the glossy paper. Mainly, it will not break down as well. It won't retain water as well either. I've used it on some art projects and it just doesn't handle the same. It's a little heavier too. Still, there's no reason you couldn't use it, it just wouldn't be as effective as the styrofoam for taking up space or the newspaper for holding water.
(Offline)
Rleahy, thanks for the info! I wondered too when I was reading the thread.
Offtopic: what kind of art projects do you do? Got any easy (and cheap) ones you could share with us? Please put it in a new topic if you can. I'd love to learn home decor type stuff.
(Offline)
greenmachine...I'm so on it!
(Offline)
greenmachine...I'm so on it!
Goody! I'll look forward to that as well! :)
That is a great idea! I like those big posts and I've never bought any myself because of how much compost I'd need to fill it up. I hadn't even considered what I'd do if I wanted to move it from one place to another! That's much easier. The pots themselves aren't very expensive btw. I always get my smaller ones in the dollar store and they have large pots too. I'll try that this year. Thank you pennywise. :)