Discount Gardening

[TiggerToo]

In this thread, let's discuss how you recycled everyday items and reused them for your garden. You can include pictures, descriptions, etc but we really want to focus on how you did your garden for free/cheap/little to no money!!

For example:

1. Materials for raised beds
2. Materials for pots

Can't wait to see your ideas!!

[Gardencook]

Don't have any photos -- right now everything's still covered in snow. But the garden recyling I'm most happy with are the solid pine, ranch-style end tables I picked up for next to nothing at thrift stores. They were everywhere in the 1970s then went out of style and nobody wanted them. They weigh a ton and are so well-built.
I didn't want to mess with stripping them, so left them outside until they had lost their varnish, then stained them and use them for benches around the backyard. Once they're stained, they don't look like end tables any longer. They don't take up much room, so I've got them in several locations. I love just sitting down and enjoying the view from a different angle every so often. When you put pots on them and then place others around the base, it makes a beautiful display, as well.

[meofcourse80]

Disclaimer: My garden is at it's ugliest right now, with most things just getting planted. Sorry for the bad pics.

1. Raised Beds
My raised beds certainly aren't the prettiest, but they were pretty cheap. :-) Two are made from old timbers I pulled from someone's trash pile. They were full of cactus spikes, but can't get cheaper than free! I also have one made of cinder blocks, most of which are found or re-used.


2. Winter Sowing
I used to buy most of my plants as seedlings, but since discovering winter-sowing, I don't have to buy much at all! :-) I winter-sow in jugs and 2-liter bottles that friends and family save for me.


3. Saving Seeds
Since I'm winter-sowing, I've found I can save quite a bit of money by harvesting seeds from my own plants. I just let the last of the basil, parsley, etc go to seed and harvest when seeds are fully dry, then store till next time I need to plant.

4. Buckets
I've gathered contractor-size paint and compound buckets from the side of the road. After being thoroughly washed out and prepped, they make great planters. They may be ugly, but so so so much cheaper than pots or planters.

[Amalgamate]

I'm loving these ideas - thanks for sharing!
I saw a drawing in a book that used a ladder as a trellis for melons. I was given 3 pool ladders from Freecycle and am going to try trellising cantaloupes up them by tying the melons with pantyhose or torn shirts or something. I was just recently given a bunch of plastic planting pots from Freecycle as well, but before that I was growing lettuce in the bottoms of large apple cider jugs.

[RSHcoupon]

I use containers that have been discarded at the nurseries, old pots and pans, my compost bin is out of recycled cement blocks and last year I used the springs out of an old baby bed as a trellis.
I use heirloom seed so I can harvest and save my seed for future planting. For different seeds/plants I trade seed or plants, bulbs etc.
Katie I'm not familiar with winter sowing in jugs, Do you mind sharing that info with us?

thanks

[Amalgamate]

I use containers that have been discarded at the nurseries, old pots and pans, my compost bin is out of recycled cement blocks and last year I used the springs out of an old baby bed as a trellis.

I'm looking for various recycled materials to trellis cucumber and beans. How did you support the springs?

My mom just gave me a couple of cake containers from the grocery store - the kind with the large plastic lid and thin black plastic bottom. I punch a few holes in the top, and they are now little "greenhouses" for the seeds I've just recently started.

[meofcourse80]

I use containers that have been discarded at the nurseries, old pots and pans, my compost bin is out of recycled cement blocks and last year I used the springs out of an old baby bed as a trellis.
I use heirloom seed so I can harvest and save my seed for future planting. For different seeds/plants I trade seed or plants, bulbs etc.
Katie I'm not familiar with winter sowing in jugs, Do you mind sharing that info with us?

thanks

Not sure about the links, but I sent you a pm.

[mefiance]

1. Raised Beds
My raised beds certainly aren't the prettiest, but they were pretty cheap. :-) Two are made from old timbers I pulled from someone's trash pile. They were full of cactus spikes, but can't get cheaper than free! I also have one made of cinder blocks, most of which are found or re-used.

What a great idea! I'm thinking of starting a garden and the biggest project right now is deciding where/how to put a raised bed. We have a nice section of yard that's fenced off from the dog, but it's covered in rocks. I want to do a raised bed in that area but the only thought I had was to use plywood and create my own. I like the idea of using cinder blocks! Probably can find those for cheap or free.

I'd also like information about the sowing method you're using. I've never seen plastic jugs used but I'm guessing that would work better right now than starter packs. It's still pretty cold here in the evenings--probably too cold for seedlings. (I dunno.. I'm knew to this.) Thanks for the ideas!

[tammyinwv]

We built a potager last year. Some of it is from recycled materials, other is new. I also save my seeds and trade for them. I did winter sowing for the first time last yr with excellent results. I sowed out about 210 containers, mostly milk jugs. This year I only sowed out about 10. My husband also built me the two blue towers to trellis veggies on. last yr I sowed pole beans on it, this yr it may get cucumbers.


My garden blog:
Simple Pleasures: Potager
My neighbors have stables, and I also got 2 truckloads of well aged horse manure that I used to help fill my raised beds, and to top dress my other flower beds. By using raised beds I was able to quickly run a how thru the beds and loosen up the soil with almost no effort.
I also start a lot of my plants form cuttings and divisions. Saves a whole lot from buying new. I have started roses from my own cuttings and traded cuttings with about 50% success rate. I have started several cuttings from my pink Wiegelia ( I love this one).I have also traded rooted cuttings. I have 3-4 starts from my flowering crabapple trees that wintered over well and are about 2 ft tall as well. Its lots of fun.
Also another money saver is to watch end of season sales at your garden centers. I got several clematis one yr marked down to $1, and some were even free. They look dead on top, but they had excellent roots and came back the next yr.
Tammy

[Jomurphey]

Hmm, this is a loaded question for me because I recycle everything. Old egg cartons become seed starters, old screen doors become a green house, old window screens become drying racks on two inverted trash cans, clippings of newspapers, and other stuff I shred goes into the compost bin, two litter bottles become plant warmers, and my potting bench is wired old milk crates with a couple of plastic bread racks.

I recycled my stone wall into a patio...the stone facings were already embeded into concrete, broken cinderblocks and bricks become cut worm protection for plants, Old seine nets become netting for cucumbers and beans. An outgrown and broken playpen became a paper compost bin...the paper doesn't blow out. An old pulp mill filter (heavy duty stainless steel) became a burning bin for making biocoal for summer cook outs. The 40 gallon water tank with a busted bladder from my well was converted into a small water feature with a fountain and goldfish for added fertilizer boosters for my garden. An old inflatable pool became the bedliner for my koi pond.

Ah heck I can go on and on.