If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 Reusing Household Items Intro 0:54 Tip #1: Reusing Containers 2:58 Tip #2: Reusing Milk Jugs 4:12 Tip #3: Reusing Cardboard 6:42 Tip #4: Reusing Egg Cartons 7:59 Tip #5: Reusing Sheets 9:15 Tip #6: Reusing Fabrics 11:01 Adventures With Dale
You were singing my song. I don't throw good stuff away. That's why I have 3 storage buildings on the lot!!! Love the fence too, but it looks like it could use a nice coat of stain.
@@robynobrien3610 you may want to try less moisture or keep them in a sunnier location. The soil was probably too chronically wet and there wasn't enough sunlight to sterilize the surface. Allowing the top 1/4 inch to dry out will prevent that.
I’m in W-S and did you say you have a Meyer Lemon bush? Are you closer to the beach? I love lemons and would love to get a lemon plant. Any help/instructions welcomed🤗
1) The original plastic plant containers can be better accommodated with plastic food containers used to hold 1/4" water & as greenhouse cover for sprouting 2) the milk jugs & laundry detergent bottles are great scoops for soil materials 3) corrugated is two outer sheets that contain a "ripple sheet" that can be used as moisture retention in the garden shallows (and you want to pull the layers apart to shred, or... Jamming) 4) the egg cartons can be placed into the "lid" to help moisture retention with less watering for sprouting 5) fitted sheets are great for after night time watering for the evaporative misting from morning sun, but also to line around your "edging detail" for collection of usable soil for mixing with potting mix 6) "nothing beats a great pair of Leggs" for tying splices and even as sleeves for insect protection or break bindings All very re-usable and quite proper tools for the work_ just, be educated in the hazards those introductory common tools can cause that newer products for agriculture were designed to avoid...
COVID era addition: The ear loops of face masks make perfect flexible plant ties. Easy to pull off a surgical face mask that's been worn too many times. Stretchy, great length for tomatoes, soft. I know many people use cloth masks but for those in the health care industry where at least a surgical mask is required, you can reuse that part and it works amazingly well.
@@carlahochwalt3186 - I know what you mean. 💯. However, it's good for something else, protection from cleaning kitty litter for 23 cats daily. Lol!!! That's why I have a surplus. 🤢
I've been using those amazon boxes for compost, though sometimes have a really hard time with getting the tape off and have started just taking the time to cut out the sections with it. It might be a different tape used here in Australia though it looks the same, but if they could be convinced to change it to something compostable or easier to remove it would be a huge win.
That paper tape on the Amazon boxes IS compostable. The thick fibers that hold it together are biodegradable though it may take a long time to decompose. And you can dampen the tape and it will come right off as well as any labels.
I repurpose plastic juice jars. I cut off the bottom, leave the cap on, and bury it in the soil. Kitchen scraps go in there by taking off the cap and pushing thru the opening.
I save cottage cheese containers and use them with a few holes poked into the bottoms and use the lid as a coaster underneath. I have planted seeds indoors in a South window on a countertop and used the cottage cheese containers as seed planters. I also have a few old seed trays like the ones you have shown and use those too. I eventually want to have a small greenhouse but am not at that stage yet. It snowed 6" here in our zone 8b desert community yesterday so we do get winter weather on occasion (unusually wet year here after years of drought).
In the winter we use the rectangular, salad greens containers from the grocery as mini greenhouses for our seedlings. Easily stackable when storing, taking up little space.
I do the same thing. I'm no longer physically able to keep my winter greens going and don't have a greenhouse. I was angry at not finding loose greens for sale near my new home...just those darn plastic container. Well, using them repeatedly for mini greenhouses at least keeps them from being 'single use' plastic.
Thanks for this….I’ve kept those containers for my patchwork…but at the moment I have long COVID and can’t sew…so for my new hobby gardening, I’m learning about so many ideas with you people…thanks again!😊
Another good use for old hoisery: put the pantyhose over the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner. Brush this around the area where you've lost something (eg an earring down the back of a dresser) and you can pick up the item without it being swallowed up by the vacuum's stomach.
Retired panty-hose are useful for holding aquarium charcoal. After changing the charcoal the used stuff goes to the plant shed for mixing into potting soil, compost, etc.
I agree that shredding cardboard is best, but my shredder gets jammed. Instead I get the cardboard soaking wet. This makes it easy to take off any packaging tape and to tear it in small pieces.
3 layers: The corrugated layer is the "wrinkled" center in between two flat sheets (they can be peeled apart) A guy I know tears up corrugated to soak with shredded junk mail, ads, and newspaper circulars... He presses it into "logs" to Sun-dry for use in his wood burning stove🙂
I use a sheet when I weed and do garden clean up. You can drag it easily around the garden and when you’re done, it can be gathered at the top and carried like a bag to the compost pile.
Lay it around your garden "edging work" to collect the soil to mix with potting mix or other custom-soil materials (like fine crushed egg shells) and that's where milk jugs or laundry detergent bottles can be cut for scoops to mix materials (or clean the rain gutters to gather more soil materials)
I agree with old sheets...I use them to collect leaves, tie up corners and leave at curb for trash pickup...trash guys like it and I don't have to buy any plastic bags.
I absolutely love how you reuse and repurpose items! Good for the environment - good for the wallet! I like to keep toilet paper and paper towel cardboard rolls to start my carrots in them; then just put in a garden bed and fill with soil around them. Helps them grow really straight. Also, the milk jugs can be cut into plant markers for the starts. Plastic forks from take outs are reused as deterrents sticking upside down in freshly sown beds to keep cats out. Your garden is truly a work of passion and eye candy to all of us!
I saw the fork hack deterrent and suggested it to another garderner who stopped using his raised beds because of the stray cat litter box problem. I got the suggestion from this channel to use wooden paint stirs for labels. I knew that Wal-Mart had some in the crafts and toy section, my granddaughter likes to make slime. I bought the last two packs of 150 sticks for $3.97 each. They won't fade in the sun! Baton Rouge, LA
FYI,,,, I also use nylons for Tom's and peppers,,,, BUT I also take all the soap chips when they get Way small, and put them in and tie them around my faucet for a quick soapy clean up !!!
Great video, I just want to add one more thing that pantyhose/nylons can be used for. I grow cantaloupe and squash vertically and a cut up piece of pantyhose tied to your trellis and spread open under the fruit supports the fruit and takes the weight off of the plant. With cantaloupe it's especially helpful because often when the fruit is ready it breaks off from the plant and you could have broken fruit on the ground.
I've heard of people doing that. I tried growing watermelons vertically one year, and they'd break off before they got ripe. Since then, I just let them sprawl. This year, I'm growing a special 2lb yellow watermelon, though! Time to bring back growing melons vertical.
Love all the recycling ideas you gave! paper egg cartons can also be used in the compost too. nylons can also be used to cradle heavy vine veggies - like cantaloupe. I also use empty toilet paper rolls for fire starters - fill them with dryer lint and put them in the fire pit. Keep on gardening!
I noticed that the paper egg cartons do not compost very quickly, and by the time I use the newly made compost I end up taking the pieces of a carton out, so they don’t disturb the roots of my new vegetables growing. It’s kind of disappointing. I’m sure they work great for long-term composting.
@@terryhall2299 Yes, I agree. I had that same scenario. Now I shred the cartons by hand into smaller pieces. This seems to have helped with the decomposition time.
After watching this, there is another item I will not throw away. Its an old shower scrubber. Its the kind that is a knotted bundle of plastic mesh (similar to your onion/potato bags from the grocery). After a while the knot gets loose and comes apart. You can tie it back up but after a while its a mess and comes apart again and I just want a new one for the shower. The shower scrubber mesh when you unpack it is a big TUBE (this last one was). Its like 12-15 feet (4m) long of onion bag! Use as a tube or split down the length and its 2' wide (this one was). It can be used for ties, supporting large fruit on trellis, like melon or other things when a small stretch of mesh can be used.
Cardboard. I use a lot of it. You can run it through a chipper shredder if you have one and compost it. Or in containers and top it off with soil for planting. If you can soak it for a day you can rip it up by hand and add to the composter. Soaking also helps remove tape and labels. And of course you can use cardboard for No Dig gardens. Sheets are also useful for shade. Two years ago we had a really hot dry spring just as the transplants were being set out. I attached each sheet to 2 lawn chairs and spread them out forming a nice shade tent for the baby plants. Also good for tomatoes if you have hot summers. Good video!
Excellent video! I just picked up another adorable heat treated wooden crate to use as a raised bed. This one is about 15 in tall and about 24 in long and wide. Some places have free pallets and sometimes they throw out the wooden crates. I’ve brought home 11 in the last 2 years of various sizes and have been working on filling them up. Flipped one over for a gardening table and another I’ve filled with leaves to make leaf mold. I know they won’t last forever, but I didn’t have to build them and they’re getting a second use instead of getting burned or thrown out.
I would be *very* careful using pallets. They are often contaminated with chemicals. It's not uncommon for them to be soaked in oil, gasoline, paint, and since they're often used to ship large quantities of chemicals, those chemicals can spill as well. I would be very wary to grab random pallets.
@@TheMillennialGardener Yep! Great advice! I know what comes in these. They are heat treated so no chemicals to start with and most of them have carried large tractor parts, with no liquid, but some might leak oil, so if I see discoloration I leave them. Thanks for your concern.
@@TheMillennialGardenerthe pallets are generally marked. If you see “HT” then you know it is heat treated. That is just plain wood, without any chemicals to make it less prone to rotting. Then all you have to worry about is what may have spilled on the pallet, but that is easy to see if there is some kind of discoloration.
Another use for pallets is to create a compost bin with two or three or more sections. I have picked up a bunch of heat treated pallets, and will be constructing a three section bin this weekend. One or two of the pallets will be torn apart, so that I can use their wood to connect the other pallets to make it a solid structure. Someday, those pallets will rot, and they can thus contribute to my compost in the form of mulch. The best part is that you are re-purposing something for free, and saving a lot of labor.
I reuse boxes both as a weed blocker when I mulch my fruit trees and as shredded bedding for vermicomposting. Fantastic tips; I really like the milk-jug idea. I'll have to give it a try.
I use 2 liter bottles, old hand soap refill containers, and even 20 ounce soda bottles also for mini greenhouses on my all my starts! They work really well to protect young starts from the colder weather. But they also keep slugs and snails and squirrels from eating the first set of leaves!! If the slugs get those first leaves, the plants can’t photosynthesize at all and they will not grow!! I cut the containers in half and use the top as is, the bottom halves I simply cut a few holes for air circulation and your free, environmentally sound plant protector’s are ready to use!
I really enjoy your videos . They are helpful and especially love seeing Dale and how you treat him like family. Thanks for your knowledge and time! 🐶🏡🧑🏼🌾🏡🌱
@@TheMillennialGardener Not anymore, I asked them for a simple favor and they all are like "we don't wanna do a thing for free" attitude. EVEN if I goes out of my ways to go to fast food joints, chain stores, etc for asking if they have leftover USED food grade buckets that I could use. It's absurd...
I also use water bottle cuttings in a similar manner to how you use gallon cuttings. When I plant certain seeds or seedlings straight into my garden, I place them centered in a water bottle with the top and bottom cut off, and the edges buried in the ground a bit. I do this for a variety of reasons, mainly that I live on top of a hill; meaning my tender young plants can have issues with water running off before it can be absorbed well, and they have a tendency to get wind burn, even after I harden the transplant seedlings off in the front yard before planting.The seeds germinate way faster due to the heat and water being kept in, but it doesn't get over moist due to the tops being uncovered. The tender seedlings from seeds or transplants seem to get a real foothold into the garden by the time they start to grow and peek out of the bottle to be more exposed to the wind they will have to contend with for life. For sturdier plants, you can just pull up the water bottles at this point, but I tend to leave them, even though this means that I will have to cut the water bottle out later, to avoid damaging the plant when it is removed. My Indian corn and sunflowers grew super well last year, with none of them needing staked to grow straight or have support from wind gusts. I have a feeling it is because the bottles gave lower support while growing, but they still had sufficient wind stimulation for the sturdy growth hormone to kick in; as well as being forced to burrow roots a little deeper to spread out from the bottle (never had an issue with root bound plants with this yet, as the bottles are not pushed in the ground too far, just far enough.) I also had a few tomato bushes that I left the bottle in the ground for the whole season, as the growth made the bottle non visible, and none of the leaves or vines or stems were getting cut on the bottles. It made a difference in the beginning of the growing season, but didn't seem to affect much after that, and I tend to get cultivars that thrive in my region, so most of my tomatoes seem to say ”thanks for the great start, we got this from here” and then just take off like a rocket all on their own.
If you ever do want invasive decorative plants like, Bamboo... You will want a deep barrier like you use with the smaller plants - just to contain the spread of new growth, because they pop-up from the root-spread to take over the area.
Thanks for the advice, I already do all that, but the most wonderful part was seeing Dale to walk so sweetly inside his new home!!!😊🥰😍🥰😍. You are really blessed with that Dale! He's truly a good dog as you can tell. Bless you all and thanks again for all you do🙏💜🤗
Onion/citrus bags should go on this list, not only for winter storage, but for slings for melons and squash on trellises. Just moved to Virginia piedmont (7b) and loving your channel!
Welcome to the area! If you're in the swampy areas near Hampton Roads... we run pretty close to a Zone 8. You can increase 7b guidance by about 2 weeks.
Nice I shall try that then. Didn't think those type of stores would provides but hey Dollar General is not that far of a walk (don't drive since I am legally deafblind).
Oh, and milk jugs. If you are expecting a cold snap you can fill the jugs with hot water before you cover the plant. As an experiment I kept tomato plants growing in an unheated greenhouse one year, Zone 6, with hot water in jugs and then covered the plants with bubble wrap (another Never Throw Away) and sheets.
Just found your channel today and I’m binge watching. Excellent content for this newbie looking to start composting. I was actually looking for tips in starting a garden. Very informative with just the right amount of detail. Also, Love the idea of using cardboard as weed barrier. Simple and easy.
Me too! Still new but I did experiment the past 2 years where certain things grew much better in different spots. Because of a bad back I am always looking for shortcuts or ways to make things a little easier on my body. I’m enjoying the wealth of information and experience and the short and concise way he presents it.
I am making a container garden out of 2 liter pop bottles, my roommates drink an obscene amount of pop and were just throwing the bottles out 0-0. It was killing me to watch. I think they will be good with some smaller crops like lettuce, radishes and carrots (the tallness and skinniness seems good for the tap roots).
You can cut the tops off and stack them to make a plant tower, theres some really decent builds on here that look super easy and efficient to grow with
I used old queen sheets as a sun protection for tomatoes during drought like conditions in KS. Shaded from over head direct and evening blaring hot sun. Also helped some with e moisture control. Just clotheslines them to fence
Had extremely strong winds last summer. Even with very small metal clamps, the sheets blew off. This year, bigger clamps will be better. And anything attached to the chickenwire helped bend the 4 foot chickenwire down.
One more tip, save yogurt containers, vinegar, or any white or opaque plastic containers and cut them into custom sized plant labels. You can even use a paper hole punch to tie a tag at eye level so you don't have to bend down to see it.
I'll add another: if your neighbor is replacing a picket fence, get the pickets: A) Lettuce water boarding works! (i made a video). b) Holds down the sheets during windy cold nights. 3) Cover bare soil during summer (easy "mulch"). And yes sheets are really useful! Can be thrown on top of low trellises to extend lettuce season.
Ah! the good old days. Grandma always had the answer to anything you asked her. I’m 62 now and I still miss her wisdom. And she made the best Carrot Cake ever. ❤
Great ideas!! I even use the plastic pots to start my bare root trees. My husband hates our cardboard collection but he’ll be happy when I don’t spend a bunch on weed tarp!
Don't know if it still exists, but we used to buy apple cider in 1/2 and 1 gallon glass bottles. I bought a glass cutting kit. I cut the bottom off the bottles and sanded with wet sanding paper. Great greenhouses! Kept the lids on overnight and removed the lids in the morning. Wish I still had some of these as glass bottles are hard to find nowadays.
I always do in the spring when things are alive again. Right now, everything looks ugly and dirty since the grass is brown and dormant, most of the beds are under tarps resting, etc.
Ok here's my 2 cents donation to this video. Cottage cheese and the bigger yogurt containers make great starter pots for just about any plant. I'm going on 4 years for some of them.
You can make the compost In a 75l black plastic bin all year round. Because it's black it gets very hot. So that make it the same as Usual but in a black plastic bin. Only about au $20 from any hardware store. Good luck 🤞😃
I’m all about recycle renew reuse! I’ve got my milk jugs ready to go and I’ve got what I call my window garden. I’ve drilled holes in carnation tubs because they are the perfect size to go between my windows so the cats can’t munch my greens. They also sit on top of the south facing windows when it gets really cold. I’m growing 3 kinds of lettuce and 4 kinds of Asian greens in a space that is perfect for it.
Since learning something like 90% of what's put in "recycle cans" winds up in landfalls anyway, it's nice to be able to witness *actual* recycling in action. Little things like this can go a long way. Imagine if everyone simply composted half their cardboard. I'm currently rooting figs inside plastic refrigerated pickle spear containers. They work fantastic!
I wondered when the "never" part of wearing panty hose was going to come out! Lol 😊 Thanks for the suggestions on recycling items! I do it all the time and it's fun once you start figuring it out! Thanks for all you do!
Keep ALL veggie scraps, Coffee grounds, Egg shells to compost early spring. If you have tomatoe Blossom end rott.... it's from not enough Calcium. Egg shells are all Calcium. Cush them after they dry by squishing them once or twice with your hands. Mix shells in the dirt when putting your tomatoes in. Never throw egg shells away either
@@alfonsomunoz4424 Thank so much for this information, so the ones that come with a parchment like liner or carboard like liners are to reason to be "safe". Since we can simply discard that "part" and use the box itself.
@@rickytorres9089 the boxes with a plastic looking, shiny liner are probably the ones with PFAS. I don't compost those. I have only used boxes that are plain brown cardboard. Minimal ink, no wax or plastic liner. The wax is probably paraffin, which is plant derived, but since it is refined it may make chemicals you shouldn't eat.
I reuse all my pot and seed trays. Why spend money on my trays and pots. I use them til they fall apart. I use milk and water jugs for winter sowing. I even use the cardboard boxes in my garden. They really do help keep weeds away. I also use newspaper. Great video! Thanks for sharing
Thank You for this video, I have been saving old plant trays and containers for years and last year I got an earful of how trashy my backyard and garage looks because of how many things I saved to grow my own plants from seeds. My family members refused to listen to me about my logic on saving things and while I was gone threw away all of my recycling material. This video is proof of why I save stuff, thank you. Please make more recycling videos for the garden
who uses a flower pot once and then throws it away? its not paper towel. thats like buying a real towel, taking a shower, drying off then throwing the towel out lol
It's not asking for them, it's the people willing to take a minute to be "you know, we can spare them because it's trash to us". Or EVEN to say "we are kinda out right now but if you come back next week we might have some for you". At least in my experiences.
I'm using torn up egg cartons, cardboard and brown paper for litter in my rabbit's cage and litter box. Amazon was selling shredded paper for $39. for this purpose. Can you believe it? When it's time to clean, put this paper and the droppings in the garden. Win win.
I do a lot of salvage and i have actually used old plastic dishwasher bodies as grow containers. I actually have three of them right now with garlic and assorted onions growing in them.
Awesome . I used the tub / basket insert from a giant commercial washing machine to plant a Japanese Maple . It was stainless steel about 4 feet in diameter. Sooo modern and cool 😎
These are great but unless they are STUPID cheap, you're just better off getting even sturdy grow bags. Even "thrifted" ones are likely waste of your time without "dual" benefiting (e.g. getting some usable second hand parts out of them to trade/resale/etc).
I'm using approx 4x4 raised beds with a removable fencing (cats, fresh dirt...yeah) and I have found on really hot days, a bed sheet makes for a cheap good shade cloth for the lettuce / radishes other things that are quick to bolt... typically get two or three weeks over the unshaded stuff - depending on just how hot it is... over 80 for several day, it's done for anyway...
I love your videos! You are easy to understand and you give tips quickly, but slow enough for people to take notes! I love that you are in NC because I am in the Triangle area of NC!! Yay! Also, you make funny comments along the way, which makes listening to you fun, and I learn a great deal. I learned so much from your video about why cucumbers don't produce!
I subscribed! This is my third year connecting with nature and trying to grow fresh food ( taste so much better), and it is not easy. I know now that I need knowledge from more experienced people!!!
CARDBOARD - Previous owners of my home used sand as fill and top dressed with plastic sheeting and gravel on top😢 Finally removed as much of the gravel and sheeting as possible… To transform the sand into soil we’ve been doing a form of “lasagna gardening”: layers of stuff like bokashi compost, leaf mold, inoculated biochar, greens (especially comfrey), shredded leaves, topped with sheets of cardboard and aged mulch. It has been super successful! The soil fertility has improved significantly and we have more night crawlers than I have ever seen!
One caution on using cardboard on the ground. I'm in Florida. I used cardboard for grass and weed control in my garden and under planters. Unfortunately, the moisture, the darkness and the cardboard itself created ideal habitat for termites. Just something to keep in mind.
Good luck saving there though. It's often a weekly/monthly service and I don't know if you could have them only comes on some weeks/months and not others.
I also use plastic shopping bags (mostly use cloth bags) for tying up tomato plants, I cut them across into long strips. I seldom wear panty hose any more, I used to use that. Old socks would worK, though.
The best thing I've found for tying plants is the band of men's underwear. Yes I said underwear. I have been using them for years. They last about 4 years.
Excellent! One never throw away I use are aluminum cans. They can be easily cut with scissors and a hole punch to make garden tags that never fade because they can be “engraved” with a ball point pen. Attached to stems, fences or stakes you never have to ‘play ‘what variety is this?
Jeannie S@ what do you use to cut them? I was afraid to do so because my fear to cut myself in the garden with their edges. 🤔 or do you fold the edges?
@@mariap.894 I use a knife I got at a thrift shop to make the first cut, then a pair of scissors to cut them.. very easy. I fold the ends each tag to Leo it from curling. It is extremely easy to cut. Yes, I have gotten a cut when I wasn’t paying attention, more like a paper cut. but have cut thousands of cans. We may use some as shingles for a chicken coop.
Question: Instead of white milk jugs, can I use clear jugs from my distilled water? Also, on repurposing fabric, t-shirts cut crosswise into strips would also work well for plant ties, and be colorful at the same time! Great video! Thanks for taking the time to make this.
Old sheets can also be used as shade cover. I learned that you can get the used coffee out of those K-cups for composting. Just slit the top and scrape the used coffee out of them.
@@laurelh1799 The cups are fine, it's the dang machine getting DIRTLY pass the cups and needle. It's so DISGUSTING and absurdly hard to clean. And no, you can't just toss the parts in the dishwasher on it's most powerful and hottest settings. It'll still be VERY dirty within.
@@rickytorres9089 You're forgetting that those K-cups are filling up the garbage dumps. They can't be recycled or composted so they're not environmentally friendly. Also, have you seen any of the articles about how stale the coffee is in those K-cups? And, on top of all that, they're more expensive to use. BAD IDEA all around IMO.
@@laurelh1799 Plastics in general are just flat out bad for the environment but we are getting better with certain PLAs and bioplastics that can actually break down within semi-reasonable time lines.
We still have 3 ft. Of snow so watching quilting and gardening videos are my survival. Love your videos. Hello from eastern Idaho. ...keep your videos coming.....
Mary here I have recently spent time in hospital I came home with all the rubber stretchy bands used for blood draws they are now holding my dragon fruit to the trellis
i also made all my own stakes and each year wash them off and run them over the sander cleaning them up and sanding off the old marking then they are ready for the next year. 👣👣👣
If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience:
0:00 Reusing Household Items Intro
0:54 Tip #1: Reusing Containers
2:58 Tip #2: Reusing Milk Jugs
4:12 Tip #3: Reusing Cardboard
6:42 Tip #4: Reusing Egg Cartons
7:59 Tip #5: Reusing Sheets
9:15 Tip #6: Reusing Fabrics
11:01 Adventures With Dale
You were singing my song. I don't throw good stuff away. That's why I have 3 storage buildings on the lot!!! Love the fence too, but it looks like it could use a nice coat of stain.
My egg cartons got moldy last year when I tried to start seeds…
@@robynobrien3610 you may want to try less moisture or keep them in a sunnier location. The soil was probably too chronically wet and there wasn't enough sunlight to sterilize the surface. Allowing the top 1/4 inch to dry out will prevent that.
I’m in W-S and did you say you have a Meyer Lemon bush? Are you closer to the beach? I love lemons and would love to get a lemon plant. Any help/instructions welcomed🤗
1) The original plastic plant containers can be better accommodated with plastic food containers used to hold 1/4" water & as greenhouse cover for sprouting
2) the milk jugs & laundry detergent bottles are great scoops for soil materials
3) corrugated is two outer sheets that contain a "ripple sheet" that can be used as moisture retention in the garden shallows (and you want to pull the layers apart to shred, or... Jamming)
4) the egg cartons can be placed into the "lid" to help moisture retention with less watering for sprouting
5) fitted sheets are great for after night time watering for the evaporative misting from morning sun, but also to line around your "edging detail" for collection of usable soil for mixing with potting mix
6) "nothing beats a great pair of Leggs" for tying splices and even as sleeves for insect protection or break bindings
All very re-usable and quite proper tools for the work_ just, be educated in the hazards those introductory common tools can cause that newer products for agriculture were designed to avoid...
Old tee shirts torn into 2" wide strips make good plant ties
My old t-shirts become my garden shirts. I wear them til they turn into dust 😂
Never throw away wire. Never
@@markoliver4194 true. You guys are great
@@markoliver4194 I hear you
Brilliant!
COVID era addition: The ear loops of face masks make perfect flexible plant ties. Easy to pull off a surgical face mask that's been worn too many times. Stretchy, great length for tomatoes, soft. I know many people use cloth masks but for those in the health care industry where at least a surgical mask is required, you can reuse that part and it works amazingly well.
Great tip!! Thank you ❤️
That is all the mask is good for 👍🏼
@@carlahochwalt3186 - I know what you mean. 💯. However, it's good for something else, protection from cleaning kitty litter for 23 cats daily. Lol!!! That's why I have a surplus. 🤢
I use the entire mask to support vertically grown cantaloupe.
Or shouldn't have been worn at all 😂 way better use for masks imo
I've been using those amazon boxes for compost, though sometimes have a really hard time with getting the tape off and have started just taking the time to cut out the sections with it. It might be a different tape used here in Australia though it looks the same, but if they could be convinced to change it to something compostable or easier to remove it would be a huge win.
That paper tape on the Amazon boxes IS compostable. The thick fibers that hold it together are biodegradable though it may take a long time to decompose. And you can dampen the tape and it will come right off as well as any labels.
@@toysintheclosetshop5443 Thanks so much! I suspected it might be a few times, glad to have confirmation. It will make it much easier!
Just leave it out in the weather for a little bit, rain or sun will make the tape come off easy ;)
Are those boxes not treated with chemicals?
@@artisticagi : wondered that myself regarding cardboard boxes. Wouldn't the Earth absorb chemicals though and transmute/decompost them naturally?
I repurpose plastic juice jars. I cut off the bottom, leave the cap on, and bury it in the soil. Kitchen scraps go in there by taking off the cap and pushing thru the opening.
Love the Dale!!!!
He’s the best 🐕
Dale... Dale... Dale... Dale........ 🐕
Yogurt cups are great for transplant pots
Pretty much any plastic container can be used for transplants. I’m rooting figs in plastic pickle jars.
I also use the gallon containers for rain water, I catch the rain in bigger containers then fill us the milk container for easier use to water plants.
I save cottage cheese containers and use them with a few holes poked into the bottoms and use the lid as a coaster underneath. I have planted seeds indoors in a South window on a countertop and used the cottage cheese containers as seed planters. I also have a few old seed trays like the ones you have shown and use those too. I eventually want to have a small greenhouse but am not at that stage yet. It snowed 6" here in our zone 8b desert community yesterday so we do get winter weather on occasion (unusually wet year here after years of drought).
Sooooooooo helpful! Thankyou ❤️❤️❤️
You’re welcome!
Awwwh I don't use cartons cause I have my own chickens :P
In the winter we use the rectangular, salad greens containers from the grocery as mini greenhouses for our seedlings. Easily stackable when storing, taking up little space.
I do the same thing. I'm no longer physically able to keep my winter greens going and don't have a greenhouse. I was angry at not finding loose greens for sale near my new home...just those darn plastic container. Well, using them repeatedly for mini greenhouses at least keeps them from being 'single use' plastic.
I do the same thing with the domed take-out containers.
Thanks for this….I’ve kept those containers for my patchwork…but at the moment I have long COVID and can’t sew…so for my new hobby gardening, I’m learning about so many ideas with you people…thanks again!😊
@@cc83jc85 I’m sorry about the long covid. I hope you find a new joy in gardening and healing for your health.
I drive my husband crazy "hoarding" salad containers and old water jugs!!! Good to know Im not alone😂
No one throws anything away in my house without asking me first 🤣😂🤣
Zombiemom@Same here! And if they do...I'll get it back from the recycling 🤣🤣 nothing gets passed by me😉👍💜
Another good use for old hoisery: put the pantyhose over the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner. Brush this around the area where you've lost something (eg an earring down the back of a dresser) and you can pick up the item without it being swallowed up by the vacuum's stomach.
Good tip!
Genius!! ❤
I do that with the shop vac to harvest small seeds such as lettuce and carrot seeds. Works awesome.
Wow! good tip!!!
Retired panty-hose are useful for holding aquarium charcoal. After changing the charcoal the used stuff goes to the plant shed for mixing into potting soil, compost, etc.
I really LOVE a channel that gives me permission to not throw things away!
I agree that shredding cardboard is best, but my shredder gets jammed. Instead I get the cardboard soaking wet. This makes it easy to take off any packaging tape and to tear it in small pieces.
That's my method, too. 🌝
Same! My neighbors think I'm crazy
3 layers:
The corrugated layer is the "wrinkled" center in between two flat sheets (they can be peeled apart)
A guy I know tears up corrugated to soak with shredded junk mail, ads, and newspaper circulars... He presses it into "logs" to Sun-dry for use in his wood burning stove🙂
You might need a commercial shredder for your cardboard. Amazon has them for around $200.00.
I use a sheet when I weed and do garden clean up. You can drag it easily around the garden and when you’re done, it can be gathered at the top and carried like a bag to the compost pile.
Lay it around your garden "edging work" to collect the soil to mix with potting mix or other custom-soil materials (like fine crushed egg shells) and that's where milk jugs or laundry detergent bottles can be cut for scoops to mix materials (or clean the rain gutters to gather more soil materials)
I agree with old sheets...I use them to collect leaves, tie up corners and leave at curb for trash pickup...trash guys like it and I don't have to buy any plastic bags.
@@liz7369do they take the sheets along with the leaves?
I absolutely love how you reuse and repurpose items! Good for the environment - good for the wallet!
I like to keep toilet paper and paper towel cardboard rolls to start my carrots in them; then just put in a garden bed and fill with soil around them. Helps them grow really straight.
Also, the milk jugs can be cut into plant markers for the starts.
Plastic forks from take outs are reused as deterrents sticking upside down in freshly sown beds to keep cats out.
Your garden is truly a work of passion and eye candy to all of us!
Andrea Mortimer that is a great idea for carrots thanks .
I saw the fork hack deterrent and suggested it to another garderner who stopped using his raised beds because of the stray cat litter box problem.
I got the suggestion from this channel to use wooden paint stirs for labels. I knew that Wal-Mart had some in the crafts and toy section, my granddaughter likes to make slime. I bought the last two packs of 150 sticks for $3.97 each. They won't fade in the sun!
Baton Rouge, LA
Great usages indeed and you don't need to worry too much if the TP rolls take some time to degrade either. Since carrots are meant to grow like that.
@@clynthia0510 or old blinds
I misspoke about the craft sticks. It was 45 in each pack, not 75. Sorry everyone
I just put my cardboard boxes out in the rain next to my compost pile. When they are wet it's easier to shred by hand and remove any tape.
If your goal is to compost them, yes. If you want to use them as weed barrier, I'd say they're easier to handle dry, though.
And i soak the cardboard in my rain barrel before composting
Old nylon stockings can also be put over ripening fruit to protect from birds, etc. Thanks for your great input!
They work great for figs 😊
I use organza bags for my figs. That trick works well.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thank you.
@@TheMillennialGardener Thanks for that!
Why not new ones 😊
FYI,,,, I also use nylons for Tom's and peppers,,,, BUT I also take all the soap chips when they get Way small, and put them in and tie them around my faucet for a quick soapy clean up !!!
Great video, I just want to add one more thing that pantyhose/nylons can be used for. I grow cantaloupe and squash vertically and a cut up piece of pantyhose tied to your trellis and spread open under the fruit supports the fruit and takes the weight off of the plant. With cantaloupe it's especially helpful because often when the fruit is ready it breaks off from the plant and you could have broken fruit on the ground.
I've heard of people doing that. I tried growing watermelons vertically one year, and they'd break off before they got ripe. Since then, I just let them sprawl. This year, I'm growing a special 2lb yellow watermelon, though! Time to bring back growing melons vertical.
Love all the recycling ideas you gave! paper egg cartons can also be used in the compost too. nylons can also be used to cradle heavy vine veggies - like cantaloupe. I also use empty toilet paper rolls for fire starters - fill them with dryer lint and put them in the fire pit. Keep on gardening!
You're really only limited to your imagination. Any container can be a pot. There's no such thing as "single use!"
I noticed that the paper egg cartons do not compost very quickly, and by the time I use the newly made compost I end up taking the pieces of a carton out, so they don’t disturb the roots of my new vegetables growing. It’s kind of disappointing. I’m sure they work great for long-term composting.
@@terryhall2299 Yes, I agree. I had that same scenario. Now I shred the cartons by hand into smaller pieces. This seems to have helped with the decomposition time.
That "great pair of Leggs can be used to cover break-mending, and the base of saplings to protect from insects (like spotted lanternfly)
After watching this, there is another item I will not throw away. Its an old shower scrubber. Its the kind that is a knotted bundle of plastic mesh (similar to your onion/potato bags from the grocery). After a while the knot gets loose and comes apart. You can tie it back up but after a while its a mess and comes apart again and I just want a new one for the shower. The shower scrubber mesh when you unpack it is a big TUBE (this last one was). Its like 12-15 feet (4m) long of onion bag! Use as a tube or split down the length and its 2' wide (this one was). It can be used for ties, supporting large fruit on trellis, like melon or other things when a small stretch of mesh can be used.
Cardboard. I use a lot of it. You can run it through a chipper shredder if you have one and compost it. Or in containers and top it off with soil for planting. If you can soak it for a day you can rip it up by hand and add to the composter. Soaking also helps remove tape and labels. And of course you can use cardboard for No Dig gardens.
Sheets are also useful for shade. Two years ago we had a really hot dry spring just as the transplants were being set out. I attached each sheet to 2 lawn chairs and spread them out forming a nice shade tent for the baby plants. Also good for tomatoes if you have hot summers.
Good video!
You should also mention, “just be careful to only save enough and not start hoarding containers.”
Agree 100%. However... whenever I end up throwing things away I find that I need them sometime down the track.. 😄
Excellent video! I just picked up another adorable heat treated wooden crate to use as a raised bed. This one is about 15 in tall and about 24 in long and wide. Some places have free pallets and sometimes they throw out the wooden crates. I’ve brought home 11 in the last 2 years of various sizes and have been working on filling them up. Flipped one over for a gardening table and another I’ve filled with leaves to make leaf mold. I know they won’t last forever, but I didn’t have to build them and they’re getting a second use instead of getting burned or thrown out.
Good plan
I would be *very* careful using pallets. They are often contaminated with chemicals. It's not uncommon for them to be soaked in oil, gasoline, paint, and since they're often used to ship large quantities of chemicals, those chemicals can spill as well. I would be very wary to grab random pallets.
@@TheMillennialGardener Yep! Great advice! I know what comes in these. They are heat treated so no chemicals to start with and most of them have carried large tractor parts, with no liquid, but some might leak oil, so if I see discoloration I leave them. Thanks for your concern.
@@TheMillennialGardenerthe pallets are generally marked. If you see “HT” then you know it is heat treated. That is just plain wood, without any chemicals to make it less prone to rotting. Then all you have to worry about is what may have spilled on the pallet, but that is easy to see if there is some kind of discoloration.
Another use for pallets is to create a compost bin with two or three or more sections. I have picked up a bunch of heat treated pallets, and will be constructing a three section bin this weekend. One or two of the pallets will be torn apart, so that I can use their wood to connect the other pallets to make it a solid structure. Someday, those pallets will rot, and they can thus contribute to my compost in the form of mulch. The best part is that you are re-purposing something for free, and saving a lot of labor.
Your content is A+. Very clear, very thorough and no nonsense. Excellent stuff!
Thank you so much for your support and generosity! I really appreciate it ❤
I reuse boxes both as a weed blocker when I mulch my fruit trees and as shredded bedding for vermicomposting. Fantastic tips; I really like the milk-jug idea. I'll have to give it a try.
Agree worms love these things!
I use 2 liter bottles, old hand soap refill containers, and even 20 ounce soda bottles also for mini greenhouses on my all my starts! They work really well to protect young starts from the colder weather. But they also keep slugs and snails and squirrels from eating the first set of leaves!! If the slugs get those first leaves, the plants can’t photosynthesize at all and they will not grow!! I cut the containers in half and use the top as is, the bottom halves I simply cut a few holes for air circulation and your free, environmentally sound plant protector’s are ready to use!
I really enjoy your videos . They are helpful and especially love seeing Dale and how you treat him like family. Thanks for your knowledge and time! 🐶🏡🧑🏼🌾🏡🌱
Glad you like them! Dale sends his love!
I did an ISO on neighborhood site and got 200 plastic tree pots for free in a range of sizes.
Lots of landscaping businesses would love to dump them off instead of paying to throw them away.
@@TheMillennialGardener Not anymore, I asked them for a simple favor and they all are like "we don't wanna do a thing for free" attitude. EVEN if I goes out of my ways to go to fast food joints, chain stores, etc for asking if they have leftover USED food grade buckets that I could use. It's absurd...
I also use water bottle cuttings in a similar manner to how you use gallon cuttings. When I plant certain seeds or seedlings straight into my garden, I place them centered in a water bottle with the top and bottom cut off, and the edges buried in the ground a bit. I do this for a variety of reasons, mainly that I live on top of a hill; meaning my tender young plants can have issues with water running off before it can be absorbed well, and they have a tendency to get wind burn, even after I harden the transplant seedlings off in the front yard before planting.The seeds germinate way faster due to the heat and water being kept in, but it doesn't get over moist due to the tops being uncovered. The tender seedlings from seeds or transplants seem to get a real foothold into the garden by the time they start to grow and peek out of the bottle to be more exposed to the wind they will have to contend with for life. For sturdier plants, you can just pull up the water bottles at this point, but I tend to leave them, even though this means that I will have to cut the water bottle out later, to avoid damaging the plant when it is removed. My Indian corn and sunflowers grew super well last year, with none of them needing staked to grow straight or have support from wind gusts. I have a feeling it is because the bottles gave lower support while growing, but they still had sufficient wind stimulation for the sturdy growth hormone to kick in; as well as being forced to burrow roots a little deeper to spread out from the bottle (never had an issue with root bound plants with this yet, as the bottles are not pushed in the ground too far, just far enough.) I also had a few tomato bushes that I left the bottle in the ground for the whole season, as the growth made the bottle non visible, and none of the leaves or vines or stems were getting cut on the bottles. It made a difference in the beginning of the growing season, but didn't seem to affect much after that, and I tend to get cultivars that thrive in my region, so most of my tomatoes seem to say ”thanks for the great start, we got this from here” and then just take off like a rocket all on their own.
If you ever do want invasive decorative plants like, Bamboo... You will want a deep barrier like you use with the smaller plants - just to contain the spread of new growth, because they pop-up from the root-spread to take over the area.
Excellent idea, thank you! 🌹
Thanks for the advice, I already do all that, but the most wonderful part was seeing Dale to walk so sweetly inside his new home!!!😊🥰😍🥰😍. You are really blessed with that Dale! He's truly a good dog as you can tell. Bless you all and thanks again for all you do🙏💜🤗
Onion/citrus bags should go on this list, not only for winter storage, but for slings for melons and squash on trellises.
Just moved to Virginia piedmont (7b) and loving your channel!
Welcome to the area! If you're in the swampy areas near Hampton Roads... we run pretty close to a Zone 8. You can increase 7b guidance by about 2 weeks.
@@jeas4980 Petersburg, actually, so more solidly piedmont than coastal. Thanks for the welcome!
Yes, they're good for storing the next season's onions, garlic, shallots, etc. I'm glad you enjoy the channel!
Wow! What a great repurpose and reuse! I will never toss another away again.
Another great video!
I get extra boxes from stores such as Dollar General. Already broken down for easy trunk stacking!
Nice I shall try that then. Didn't think those type of stores would provides but hey Dollar General is not that far of a walk (don't drive since I am legally deafblind).
Leaves! So many people rake em up and throw them away. 🤔 Great for composting, but also great for insulating dormant plants in the winter
Oh, and milk jugs. If you are expecting a cold snap you can fill the jugs with hot water before you cover the plant. As an experiment I kept tomato plants growing in an unheated greenhouse one year, Zone 6, with hot water in jugs and then covered the plants with bubble wrap (another Never Throw Away) and sheets.
Just found your channel today and I’m binge watching. Excellent content for this newbie looking to start composting. I was actually looking for tips in starting a garden. Very informative with just the right amount of detail. Also, Love the idea of using cardboard as weed barrier. Simple and easy.
Me too! Still new but I did experiment the past 2 years where certain things grew much better in different spots. Because of a bad back I am always looking for shortcuts or ways to make things a little easier on my body. I’m enjoying the wealth of information and experience and the short and concise way he presents it.
Check out Ripe Tomato Farms for the most precise guides you'll ever need
I get such violent winds that those plastic jugs would be blown miles away within 10 minutes.
I am making a container garden out of 2 liter pop bottles, my roommates drink an obscene amount of pop and were just throwing the bottles out 0-0. It was killing me to watch. I think they will be good with some smaller crops like lettuce, radishes and carrots (the tallness and skinniness seems good for the tap roots).
You can cut the tops off and stack them to make a plant tower, theres some really decent builds on here that look super easy and efficient to grow with
Cut a circle out and plant strawberry plants the bottle helps to keep strawberries clean and ripens beautifully
Return them for deposit and put money towards garden supplies! You'd be surprised how quickly the deposit can add up
… You have been Blessed with a beautiful garden. 🌳 🌱 Thank you for providing Dale with his own den to retreat to when he feels like it. 🐶 🐾🤎
Thank you! Dale deserves it. He had a tough start to life, so all the rest needs to be cushy.
🐕💖💖💖
I used old queen sheets as a sun protection for tomatoes during drought like conditions in KS. Shaded from over head direct and evening blaring hot sun. Also helped some with e moisture control. Just clotheslines them to fence
Clothespin to fence...auto correct got me again
Had extremely strong winds last summer. Even with very small metal clamps, the sheets blew off. This year, bigger clamps will be better. And anything attached to the chickenwire helped bend the 4 foot chickenwire down.
I buy packages of knee high hose at the Dollar Tree just for my plants.
I bet they work pretty well.
The black Amazon prime tape is actually biodegradable and can be composted.
Interesting. It always worries me. I know the shipping labels need to be removed at least.
You can also use the egg cartons as a brown in your compost. I’ve also started using old pizza boxes.
I’m always a little apprehensive to use anything dyed, but I cannot say there is any correctness to that.
@@TheMillennialGardener most dyes are vegetable based now a days, and I figure if it’s touching my food it’s probably ok.
@@Gardeningchristine We hope so. I do similar, and hope that it is food safe.
One more tip, save yogurt containers, vinegar, or any white or opaque plastic containers and cut them into custom sized plant labels. You can even use a paper hole punch to tie a tag at eye level so you don't have to bend down to see it.
I'm lining all my raised beds with cardboard. Great idea with milk/water jugs. All your tips are great! Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Haha funny you should mention tree pots...i got 100 gallon ones. I filled my truck up!! I even made a short video.
Oh you can get 100s of them for free too!
I stopped doing milk jugs because they blow off at night. How do they stay put for you?! Otherwise they are ideal!
Better than bricks is mulch. Free from tree trimmers and it gives free soil. But bricks are good too: they keep wet stuff off your shoes.
I'll add another: if your neighbor is replacing a picket fence, get the pickets:
A) Lettuce water boarding works! (i made a video).
b) Holds down the sheets during windy cold nights.
3) Cover bare soil during summer (easy "mulch").
And yes sheets are really useful! Can be thrown on top of low trellises to extend lettuce season.
They must be huge! I really need to get a truck one of these days.
Im in my 70s and I remember my grandmother always used old stockings to tye up plants and garden hoses ...
Ah! the good old days. Grandma always had the answer to anything you asked her. I’m 62 now and I still miss her wisdom. And she made the best Carrot Cake ever. ❤
Great ideas!! I even use the plastic pots to start my bare root trees. My husband hates our cardboard collection but he’ll be happy when I don’t spend a bunch on weed tarp!
Thanks for watching!
Don't know if it still exists, but we used to buy apple cider in 1/2 and 1 gallon glass bottles. I bought a glass cutting kit. I cut the bottom off the bottles and sanded with wet sanding paper. Great greenhouses! Kept the lids on overnight and removed the lids in the morning. Wish I still had some of these as glass bottles are hard to find nowadays.
Do you like pickles? In Maine we have ( at Walmart) we have 1 gallon glass jars of whole dill pickles.
Can you give us a walk about tour of your garden please? Showing what you’re using on the ground, bed layout etc.
I always do in the spring when things are alive again. Right now, everything looks ugly and dirty since the grass is brown and dormant, most of the beds are under tarps resting, etc.
Ok here's my 2 cents donation to this video. Cottage cheese and the bigger yogurt containers make great starter pots for just about any plant. I'm going on 4 years for some of them.
I find that an old t shirt cut into strips, also work well as ties.
You can use anything stretchy. Shirts, socks, underwear, etc.
My girls are trying to till the compost, but it's frozen at this time. I try to re-use everything if possible. Careful out there y'all.
🇺🇸⚔️🇬🇪
You can make the compost In a 75l black plastic bin all year round. Because it's black it gets very hot. So that make it the same as Usual but in a black plastic bin. Only about au $20 from any hardware store. Good luck 🤞😃
This recent video may interest you: ua-cam.com/video/PA-b1rQ42vU/v-deo.html
Thank you for sharing this information with us
You’re welcome!
I’m all about recycle renew reuse! I’ve got my milk jugs ready to go and I’ve got what I call my window garden. I’ve drilled holes in carnation tubs because they are the perfect size to go between my windows so the cats can’t munch my greens. They also sit on top of the south facing windows when it gets really cold. I’m growing 3 kinds of lettuce and 4 kinds of Asian greens in a space that is perfect for it.
Since learning something like 90% of what's put in "recycle cans" winds up in landfalls anyway, it's nice to be able to witness *actual* recycling in action. Little things like this can go a long way. Imagine if everyone simply composted half their cardboard. I'm currently rooting figs inside plastic refrigerated pickle spear containers. They work fantastic!
Pictures?
Pictures plz
@@karenross1008 what do you mean? I can’t post pictures.
What are carnation tubs?
I reuse the bulk holder trays nurseries give out to carry the individual seedling pots ( usually have 12 squares for seedlings).
I have lots of those carry trays. I love them! But I bought them specially fitted for my pots. They're fantastic.
I wondered when the "never" part of wearing panty hose was going to come out! Lol 😊 Thanks for the suggestions on recycling items! I do it all the time and it's fun once you start figuring it out! Thanks for all you do!
There was a homemade Halloween costume 25-30 years ago. That was my one experience with pantyhose.
@@TheMillennialGardener
Too funny! It obviously impacted you a lot! 🤭
Keep ALL veggie scraps, Coffee grounds, Egg shells to compost early spring.
If you have tomatoe Blossom end rott.... it's from not enough Calcium. Egg shells are all Calcium. Cush them after they dry by squishing them once or twice with your hands. Mix shells in the dirt when putting your tomatoes in. Never throw egg shells away either
Preaching to the choir here. This year I’ve been saving water and drink bottles. Actually started plants in them.
Excellent!
As an environmental consultant I like the idea of reusing items. I compost pizza boxes since they aren't wanted in recycling.
Pizza boxes are known for containing PFAS, use caution with those
@@Blossomandbranch duly noted. Is it in the inks? Thanks for that. Luckily my current pile has only 2 boxes.
@@Blossomandbranch , it seems like maybe the wax or plastic coating to reduce grease bleed-through is the source.
@@alfonsomunoz4424 Thank so much for this information, so the ones that come with a parchment like liner or carboard like liners are to reason to be "safe". Since we can simply discard that "part" and use the box itself.
@@rickytorres9089 the boxes with a plastic looking, shiny liner are probably the ones with PFAS. I don't compost those. I have only used boxes that are plain brown cardboard. Minimal ink, no wax or plastic liner. The wax is probably paraffin, which is plant derived, but since it is refined it may make chemicals you shouldn't eat.
Lol! In case someone wondered if you wore tights or pantyhose! Dale is such a good boy!
You never know 🥷
I reuse all my pot and seed trays. Why spend money on my trays and pots. I use them til they fall apart. I use milk and water jugs for winter sowing. I even use the cardboard boxes in my garden. They really do help keep weeds away. I also use newspaper. Great video! Thanks for sharing
I love this video! Very helpful! Thank you 😊👍
You’re welcome! Glad you liked it.
Just an fyi- women’s panty hose are a great light warm layer under jeans, work pants, Etc.
As a massage therapist, tell your therapist you’re interested in their old sheets when they are done with them!
Thank You for this video, I have been saving old plant trays and containers for years and last year I got an earful of how trashy my backyard and garage looks because of how many things I saved to grow my own plants from seeds. My family members refused to listen to me about my logic on saving things and while I was gone threw away all of my recycling material. This video is proof of why I save stuff, thank you. Please make more recycling videos for the garden
who uses a flower pot once and then throws it away? its not paper towel. thats like buying a real towel, taking a shower, drying off then throwing the towel out lol
You'd be surprised...they wind up in the trash constantly.
It's not asking for them, it's the people willing to take a minute to be "you know, we can spare them because it's trash to us". Or EVEN to say "we are kinda out right now but if you come back next week we might have some for you". At least in my experiences.
I'm using torn up egg cartons, cardboard and brown paper for litter in my rabbit's cage and litter box. Amazon was selling shredded paper for $39. for this purpose. Can you believe it? When it's time to clean, put this paper and the droppings in the garden. Win win.
I do a lot of salvage and i have actually used old plastic dishwasher bodies as grow containers. I actually have three of them right now with garlic and assorted onions growing in them.
Awesome . I used the tub / basket insert from a giant commercial washing machine to plant a Japanese Maple .
It was stainless steel about 4 feet in diameter. Sooo modern and cool 😎
These are great but unless they are STUPID cheap, you're just better off getting even sturdy grow bags. Even "thrifted" ones are likely waste of your time without "dual" benefiting (e.g. getting some usable second hand parts out of them to trade/resale/etc).
Jugs also keeps squirrels from digging up your plants when they are trying to plant the dreaded black walnuts...
I'm using approx 4x4 raised beds with a removable fencing (cats, fresh dirt...yeah) and I have found on really hot days, a bed sheet makes for a cheap good shade cloth for the lettuce / radishes other things that are quick to bolt... typically get two or three weeks over the unshaded stuff - depending on just how hot it is... over 80 for several day, it's done for anyway...
Did you read the suggestion regarding using plastic forks with the tines up as a cat deterrent?
@@lolaseymour1532 - no I missed that one, thank you, I'll go look for it and get the details
You had me at cardboard usage! Genius! I will steal that. There's no stopping me now. You are singing music. Notification set. I'm all ears.
I love your videos! You are easy to understand and you give tips quickly, but slow enough for people to take notes! I love that you are in NC because I am in the Triangle area of NC!! Yay! Also, you make funny comments along the way, which makes listening to you fun, and I learn a great deal. I learned so much from your video about why cucumbers don't produce!
I subscribed! This is my third year connecting with nature and trying to grow fresh food ( taste so much better), and it is not easy. I know now that I need knowledge from more experienced people!!!
CARDBOARD - Previous owners of my home used sand as fill and top dressed with plastic sheeting and gravel on top😢
Finally removed as much of the gravel and sheeting as possible…
To transform the sand into soil we’ve been doing a form of “lasagna gardening”: layers of stuff like bokashi compost, leaf mold, inoculated biochar, greens (especially comfrey), shredded leaves, topped with sheets of cardboard and aged mulch.
It has been super successful!
The soil fertility has improved significantly and we have more night crawlers than I have ever seen!
"Now, I don't wear a whole lot of pantyhose..."
The gentleman doth protest too much methinks. 🤣
Love your videos. So helpful and informative .
I’m glad you enjoy them! Thank you for your support.
The elastic from face masks are good plant ties.
Yea, Great ideas, thanks
Watching from Beautiful Southern Iowa. I haven't heard of most of these ideas.😮😮
Tip for getting tape off boxes the lazy/easy way: leave them out in the rain. Peels right off!
Aww... sweet doggie 😘
I just lost my rescue pup Charlie about 2weeks ago. He passed in his sleep. Super sad for me. 😿
Just had to spend $500 to fence in my gardens to protect them from my rescued dogs....could have bought a lot of food with that money. Oh well....
One caution on using cardboard on the ground. I'm in Florida. I used cardboard for grass and weed control in my garden and under planters. Unfortunately, the moisture, the darkness and the cardboard itself created ideal habitat for termites. Just something to keep in mind.
I like this idea. Some municipalities are charging more for trash services, I think this could really help people.
Tell me about it. Mine stopped our curbside recycling program. So, I find other ways to recycle what I can.
Good luck saving there though. It's often a weekly/monthly service and I don't know if you could have them only comes on some weeks/months and not others.
I also use plastic shopping bags (mostly use cloth bags) for tying up tomato plants, I cut them across into long strips. I seldom wear panty hose any more, I used to use that. Old socks would worK, though.
The best thing I've found for tying plants is the band of men's underwear. Yes I said underwear. I have been using them for years. They last about 4 years.
Thank you for showing the lettuce under the water jugs. It is a fantastic visual.
You're welcome! Lettuce grows fantastic under them in winter, at least in my climate.
He did a whole video on this just a little while back. You might want to check it out. It was incredible!
On the MI Gardner channel, they talk about using pantyhose and putting in around Vining melons to support them while they grow
Bras are great for squash, melons, etc! And when you’re hiving a tour to your buddies, it’s a good conversation starter!
Excellent! One never throw away I use are aluminum cans. They can be easily cut with scissors and a hole punch to make garden tags that never fade because they can be “engraved” with a ball point pen. Attached to stems, fences or stakes you never have to ‘play ‘what variety is this?
Jeannie S@ what do you use to cut them? I was afraid to do so because my fear to cut myself in the garden with their edges. 🤔 or do you fold the edges?
@@mariap.894 I use a knife I got at a thrift shop to make the first cut, then a pair of scissors to cut them.. very easy. I fold the ends each tag to Leo it from curling. It is extremely easy to cut. Yes, I have gotten a cut when I wasn’t paying attention, more like a paper cut. but have cut thousands of cans. We may use some as shingles for a chicken coop.
@@Junzar56 Thank you! Maybe you can do a Short about it? Btw Daisy is a cutie!😍🥰😉👍
Question: Instead of white milk jugs, can I use clear jugs from my distilled water? Also, on repurposing fabric, t-shirts cut crosswise into strips would also work well for plant ties, and be colorful at the same time! Great video! Thanks for taking the time to make this.
As long as the jugs let light in, you're fine. You can't use milk jugs that are completely opaque and don't let light inside.
@@TheMillennialGardener 11:15 11:15
Great video, thanks for all the tips.
10:30 use face mask ties… I rip them off before throwing them out! If you know a psw or nurse ask them to save you some it’s soft and stretchy string!
Ha ha. My country doesnt have that many varieties. Illegal to import seeds, yes keep those things!!
For prize winning straight carrots dig a hole and get the leftover card tube from a used toilet or kitchen roll. bury it and plant your seed.
Old sheets can also be used as shade cover. I learned that you can get the used coffee out of those K-cups for composting. Just slit the top and scrape the used coffee out of them.
I do this when guest drink coffee. It's great fir azaleas, gardenias and tomatoes.
Better to stop using K-cups altogether! Go back to using a paper filter and loose coffee. It really doesn't take much time and the coffee is fresher.
@@laurelh1799 The cups are fine, it's the dang machine getting DIRTLY pass the cups and needle. It's so DISGUSTING and absurdly hard to clean. And no, you can't just toss the parts in the dishwasher on it's most powerful and hottest settings. It'll still be VERY dirty within.
@@rickytorres9089 You're forgetting that those K-cups are filling up the garbage dumps. They can't be recycled or composted so they're not environmentally friendly. Also, have you seen any of the articles about how stale the coffee is in those K-cups? And, on top of all that, they're more expensive to use. BAD IDEA all around IMO.
@@laurelh1799 Plastics in general are just flat out bad for the environment but we are getting better with certain PLAs and bioplastics that can actually break down within semi-reasonable time lines.
We still have 3 ft. Of snow so watching quilting and gardening videos are my survival. Love your videos. Hello from eastern Idaho. ...keep your videos coming.....
Mary here I have recently spent time in hospital I came home with all the rubber stretchy bands used for blood draws they are now holding my dragon fruit to the trellis
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT TIPS. DALE WAS MADE FOR TV I LOVE YOU DALE. ❤
Dale sends his love ❤️
i also made all my own stakes and each year wash them off and run them over the sander cleaning them up and sanding off the old marking then they are ready for the next year. 👣👣👣