Reduce and Reuse in the Garden
Save seeds for next year, and you’ll have many new seedlings from an existing plant.
Do you choose to reuse? Whether it’s in the home or around the garden, reusing items and choosing items that last can reduce your impact on the earth. Seeking out reusable items has other benefits as well: these reused objects bring charm to your garden, and reducing your purchases also saves you money in the long term.
Compost and Mulch
Reduce your use of fertilizers and make your own instead. By adding leaf mulch to your garden beds or spreading homegrown compost on the soil, you’ll create fertility in the garden using materials that are easily found around your home.
Save and Swap Your Seeds
In the late summer and early fall as the growing season winds down, prepare for the spring by collecting seeds that you can grow in the new year. Seed saving allows you to collect the seeds from your most vigorous plants and grow them again, and it’s a renewable way of gathering next year’s seed supply.
Reuse Water
When you’re planning your garden, plan to reuse the world’s most important resource: water. Install a rain barrel to collect rooftop water and use it in the garden. Collect greywater from your kitchen sink or when you run the water for a shower, and use it to water your garden as well.
Create Your Own Transplant Pots for Seedlings
When you’re planting new seedlings in the spring, you don’t necessarily need to invest in peat or coir pots. You can do it yourself with pots created out of rolled-up newspaper or toilet paper rolls. These also decompose in the garden, turning into soil to help your small plants grow.
Use Corks, Forks, and More to Create Garden Tags
While this garden reuse idea is small, it can prevent a lot of plastic waste. If you’d like to know the names of your garden plants, you’ll want garden tags. Use old plastic milk jugs, corks, or even forks or spoons to place the names of plants next the places where they grow.
Reuse flagstones or pieces of concrete in a new garden path.
Install Recycled Pathways
From flagstones to pieces of concrete, you can turn found or reused objects into beautiful pathways for your garden. Even old tiles can turn into a lovely garden mosaic. The next time you need to create a path, consider reusable options before you turn to concrete, especially if you’re aiming for a whimsical cottage look.
Create Benches and Trellises From Found Objects
Reusing items in the garden is an opportunity to get creative with found or recycled objects from your home. An old metal headboard can become a trellis or a fence, while a snowboard can turn into a small garden bench. Think of quirky ways to incorporate items from your everyday life and turn them into functional objects for your garden.
Use Renovation Leftovers in the Garden
Do you have extra wood, shingles, or other items left over from renovations? Use them to create a garden bed, shed, playhouse, or other garden structure. For example, if you install gutters on your home, use the old ones as a planter on the playhouse. If you’re missing a few recycled tidbits for your project, some cities even have stores where you can pick up usable items inexpensively.
Install Products That Save You Time and Replacement Costs
When you’re trying to reduce and reuse, one way you can do this is by investing in long-lasting landscaping and garden items. For example, instead of buying an inexpensive trowel that will break, purchase one with a solid metal handle that will last for decades. The same goes for the features of your garden landscape: install gutters with covers that will prevent damage, or choose a durable bench that will weather the winter storms.
When you’re looking for garden solutions, look to Harry Helmet. We’ll help you spend time doing the garden activities you love. Rather than cleaning out your gutters, enjoy creating a beautiful and green garden landscape. Contact us today for a quote.
