~ Eco Monday~

 Growing Vegtables, Flowers and Herbs can be fun! Especially when you find things around the house to grow them in! A fun way to incorporate a Reuse and Recycle what you have at home. Here are a few things im using in my recycling garden.

This year I have used 4 tires to grow some tomatos on the outside of my garden. This way I have a little more room inside my garden for other veggies. Just fill the tires with organic soil and plant away! Its not pretty but it works.

You can also use baskets as planters. I added a plastic bag inside with rocks on the bottom to help with drainage. The plastic helps to keep your basket from rotting and falling apart. Im growing peppers and nasturtiums in this basket.

This is a candle holder that I used to use in the house. I dropped it and the bottom broke out. I barried it in the dirt about a half inch and am growing some Oregano in it. Adds a little color to my eggplant and shallots garden bed.

Everyone has collections of tea pots! Im using this old teapot as a planter for my spicy basil. I will sit this on our patio table. We eat out there alot in the summer. This way we can easily pinch off fresh herbs and toss em on our food.

This is a much bigger container! It was the top of a bar from a tavern that did some remodeling. Hubby brought it home for me to use as a planter.

 Tomatos and scallions are growing in this one.

What things do you use in your garden?

Happy Recycling!!!

~Eco Monday~

Buckets (5-Gallon)

Use as an upside down Tomato planter (like topsy turvey)

Fill partially with soap and water and use when washing your car.

Use as a garbage can for the basement or garage.

Use when picking apples, pears, etc.

Use for storage of items when camping (it is semi animal-proof). Be sure to secure the lid.

Put a chair pad on to and use it as a seat.

Use as a muck bucket for horses.

Use for collection when weeding the garden. When the bucket is full, transfer the weeds to a compost pile.

Use as flower outdoor flower pots.

Fill clean buckets with water for your dogs when they are outside in the summer. When the water gets dirty, use it to water the plants.

 

Use as a chicken feeder. Drill holes in bottom of bucket so food can fall out. Place bucket on large old shallow bowl. Fill  bucket as needed, secure lid when food is in bucket.

~Eco Monday~

Ever wonder what to do with faucet handles from your outdoor faucets! I have a wonderful idea for those of you who love garden art and windchimes. At the Auburn County Fair today, they had on display a faucet handle wind chime! They used old faucet handles, some small springs & a chain to withstand the weight. What an intresting way to liven up a garden space! Absolutly adorable and so very creative! You can use many differnt colored ones and it makes a beautiful piece of art for any gardener! I cant wait to start collecting faucet handles to make my own windchimes! What a great way to Re-use this item. Another fantastic way of Recycling and keeping these little items out of the landfill!

Happy Recycling!

The new Chicken Condo!

My new Chicken Condo is finally done! Im happy to report, my chickens love their new home! Everything used in their new home is stuff I picked up in junk piles or stuff I already had!

This is an old cabinet that was sitting in our backyard not being used. I had my wonderful hubby cut part of the back out. This way the chickens could use the shelves to nest on and sleep. I even had him give them a little ramp, so they could get up and down easily. On the other side is a door that latches. This gives me easy access to eggs and to change the hay out periodicly.

Heres a little bit of the progress my son and hubby made. They made a frame using wood from old wood 

pallets. They also re-used pieces of wood from the old coop too. Are chicken coop has a shaded area and a sun roof area. This way they have more sun to bask in, yet they still have shade when they want it!

We also have an old metal ladder inside that was givin to us (its not sturdy enough for people use) So it became part of the frame. Which is great for the chickens! Each end of the ladder has places they can perch on, one side in shade the other in sunshine. We also have a long branch in the middle for them to perch on as well. We have a green plastic mesh that went around my garden for the roof! This is temporary! Some time this week im getting some free chicken wire from a friend. So the chicken wire will replace the plastic mesh. There chicken area is about 14 feet long & 6 feet wide. Lots of room.

Here they are enjoying there new space! They got a special snack of Crab Apples filled with worms.

Heres all my babies! They will still get there 5-6 hours of release in the backyard daily. But, in our area they have to be in a coop at night!

As you can see, you can make many things by re-using what you have on hand!

Happy Recycling!