Recycling Cardboard Containers

Lately, I have been looking for containers to transplant my seedlings in. This year I used the mini greenhouses with the little hard puck that expand when you add water! I had great success using them. My delima was what to transplant those seed starts into once they were ready to go to the next size. Honestly, it's just not warm enough to put alot of things in the ground yet!

This is where my awesome hubby steps in. A hospital he worked in a few years back, changed the containers they used for differnt specimens. My hubby knew I would find some use for them and brought them home. I gave some away and kept some for myself. I finally found a use for them!

The containers are white with a purple and blue design. Each container has a lid. I use the lid to catch water overflow.

I used alot of them to transplant tomatos. This way my tomatos can fill out a little bit more and get more of a root system before I add them to my raised beds outside.

I also started multiple Herbs using these containers. As you can see, I recycle popsicle sticks too as markers in my containers. This way I remeber what I am growing!

More Herbs! I love Herbs for cooking!

These are the lids I am using, to collect water under other containers of seeds I am growing!

I have also been collecting those ugly scalloped bricks from dump piles, to make sections in my garden. This helps me keep some things seperate. Its not very pretty, but it works for me! This is my lil one preparing the Pak Choi area!

More of those lovely bricks! As you see in the background, I have dresser drawers , raised beds i made from old dressers and old tent poles. I planted some Nasturtiums around the tent poles. Soon they should be climbing up the poles and making pretty arches over the garden.

Here is part of a dresser drawer that I am growing some Peas in!

I made a small raised bed out of a pile of old white fencing someone threw away. I decided to grow some radishes in this section of the once white picket fence.

Another way of me doing my part to keep usable things out of the landfills. You never know what treasures you may find!

Happy Garden Recycling!

~Eco Monday~

My latest garden idea has turned out well!

I have been searching out large tree branches and small ones as as well.

Why you ask? To make a Garden Fence of course.

 I wanted a more natural fence. A fence that looked like it was always there.

The new tree branch fence will serve dual purposes.

Purpose number one, keep the dog out!  Purpose number two to grow multiple beans, Nasturtiums, and Morning Glorys. A natural trellis!

Here are a few pictures of ways to re-use branches/tree limbs in your yard!

This is the enterance! Im hoping to grow Nastritums and Morning Glorys as a trells entry way!

I also plan on painting that wall of the shed and painting some Sunflowers to add a little pop. There will also be a small table and chairs, so I can watch my garden grow!

Here is one of the sides of the fence!

Here is another angle.

Another side! Tomatos will mostly grow in the area with Nasturtiums!

A basic view of the summer garden! As time goes by, I will be adding more sticks to fill in areas a little more.

This is just what I have so far. I will also be building some trellis for Cucumbers as well!

Happy Recycling!

~Eco Monday~

Hello Recycling Friends!

It has been a while since I have posted! I have not forgotten about Recycling I promise!

I have been super busy kicking off the early garden season! I have been busy getting Onions and Garlic in the ground along with some Root Veggies and some lettuce!

As I start seedlings indoors under grow lights, I am always looking for containers to use for that purpose!

Here are a few containers I have saved here and there! Also I have a couple of ideas to show you to make a mini green house for seedlings!

Here are a few containers I saved! One of these plastic containers contained muffins. I have started Tomatos in that container! The muffin slots are big enough to get the Tomato Plants going untill I transplant to a bigger container!

I also started some seedlings in eggshells! Make sure you rinse out the eggshells. I planted Garlic Chives in those. Once I transplant the chives in the garden, the egg shell can go with them. I will crush the eggshell around the plant and just pop it into the ground!

I also use Mayonaise jars as mini greenhouses to get seeds to germinate! I wrap the seeds in a damp paper towel. I then stick the paper towel in the jar and close the lid. I place the jar under a heat lamp with my other seedlings until it germinates and then transplant into a larger container with seed start!

I also use the lettuce containers as mini green houses! They have a pretty sturdy bottom and come with a lid! I have started Lettuce seeds in this container. When my heat lamp isnt on I put the lid on to retain moisture!

I also use other plastic containers such as these.

They have grooves in the bottom to collect any extra water! I am growing Broccoli and Hansel Eggplant seed starts in this one!

Happy Recycling!!!

When Tents go bad.....

 Hi friends! Its a new year! I havent posted too much in the way of Recycling lately! But I have some great things I am working on! Today as my family and I are cleaning our backyard, I stumbled upon something that needed recycling!

During the summer my lil one set up a little one man tent. The rain and the elements destroyed most of it! I was able to save pieces from the tent for future use!

Here you see the tent poles and the tarp! The tarp is from the bottom of the tent. It was still in really good shape! My husband helped me cut off the remainder of the mesh and plastic from the tent.

Heres are B.B.Q. as you can see its getting rained on! But now we have made a cover out of the Recycled materials from our old tent!

We decided to use the tarp as a new cover for our B.B.Q./Smoker! This way it wont rust if we have to leave it out in the rain! Other uses could be cover for animals in the winter that stay outside! We use differnt tarps to cover our Rabbit cages and parts of our Chicken coop so they have extra shelter and warmth.

The tent poles will be a great use to make a mini green house for winter gardening or to start seedlings in the spring!. All I have to do now is get a hold of some clear plastic to complete the project. You could also cut the poles down and make garden stakes. Garden stakes are great for supporting your veggie plants!

I plan on reinforcing the tent poles with wood bases so the wind wont blow them out of the ground!

As soon as I find some clear thick plastic, I will complets my Mini Green house. I will post pics when I finish!

Happy Recycling!!!

Winter Gardening

Winter Gardening! I have never had a winter garden until this year! I did alot of research and asked a ton of questions! I decided I should start out small. I decided just to use a small area of my large summer garden. My lil one and I planted Swiss Chard, Red onions, Walla Walla,Torpedo Onions, Celery, Spinach, Peas,Carrots, Parsley, Garlic,Turnips,Bok Choy & multiple Lettuces. We still have Brocolli and Kale and Brussel sprouts to plant. Which I am hoping to get done today! We have had such wonderful weather here in Cali that we are still picking Peppers! Heres a few Pictures of our makeshift winter garden.

Are small makeshift Winter Garden!

Swiss Chard! I love the red! Adds such brightness to dark cold winter days.

A clump of Peas! Hopefully the other seeds will sprout soon!

Bok Choy! I love this in stir frys and my homemade eggrolls!

Celery! Great with peanut butter and in soups. I will be drying the leaves after I pick them! They will taste great in my homemade stock.

Baby Spinach! We eat alot of this in so many things! I have it planted everywhere throughout the garden.

Red Onion! The rest of my backyard is a mess! We are Re-Landscaping ourselves and its a HUGE project, but we will get there.

Here is our Salad Bar! Red Leaf Lettuce, Romaine and Spinach! I do lots of growing in Wheel Burrows and old dresser drawers! The dresser drawers are growing Garlic Chives and Parsley.

Happy Gardening!

Wheel Burrow Salad Bar

I find so many broken Wheel Burrows on the side of the road. They usually are only missing a wheel! Their trash becomes my treasure! Instant gardening containers! I place them throughout my large garden or on my back patio. I usually have one for summer herbs, flowers and for winter im doing a salad bar!

Here I have planted some Red Leaf Lettuce, Romaine and Baby Spinach! I have also placed Red Onion throughout the wheel burrow!

In a few weeks I should be able to harvest my first salad. The wheel burrow salad bar will be alot fuller with the bounty of lettuce.

Happy garden Recycling!

Compost & Growth

My morning rituals consist of feeding the chickens, bunnies, checking the garden and turning the compost pile! Today as cleaned the coop and the bunnie cage, to add all the wonderful poo to my compost. I noticed my compost pile was growing! Im not sure what plant this is! Its a dark green and the stem is thick! I think I might let it grow and see what becomes of it. Do you ever have stuff growing in your compost? If you do, tell me all about it and what has grown.

Does anyone know what this might be?

Heres where I added all the poo!

All mixed up! You may notice I have plastic looking cups and forks in my compost! Thats right I do! They are made from corn! They take about 6 months to one year to break down! Pretty cool dont ya think!

Happy Composting!