totp
Assistant Gardener
Posts: 128
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Post by totp on Jan 24, 2009 20:04:09 GMT
Did you keep the freezer Maggy? I use my old fridge freezer as a compsot bin. It's fab - because of the insulation it makes compost really quickly and as the rats can't get to it you can put leftover food in it. ;D
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 24, 2009 21:11:07 GMT
goodness totp, what a good idea, is'nt it difficult to get it out 'tho?
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Post by Tig on Jan 24, 2009 21:14:59 GMT
Maggy you could use the wire trays to cover things as protection against birds pecking new seedlings, blackbirds pinching compost, squirrels digging up bulbs, etc. You could line them with old compost bags and grow salad leaves, radish, spring onions?
x Tig
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Post by Amo on Jan 25, 2009 7:22:07 GMT
Yesterday, we in the village were all delivered of our new council recycling boxes. I have contacted the council of several occasions asking when they were going to admit our village existed and include us in on the scheme. Thing is OH and I have now worked out our own routine of dealing with all the recyclables and I'm seriously considering using the box to grow carrots in.  |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 25, 2009 9:53:18 GMT
I've always thought the kirby (as in it sits by the kirb) boxes we use for recycling would make great containers for growing veg too Amo. But, we only get one per household and mine is at least half full every week with everything I recycle.
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Post by Amo on Jan 25, 2009 10:00:06 GMT
But we a 4 doors from the pub which has the big skip things in the carpark so we use them and the boxes are only £3 to replace. I thought they would make really good value rased beds!! ;D ;D
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 25, 2009 10:36:27 GMT
£3 would be a very good price Amo, I must find out from our council how much they would charge and how many they will sell me if indeed they will sell me any at all.  |
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Post by Tig on Jan 25, 2009 13:56:14 GMT
Our council introduced another bin for recycling early last year (we have to accomodate three wheelie bins now!) but they let us keep the kerb-side boxes. It was a great cover for the rhubarb, and it is scheduled for carrots this year, along with the box off the broken paper shredder I retrieved from the bin ;D
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Post by Ladygardener on Feb 5, 2009 14:11:24 GMT
At work in the day treatment unit our patients get offered sandwitches on disposable black trays covered with clear plastic lids. I've just taken delivery of 4 of them.  Brilliant for putting little pots/plugs onto and using as propagators. |
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Post by Barbara on Feb 5, 2009 18:28:39 GMT
I use my recycle box for growing carrots I stand it on a few bricks to make it to high for carrot fly, we have a pub opposite that is a recycling collection point as well AMO. |
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Post by Babyswan on Feb 19, 2009 17:45:11 GMT
Our council introduced another bin for recycling early last year (we have to accomodate three wheelie bins now!) but they let us keep the kerb-side boxes. It was a great cover for the rhubarb, and it is scheduled for carrots this year, along with the box off the broken paper shredder I retrieved from the bin ;D tig, I tried forcing my rhubarb last year. I got a deep flower pot, like the ones street-flower-sellers use. I drilled several holes 28mm holes in it and put a brick on top, carefully trying to avoid blocking the holes. I wasn't that successful. think it blew off (oooer missus( and that was it. Shouldn't a cover have holes for light to tempt the plant upwards? I'd be wasting my time or doing it wrong if I put a solid un-holed bucket over them, right? What I did today was... Well, Sept two years ago (the zero and close brackets buttons don't work on this pc( I helped son of next door clear out his back yard. I took about 9' of nice white guttering, just cause, well, it was white. finally found a use for it today. I was looking at the back gate. Above the door, there is a timber beam, as such. And it's there, more than 45 years, wet and damp and rotten. It has a bit of felt on it, but mostly rotten. I decided to turn the guttering upside down and place it over the timber. It looks a treat, sticking out several feet either side. Worth a pic! Well it saves the wood from getting wet. A couple of years ago, the father from next door, a ret'd carpenter, helped me replace the rotten old gate with an internal door of the house that had been in the shed for more than ten years. It worked and works a treat...worth never throwing anything out... |
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Post by Dr Bill on Feb 21, 2009 12:18:56 GMT
tig, I tried forcing my rhubarb last year. I got a deep flower pot, like the ones street-flower-sellers use. I drilled several holes 28mm holes in it and put a brick on top, carefully trying to avoid blocking the holes. I wasn't that successful. think it blew off (oooer missus( and that was it. Shouldn't a cover have holes for light to tempt the plant upwards? I'd be wasting my time or doing it wrong if I put a solid un-holed bucket over them, right? Au contraire. The idea is to exclude light completely. The stalks then reach out in serach of light so they are long and thin, and because they are deprived of light they are pale and tender (a bit like blanching celery I suppose). I don't force mine usually because I only have room for one plant and it is weakened by the forcing process Try this link |
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Post by Tig on Feb 21, 2009 15:56:56 GMT
I forced mine last year with the old box and it worked fine even though there is a small hole in each corner - but I think it then needs a year off Dr Bill so I won't try again until 2010. Plenty of new shoots coming up though, so we will still get a pie or two even if it isn't quite as sweet and tender x Tig |
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Post by Babyswan on Feb 24, 2009 17:44:15 GMT
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Post by Barbara on Mar 11, 2009 11:29:31 GMT
 I thought I might put the sand pit to good use now that I'm not childminding. I will try it as a pond . But what can I use the old toy tub for,   |
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Post by Tig on Mar 11, 2009 19:15:59 GMT
Make sure it had drainge holes in the bottom, fill with compost and use it for carrots?
x Tig
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Post by Ladygardener on Mar 11, 2009 19:23:17 GMT
It looks big enough for potatoes either Barbara.
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Post by Barbara on Mar 11, 2009 20:09:26 GMT
I am putting potatoes and carrots in my new raised bed. |
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Post by Tig on Mar 11, 2009 20:15:15 GMT
Use it to store the harvested potatoes in then Barbara, when you dig them up |
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Post by Barbara on Mar 11, 2009 20:24:52 GMT
Good thinking ;D
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 12, 2009 21:28:10 GMT
or you could use it to put the garden waste in while working in the garden ane then tip it into the compost bin. (the contents..not the bin itself :  |
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 16, 2009 19:02:47 GMT
Oooh Barbara what great things to recycle. I'd probably use the sand pit as a tray for when I was potting up, like one of those tidy tray things. Maybe the wheels would be a problem though  The lovely purple tub I'd use like Missy suggested for garden waste while working in the garden. I recycled some off cuts of felt from the shed roof the other day. I've layed it on some rough ground that I stand pots of plants on, on top of it I've put some bits of broken bits of slab just to make a more solid surface |
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Post by Barbara on Mar 16, 2009 20:19:55 GMT
The council cut a tree down today,then shredded it then went away, and left the most wonderful pile of wood chippings mixed with soil, at the side of the road, guess where lots of it is now. ;D
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 16, 2009 20:43:07 GMT
Nice one Barbara, can't fault you on that one well done you ;D
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Post by Ladygardener on Mar 17, 2009 7:51:13 GMT
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 29, 2009 9:13:14 GMT
Aquired 6 of the old style alluminium food trays from the school kitchen that my sister works in, brilliant for standing pots and seed trays in. Nice depth to them so I don't over water stuff. There were loads of them apparently all going in the skip  |
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Post by Ladygardener on Mar 29, 2009 9:19:32 GMT
Well done Chuckles, that's a handy find for this time of year when we've all got tons of seedlings on the go. |
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Post by Chuckles on Mar 29, 2009 18:57:49 GMT
Yes LG I'm well chuffed with them, pity she didn't get me more ;D I used them today to repot my toms on and then put the pots on another to soak up a bit of water, they are brill ;D
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Post by Barbara on Apr 9, 2009 14:37:23 GMT
I read a great tip yesterday (it's a pity I'm not still childminding) using a disposable nappy, as a liner for hanging baskets, they hold loads of water. so you wouldn't have to water as much.
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Post by Missredhead on Apr 9, 2009 15:26:16 GMT
That sounds like a good idea Barbara but don't they contain chemicals of some sort?
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Brilliant for putting little pots/plugs onto and using as propagators.
The lovely purple tub I'd use like Missy suggested for garden waste while working in the garden.