With bank accounts and wallets getting slimmer across the nation people are looking to cut costs where ever possible so where better to start than the garden? Recycling products and materials is an obvious idea but why not dabble in growing your own produce? A well kept garden is also a perfect setting for home entertaining such as BBQs and Garden Parties negating the need to eat out or socialise in a money draining establishment. Building recycling units such as compost heaps and rainwater butts can be a rewarding hobby which will get you exercising out in the fresh air (why pay for a gym?!) and the long list of benefits for the environment may surprise you! So let’s take a look at some of these ideas in more detail…
Part 1 – Recycling
Millions of tonnes of garden waste including leaves, grass and cuttings are sent to landfill sites every year even though they are an invaluable source of nutrients that could be returned to the garden as compost. A large portion of the average household bin can be recycled into compost including peelings and food waste, teabags, paper and cardboard. Not only that, but plastic bottles and glass jars can be used for insect traps, growing seedlings and birdfeeders – let your imagination run wild!
Build your own Compost Heap
The benefits to the environment are impressive;
- The reduction in consumption of unnecessary products like specially bought compost and fertilizers with the added bonus of fuller pockets
- The reduction in incinerating waste products means lower air pollution
- Landfills are not filled unnecessarily
- Natural compost means less chemicals which can be washed away causing water pollution
Build your own insect farms
Kids will be fascinated watching worms and ants in their natural habitats and these are so easy to produce using clear plastic 2L bottles or containers (See our article on getting the kids interested in gardening and wildlife for more ideas). These will teach them the importance of eco systems as well as the responsibility of looking after live creatures.
Building an ant farm is dead easy as the ants will do most of the work! Just add dirt and ants found in the garden, ensuring a ‘Queen’ ant (usually slightly larger than the others or with wings) is collected and they will begin work on their new home right away. Drop in some bread crumbs and small bits of fruit for food. Ants will obtain most of their water from their food, however it may be a good idea to drop in a cotton ball soaked in water every few days as necessary.
A worm farm can be just as interesting to a child watching the worms break down scraps into compost. On a larger scale, wormaries can yield some pretty fantastic composting results that can be fed directly back into the garden and again, these are simple to make on a budget.
- Obtain an old plastic box or bin and drill some holes to ensure it is well ventilated. The larger the box, the more worms can be kept and more compost produced. Alternatively, stack some old tires on top of each other!
- Fill with shredded newspaper, garden waste, dirt and moisten well before adding worms.
- Remember, you can add kitchen scraps, teabags and even egg shells to your wormary and keep well moistened at all times.
For more detailed information on wormaries check out this website on how to make your own worm compost system
Plastic containers have other uses too!
Slugs love beer – Fact! If you currently have a slug and snail problem then why not try creating your own slug traps by filling a shallow plastic container with beer (stronger the better) and placing these around vulnerable plants and foliage. The slugs will be attracted by the smell and drown investigating!
Insect/fly traps – Fill a drinks bottle a third of the way up with water or lemonade. With the remaining 2/3rds, smear jam on the inside and drill a hole in the lid just big enough for flies and wasps to enter the bottle in search of the source of the sweet scent. As the insects feed off the jam they will eventually tire of flying around the bottle and drop into the pool below and drown.
Styrofoam trays from produce such as mushrooms bought at the supermarket are fantastic for makeshift seed trays. You can also use yoghurt pots for individual seedlings. These are just a few ideas and the possibilities are only limited to your imagination! As a gardener, you often get chances to stretch your creative mind so I am sure you will think of many others that we have not listed here. If you would like to submit any ideas that we could cover for the benefit of our audience then please email us at info@riversidegardencentre.co.uk. We are always updating and adding to our gardening articles database, so keep checking back for more ideas on optimising and enjoying your garden
Part 2 coming soon: Grow your Own Produce
