Reusing on your homestead

Homesteading does not have to cost a lot of money. Use what God gave you wisely; be intentional. Let your homestead meet you where you are. Look for non conventional ways to get things done. Be thrifty. Reuse….

Some of my best gardening tools are from reusing things. Here are just a few of the things I do:

• Sour cream/ricotta containers make great planters and greenhouses. A container with no lid? Just drill some holes in the bottom and you have a planter.

  Starting seeds inside and don’t want to have to take your seeds/seedlings outside to water them? Just slip another container (without holes) on the bottom so you don’t have to worry about it. The bottom container will catch the water. (Just don’t overwater). With this method, you can also bottom water some plants… just add water to the bottom container and slowly lower the top container into it. This makes sure your roots get the water they need and not just the base of your seedlings.

  Need to use the greenhouse effect to make your plants grow faster or retain heat? Put a lid on the top container. Remove for watering or to get sun.

• Shallow containers like lunchables or those cheese and cracker snacks are a perfect size for drying a small number of seeds, and you can write on them with a sharpie. We don’t eat those foods anymore, but a neighbor does, so she saves them for me.

• Plastic take out containers from wing bars at the grocery stores or small jelly/pickle jars are perfect for storing large quantities of dry harvested seeds.

• I belong to a seed/plant exchange and people leave landscape and nursery pots. The ones I rescue are used until they can no longer be used.

• Milk jugs not only make perfect planters, you can use them for mini greenhouses for winter sowing.

• For just planters, just cut in half and discard the tops, drill holes in the bottom.

  For greenhouses, cut almost in half… for you Harry Potter fans, think nearly headless Nick. Fill with soil and place your seeds, water. Place outside and make sure top half is covering the bottom. Keep the lid on. Water and expose to sunlight as needed.

• Old falling apart blinds? Cut the strings, then cut the slats into 4” plant labels. Use a China marker to ensure rain/sun resistant marking.

• Plastic berry containers from the supermarket? Fabulous greenhouse materials with the holes already included… I just place a coffee filter over the holes so my soil doesn’t drain out.

• Small, individual yogurt cups. Drill 3 small holes in the bottom for drainage, fill with soil and plant your seeds. Bathroom solo type cups are good for this as well.

• Party platter trays (fruit, veggie, sandwich, etc) are perfect for containing small seed cups like your #8 yogurt cups. Use the lid when you need the greenhouse effect.

• Solo cups from a party? Wash thoroughly, drill holes and you have a perfect planter.

• I use cardboard in the bottom of my raised beds to deter grass/weeds from getting in there. Overlap to make sure you have full coverage and then wet down with your water hose.

• Fallen tree limbs…. Use in raised beds to fill some of the space. Place on top of your wet cardboard. Fill with ash, leaves, compost, soil….