Recycled Gardening Kit

By D. A. Woodliff

Throwaway items can be recycled into useful gardening aids. Add the following to your gardening kit.

Plant Identifiers First decide what vegetables you are going to plant. Then cut plastic foam trays (like those under fresh meat) into vegetable shapes. Write the vegetable name on the shape with a waterproof marker. Staple the foam vegetables to Popsicle sticks and place them at the ends of the appropriate rows of newly planted seeds to remind you where each vegetable is planted.

Ties for Staked Plants Cut plastic grocery bags or dry cleaning bags into strips, and braid them, tying off the ends. Use them to tie tomato plants, bean vines, young trees, etc., to stakes. The ties are strong and durable but will not bruise tender stalks.

Frost Protectors Cut off the tops of several gallon-size plastic water or milk containers and store them. When frost threatens, place them over young, tender plants as protection.

Illustrated by Shauna Mooney Kawasaki