Gardening that won’t cost the earth

Each year households throw away waste that could be used to help give their gardens a makeover or to provide fruit and vegetables with protection from pests or much–needed nourishment.

St Albans City and District Council and Hertfordshire Waste Partnership are appealing to residents to reuse items of household waste to help make their gardens evener greener.

Wellington boots, broken teapots, parts of scaffolding and old bathtubs are hardly the first things that spring to mind when planning a garden renovation but they can all be used to good effect in your garden whilst also drastically reducing your household’s contribution to landfill.

Here are some ways of reusing your non-recyclable materials, and best of all, they wont cost you a penny!

Clam shell type plastic containers such as muffin trays can be used as instant mini greenhouses to grow seedlings year after year.
Use old Wellington boots or chipped/cracked crockery such as teapots to plant herbs and flowers in.
Old scaffolding planks can make attractive edging to flower beds.
Old bath tubs and sinks make excellent ponds when sunk into the ground or they can even be used as planters.
Old net curtains can keep pests such as insects off your fruit and vegetables.
Empty plastic bottles can be used to water plants while you are on holiday. Fill a bottle with water and then seal it, before poking a hole in the bottom and burying it in the soil, the water will seep out slowly keeping your plants hydrated until you return.
Empty pistachio shells, crushed with a rolling pin or coffee grounds sprinkled around plants are great for keeping slugs away.
Encourage wildlife into your garden with a bird box made from scrap wood or even old signs.
Transform your garden and kitchen waste into soil improver by composting. Hertfordshire residents can get a cut price compost bin delivered to your door through Hertfordshire Waste Partnership. To order visit www.herts.getcomposting.com or call 0845 130 6090.

As Councillor Melvyn Teare, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability at St Albans City & District Council explains: “Reusing household products can be beneficial for the environment and in many ways it is better than recycling. It’s not just about keeping waste out of landfill. By finding new uses for household items, you also avoid transportation emissions and costs. In St Albans, we are aiming to recycle 60% of household waste by 2015. We are already one of the top recycling District’s in Hertfordshire, and with a few more green measures like this one, we can really start to make a long term difference to our local environment.”