Do you have a pile of plastic containers you never use? Put them to work by creating an herb garden paradise. It’s a great way to recycle your plastic, plus it puts fresh herbs at your fingertips.
You will need: Plastic containers, plastic lids to fit under containers, power drill, ¼" to ½" drill bit, scrap piece of wood, rocks, potting soil, herb seeds or plants
1. Select containers. Containers that work best are ones that are solid in color. Clear and translucent containers can grow mold inside, so it’s best to stay away from those. Choose a lid for each container that fits comfortably under the base. This will collect water overflow.
2. Drill a water
drainage hole.
Place the scrap wood on a flat
surface and center the bottom of
your container on the wood. Drill
a hole in the bottom center of
the container. Make sure that the
plastic is flush against the wood,
otherwise the plastic can bend
and crack.
3. Get your container
plant-ready.
Place several medium-sized rocks
in the bottom of the container.
This will help the water drain
through the pot. Fill the rest of the
container with potting soil until it
reaches about ½" from the top.
Place the container atop the lid.
TIP: We used all the scrap plastic we could get our hands on for this project: food storage containers, a Frisbee, a small bucket, even a plastic piggy bank. You’ll be surprised at the plastic scrap you can dig up once you start looking.
4. Plant your seeds. Put your seeds or plants into the soil, give them a watering, and then sit back and watch them grow.
Tiffany Threadgould is the author of This into That books and runs a crafty recycle business, RePlayGround. replayground.com
Photography by Tiffany Threadgould
References:
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