My "low buy" month results

My newest post is available on Medium! You can read it here.

Upcycling ideas for gardening

I’m a gardener, but people are sometimes surprised that I don’t buy a lot of plants or devote a ton of money to my hobby. Why?

Because I don’t need to! Most of what I need can be upcycled. Besides, growing plants from seeds is rewarding. When neighbors stop by, you can say, “Look at these flowers! I grew them myself!” You’ll either discover that your neighbors love gardening, or they’ll avoid you in the future. Win-win!

With gardening, the upcycling possibilities are really endless. From license plate planters, to old mailboxes for gardening supplies, you can create a unique garden and re-use materials. I tend to be a little simpler in what I use, and focus on function.

Starting plants

I start many of my plants indoors. The last frost date in my area is in mid-May, so it gets me a head start on the growing season. I usually save seeds from plants to grow next year. If you’re gardening for the first time, seed packets are inexpensive from garden stores. I have the best luck with starting marigolds and zucchini.

You can buy trays for planting, but it’s much cheaper to upcycle a few things. The only thing I really buy is a small bag of potting soil, and it often lasts two years. For containers, I use whatever I can save. Yogurt cups seem to be the best. The generic brands have thinner plastic, so it’s easier to poke holes in the bottom.

You can also use coffee pods. Don’t run out and buy coffee pods for this - I’m sure you know someone who uses them, so ask them for their leftovers. Knock all the coffee grounds into your compost bin or garden; it’s great fertilizer.

Cardboard egg cartons are compostable, so you can start seedlings, and toss the carton in your bin when you’re done. I haven’t tried starting seeds in them yet, but I have it on my list for next year.

Whatever you use, rinse out and dry the containers, poke drainage holes in the bottom, and then spoon in some potting soil. This is a step best done outside, as potting soil yearns to be free and will get everywhere. Pour in some water and let the soil settle. Then put in your seeds and cover with the amount of soil needed (usually one inch or less).

To deal with escaping soil and water, grab a few saucers. Not the UFO kind; the ones that go with tea cups. If you don’t have any, your local thrift store probably has a ton. Slip one under each container and you're good to go.

Growing Plants

A bit of advice: some seeds will not start unless they reach 70-85 degrees. Sometimes just putting them in a really warm spot, like next to a computer, will jump-start the growing process.

You can use all sorts of containers if you need to protect your tiny plant nursery from pets - empty plastic containers seem to work best. My plants are currently sitting under a plastic cookie container. Otherwise, put them next to a sunny window.

Outdoors

Outside, there’s a lot you can do. A compost bin is awesome for gardening, and you can make one yourself with some chicken wire and posts. Also, one thing I didn’t realize early on was that you need about 20x more dry items like shredded cardboard and leaves than wet stuff like fruit/veggie scraps in your compost. Junk mail? More like worm food. Do that for a few seasons, and you won’t need to buy fertilizer.

For some plants, you can use sticks and a bit of string to stake them. Vines like tomato plants require dedicated cages, though.

To mark your plants, use popsicle sticks and marker. And if you don’t have a watering can yet, an empty milk jug will work in a pinch.

Once the gardening season is done, collect and dry your seeds, and store them in a paper bag until next spring.

I hope these ideas have been helpful! Happy gardening (and upcycling).


Ellie Daforge is a writer and office worker. She writes fiction as well as health/lifestyle writing. You can follow her on Instagram @elliedaforge.

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Zero waste party ideas

Parties are fun, but if not planned properly, they can also be wasteful. Food might be served on disposable plates, and gift wraps and glittery cards might be glanced at once before being thrown away. However, there are easy ways to have a party without producing bags of trash.

What is zero waste? 
Zero waste is a movement that aims to send nothing to a landfill. As much as possible is avoided, re-used, composted, or recycled.

I'm not 100% zero waste, but I'm working to reduce what I throw away. The responses I get from people have been mixed--from eye rolls when I say "compostable," to "Wow, what's that? I should get some!" to my reusable silicone cupcake liners.

Supplies
Before you buy supplies for a party (like new dishes or kitchen utensils), check thrift stores first, or ask friends and family if there's stuff you can borrow. You can save money and packaging by re-using an item.

Ditch Disposables
You can reduce your use of disposables by bringing reusable bags to the grocery store and using real plates, cutlery, and forks. For times when it's necessary to go disposable (such as a large outdoor event), try compostable plates and cups. They’re available in most grocery stores.

Gifts and Cards
I've cut back on the amount of gifts I give. Many kids I know have bedrooms overflowing with toys. When I do give gifts, I tend to give something I know the person will appreciate, or stick with cash. I include a simple paper card (no plastic or glitter) and skip the wrapping paper.

Snacks
Skip the chips, and try cutting up your own veggies! Or, bake something deceptively simple, like sweet potato fries.

Dessert
When I was young, I learned to make my own cakes and desserts. A boxed mix and the assorted ingredients was $7 cheaper than store-bought--a huge deal for a kid in the early 2000s. I've branched out beyond boxed mixes and now make my own pies and other desserts from scratch--stuff you can't often find in a bakery.

However, I don't always have the time to whip up dessert before a big event (especially if I have multiple in a row). So if you get a cake from a bakery, bring your own container. You can wrap the leftovers in beeswax wrap (available in many zero waste stores) instead of plastic wrap, too.
You can also get sustainable birthday candles!

Photo by Brooke Lark at Unsplash