the REcycled garden...

A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.

 ~Gertrude Jekyll

Every year, at spring time, (or when the apple blossoms are in full glorious bloom, here is Michigan), a dear friend and I make our yearly pilgrimage to a local garden nursery for our stash of flowers and veggies. This trek always seems to fall right around my birthday and it usually falls right on or around the first day that this nursery opens for the year; promising us the bestest and brightest selection of our choosing. With camera's in hand and smiles on our faces, we head out for a fun days journey.

Right now as I stare out at the freshly fallen snow it is a bit hard to ponder a garden. But, I know that spring, and in turn summer, are right around the icy corner...so I better start getting my thinking cap on and my green-thumb a workin'.

Usually about this time I get to starting a few seeds indoors. Last year I planted WAY too many tomatoes...so note to self for this planting year! I didn't have enough beans or peppers, though..so "check" those on the list of to-add's.

I am always on the hunt for new ways to get the garden going. I hate spending money each year on those plastic seed trays that wind up breaking at a moments notice. Plus, being the thrifty gal I am, I am always in search of a free/cheaper method for the task. After doing some web-searching, I have found some nifty ways to get those garden seeds going in some rather crafty ways, at that.

Reduce -Reuse - Recycle

From the Desperate Gardener, here is a great way to reuse and repurpose a lot of items that would otherwise be sent out with the garbage. Here is a creative way for planting your seedlings using ordinary plastic bottles.

With all the toilet paper we use it is nice to finally find a way to reuse the empty rolls for a worthwhile project! I found this idea at Pickle Bums. Start saving those rolls (which won't take long in my house!)

Another garbage dump filler that can be repurposed is newspaper. At Cottage Hill I was taught how I can take ordinary newspaper and create pots for my seeds. Brilliant!

A simple thing as an egg shell can be given a new use as a container for seeds. Living Naturally in Louisiana gave me an egg-cellent idea with their egg shell seedlings! Love this!

After the eggs are gone use the container to plant in. Urban Farm Online found this great way to recycle that egg container in a fun simple way.

At Family Fun, I got this great idea for an indoor mini-greenhouse; using a used pop bottle.

Finally, at Cut Out and Keep, I saw a creative way to make garden markers for all the lovely plants you will have.