The next two posts are about repurposing plastic in the veg plot.
Regular readers have seen some of my plastic raised beds before. Plastic is not going to go away and I intend to use it around the veg plot to save it immediately going into landfill...?
During this Irish Indian summer of the last week or so I have been moving some of the baths to the other side of the polytunnel to make a flat area for some new potatoes next Spring.
I counted my plastic old heating oil tanks that we cut in half and my plastic second hand baths. There are twenty two up to now and I am still collecting.
There are also six wooden framed raised beds and two old back wheel tractor tyres in the polytunnel.
There are also fish boxes, a old washing machine drum and my grandma's old Belfast sink. I will show you them on another post.
Now I am into the sixties I am going more for raised beds. The soil is much deeper, you are not bending or stooping down, two foot six high gardening and you are not having to weed every inch of the veg plot.
Anyone throwing out a plastic bath or cracked plastic oil tank? I will give them a home and tlc retirement on a West Cork smallholding in the countryside next to the sea.
Like I always say. You don't need to have a garden or allotment to grow your own veg:
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Did I tell you I have twenty plastic repurposed raised beds? They will last me out and I will probably never NEC to replace them like you do with wooden sided raised beds. Although railway sleepers last years but they are expensive and my plastic raised beds cost me nothing and need no maintenance.
Got any old baths you don't want or heating oil tanks? Are there builders skips near you? Any growing treasure?😀
Anyone else use plastic to grow their veg?
I am super impressed by your Wombling ingenuity.
ReplyDeleteAnd just look at that sunshine!
A living rubbish tip/smallholding in the countryside next to the sea JayCee.😊 My allotment apprenticeship in Northwest England and North Wales served me well. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWell done you, as you say keeping things plastic out of landfill and giving them a positive use is brilliant. Sadly I don't have room in my tiny plot, but I do reuse pots, bags and big tubs. Marlene, Poppypatchwork
ReplyDeleteThank you Marlene. All we can do is repurpose and grow our organic vegetables and try to keep plastic out of landfill. I am sure someone would let you cultivate a garden or even a half allotment? It frustrates me when I read about allotment waiting lists in England. So many people wish to grow their own fruit and veg and there are not the places for them to do so. Good on you for your reuse.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that all will be perfectly fine but sometimes I worry about plastic. It would be good to get scientists to investigate the soil and determine whether or not there's any leeching happening with microplastics finding their way in tiny quantities into the soil and the vegetables.
ReplyDeleteI worry about our food and drink wrapped in plastic YP. I don't see any plastic residue in the soil from my plastic raised beds. Old pallets and railway sleepers sometimes are preserved with oils and not really suitable for food gardening. Even some fym contain animal drugs. I am only one person.
ReplyDeleteHeavens to Betsy, 22 repurpose growing beds! You must be growing enough to feed Africa, as the saying goes. We repurpose too, 17 litre olive oil tins and old plastic 300 lt wine barrels cut in half. They're beginning to fall apart now because of many summers of very strong sun. But we ain't got anything like you have. Your garden needs time and hard work and a lot of love. You've got that all. We get bored..... and production is alas minimal
ReplyDeleteGreat to read about all your repurposing Linda. Baths are great for raised beds. Do you go beach combing? I find fish boxes, netting, ropes, driftwood and seaweed. All useful aound the veg garden.
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