GARDENING
WAYS TO RECYCLE OLD JUNK TO USE IN THE GARDEN Gardeners on a budget can follow these expert tips on recycling old items to boost their gardening kit, by Hannah Stephenson... It's great news that garden centres have been able to reopen, but if you're on a tight budget, don't forget the items you already have on hand that you can recycle as pots, cloches and cane-toppers. There's a myriad uses for plastic bottles, cans, jars, loo roll and corks, which will save you plenty of money in the long run. Which? Gardening, the Consumers' Association magazine, reports 83% of its members have reused items rather than send them to landfill. The most popular were woody prunings as plant supports, plastic bottles for watering, and paths made out of old bricks. Almost a third have used a bucket as a planter and a quarter use old tights as plant ties. So, what else can you do? Here are a few ideas:
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MAKE THE MOST OF OLD FURNITURE You can make large planters out of everything from old drawers to baths, sinks and toilets. Some people use wheelbarrows, chimney pots and car tyres to display their plants. For people with smaller plots, re-use old cans, drilling drainage holes in the bottom, and paint them in colours of your choice, before planting them up with colourful plants. You could also use wellies, teapots and other old containers as plant pots. MAKE YOUR OWN WATERING CAN Home-made watering cans are ideal for smaller pots and indoor plants, says award-winning garden designer Joe Perkins. "Using a small drill bit, start by drilling holes into the lid of a large plastic bottle. Make sure you hold the lid in place
