# April Homesteading Online Co op Class - Recycling & Gardens



## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

Or the Recycled Garden. You may take this how ever far you would like. But create a garden feature or container garden from recycled materials. Ideas include, using milk cartons for plant container (after they get going if you need a bigger pot), making cold frames from left over construction materials, using composted trash for soil additives (our land fill gives it away), a visit to the land fill or recycling center for ideas/field trip. Let us know your ideas. Include your kids in ways they can use recycled materials in the garden.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

Sorry I am going to miss this one. Take some good pictures OK? 
Cindyc.


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## meanwhile (Dec 13, 2007)

On Sunday, April 13th at 9:00 (check your own TV schedules for correct viewing times) the National Geographic Channel will show âHuman Footprintâ subtitled âEverything you consume in your lifetime in one place. At One Time.â 

Here is a link to the web site and an article about the show:
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/human-footprint/trash-talk.html

For a âhow to compostâ guide including a trouble shooting chart see:
http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/planning/compost.asp

To see photos and âhow toâsâ of container gardens, including cute containers made from old tires and boots see:
http://www.kidsgardening.com/growingideas/projects/feb03/pg1.html

For great directions on growing potatoes in barrels see:
http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/schools_organic_network/fun_stuff/potato_barrel.php


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## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

I found garden bricks at an auction. They are well used but still useable! The children & I are going out this afternoon to put in the herb beds and to start the cold frams kitchen garden. I don't know how much we will get done today, but we will start!

Other than the recycled bricks (.112 cents each), the only cost will be peat moss that I got on sale! My neighbor gave us the end of two different rolls of black landscape fabric. I have a pile of composted dirt, a pile of straw & manure, a pile of partially composted barn leavings and a pile of top soil. Lasagna beds, here we come! I wish I knew where to find leaves but our trees are pine, so no go there. 

The cold frames are going to be simple, out of recycled windows.  I need to add another layer or two of soil to that bed also.

How are all of you coming?


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## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

Here is the bed we started today. It got to cold & we had to quit for the day, will do more tomorrow. It is now snowing. 

The large beams in the back are from a torn down deck. The black plastic is left obver from my neighbor, he was going to throw it out. The bricks are from an auction.



















This will be my herb garden in the kitchen garden area.

Love,
Cheryl


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## Janis Sauncy (Apr 11, 2006)

I just turned an old wheelbarrow into an herb garden. It's really cute and put to use something that was otherwise headed for the landfill.

Janis


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## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

I'm jealous! Our garden is still under 5 feet of hard packed snow. But, the boys and I are going to get our seeds started in the house this week. I usually put some things in coffee cans or plastic jars that I've cut down a bit if I need a bigger pot for some things. I use old starter pots. We sometimes put old boards down the paths to keep down the weeds. But, it'll still be a month before the snow is gone and we can see dirt. Ugh!

Jenny
Frontier Freedom


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## meanwhile (Dec 13, 2007)

Five feet of snow! Wow! I hope it thaws out soon. 

The wheelbarrow herb garden sounds really nice! We have some mint in an old sink. The brick edging looks good too. 

We put out cauliflower outside this week. Hope the rabbits do not eat them.

Check with companies that sell granite/marble or tile counter tops to see if they will allow you to get scraps from their trash pile. A few years ago, we were given many pieces and used them as fancy stepping stones in the gardens.

Also, saw mills may let you pick up the "skins" or "scabs" which are the first cuts that have bark on outside. We use them to turn on sides, stake in place and mark out sides of garden beds. We cut them down to size when needed or sometimes can leave them long.

Happy Gardening and Happy Recycling!


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## Lindafisk (Nov 17, 2004)

We started a garden using old cardboard boxes for the walkways and the shavings from the rabbit cages for mulch. We also picked up big flattish rocks and pieces of concrete that were thrown out in the back of our acre and are using them as stepping stones and weights to hold the cardboard down. 
Now I just need something to make a sort of fence from to keep the dogs and kids from trampling the little plants!


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## northprairiegir (Apr 11, 2008)

I know I am new here - but we would sure like to join in the fun! I am the mom of 4 homeschoolers. Three boys - ages 13, 8 and 4 and one girl - age 6. I shared this project idea with them this afternoon and they were very excited! We plan on gathering some containers and seeds over the weekend.


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## meanwhile (Dec 13, 2007)

We are waiting on a record cold tonight. It is predicted to get down to 29 degrees. We have covered up blueberry bushes with sheets and tarps, covered cauliflower, broccoli, parsley, kale, lettuce and....some others too. Thankfully the tender plants are still inside. Hope no one else has baby plants outside in the cold!

Lindafist: To keep our dogs out we found very cheap wire edging at the $$ store one year.


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## akhomesteader (Jan 5, 2006)

We just got another foot of snow, and more to come tonight. But, I did get the seeds started in the house last week for broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and herbs. That always cheers me up. The rest will go straight into the ground sometime in late May --- that is, if the snow ever melts.

Jenny
Frontier Freedom


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## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

The month is almost up, WE WANT PICTURES! How does your recycled garden grow?


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## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

Our recycled garden.

We decided to make a strawberry bed out of an old jungle gym the kids outgrew. We put it in place and lined the bottom with newspaper, then built a lasagna bed with barn waste, compost from the recycle center at the landfill, compost from our "farm" and peat moss (our one "purchased" item.) The strawberries look happy, at night we tuck them in with plastic.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

That's cool, Cheryl! Hopefully we will be able to join back in next month. This move can't drag on forever. L! 

Curious? What made you think of doing the strawberry bed that way?

Cindyc.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

When we bought this place there was left over aluminum siding under the house. We used it to build our raised beds for our garden. They are working great!


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## Cheryl in SD (Apr 22, 2005)

My uncle made it for the kids and I didn't want to throw it out, but it needed another use. We had the strawberries and I was trying to come up with a way to plant that would let us get to everything to pick them. It all sort of came together for me.

Joyfully,
Cheryl


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## Lindafisk (Nov 17, 2004)

That is really a fun idea! A jungle gym!
We got some used bricks from a neighbor and edged our garden with them, we still have quite a few left and need to make spaces for the extra tomatoes I seem to have! Tried to give them to a neighbor but she doesn't want them...I hate to just let them die........


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