Gardening equipment such as compost, pots and pesticide can be costly if you purchase it regularly. Using household items that you would usually chuck away is a great way to save money and do your bit for the environment. Horticultural expert Calum Maddock from Home How has explained which forms of household waste you can use to create useful gardening products.
Glass bottles
Britons use glass bottles everyday, whether it’s for sauces or olive oil.
If you have any empty glass bottles spare, you can use them by removing labels and turning them into plant holders.
Mr Maddock said glass bottles can also be used in garden beds for slow irrigation to gradually release water to replenish plants.
If you’re away from your plants for an extended period of time, this could be a great way to ensure they don’t dry out.
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Blossom end rot is caused by lack of calcium so adding eggshells to your compost is an affordable way of making sure this doesn’t happen.
Eggshells can also balance out the soil’s PH levels, said Mr Maddock.
Slugs and snails also don’t like eggshells because of their sharp edges.
If you put cracked egg shells around the base of your plant, slugs and snails are less likely to wreck your plants.
When adding it to your compost, you need to make sure it is mixed with brown composting materials such as newspapers and dry leaves.
This mixture will improve fertilisation while also feeding worms and keeping pests away from plants.
Fruit, vegetables, peelings, bread, tea bags and cereal can also be put in compost bins.
