If it Can’t Go in the Recycling Bin, Use it in the Organic Garden

Using recycled materials in the organic garden means more than acting frugally. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recycling saves natural resources, reduces greenhouse emissions, prevents pollution, and keeps waste out of landfills. However, not every community has a recycling program, and not all household waste can be recycled. Here are some ways to repurpose household waste and unused goods in the organic garden.

Recycled Rugs

There never seems to be enough mulch to go into organic garden beds, so to lay down a thick layer of soil enriching materials on garden paths seems wasteful. The main purpose of mulching garden paths is to keep weeds down and provide a clear walking path, so why not use old rugs? Gardeners can use throw rugs, carpet remnants, and unused area rugs on paths between garden beds to smother weeds.

If the rugs are made of cotton or wool, they can be left in place to decompose naturally. Discard rugs made of artificial fibers after one growing season to prevent weeds from germinating on top of them and anchoring them into place.

Recycling Cardboard

Many communities lack a curbside cardboard recycling program, but every ton of cardboard that’s recycled saves 9 cubic feet of landfill space, according to Earth911.com. Organic gardeners can use layers of thin paperboard or corrugated cardboard under their mulch to control weeds. Cut cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towel rolls into 2-inch sections and use them as cutworm collars. Cardboard tubes also make cheap seed starting containers, which then decompose in the ground when transplanted.

Recycling Plastic Bags

Terra cotta pots, especially older pots aged by weather and moss, have a charm that plastic and resin pots can’t match. However, terra cotta is notorious for absorbing excess heat and drying out quickly. Plastic grocery bags can turn terra cotta pots from plant root bakeries into water retaining flower and vegetable container gardens. Line terra cotta pots with plastic bags before adding soil, and puncture the bag at the bottom of the pots for drainage. Tuck the bags over the top of the soil, and hide any exposed plastic with mulch.

Recycling Dryer Lint

Dryer lint makes a fine addition to the compost bin for gardeners who wear 100% natural fibers like cotton and wool, but synthetic fibers like polyester won’t break down into humus. Gardeners can line the bottom of their planting containers with lint to keep soil from washing through the drainage hole. A layer of lint on top of the soil in containers acts as moisture retentive mulch. Finally, hang large wads of lint in a mesh onion bag to provide nest-building material for garden birds.