Plastic waste is a major problem. Most of us are now aware of the massive ocean gyres… the dangers to wildlife… the huge landfill sites filled with non-compostable waste. Gardening is a great way to become more sustainable in your daily life. But gardening traditionally involves using a lot of plastic. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to reduce our reliance. Not only in our homes but also in our gardens, we can find plastic-free alternatives to many common products.
One way to reduce your reliance on plastic in your garden is to grow your own without using plastic seed trays and pots. Fortunately, there are plenty of options. One option is to make your own biodegradable plant pots. Here are some of the materials and methods you could use:
- Use toilet roll tubes. (Simply cut four slots in the bottom then bend them under to create small plugs for seeds.)
- Make use of small cardboard boxes, or make small boxes using cardboard used in packaging.
- Use egg boxes to start your seeds.
- Or the half egg shells themselves.
- Utilise newspaper (or other scrap paper) to make small pots.
- Mulch scrap paper and flour paste to make papier maché pots. (This could be a fun project to try with kids.)
- Use melon rinds, citrus rinds etc as small containers for your plants.
If you look around you, and think about all the materials at your disposal, you will find that there are plenty of alternatives to traditional plastic seed trays, plugs and plant pots.
To avoid buying plants that come in pots, consider growing your own from seed. And you can also take cuttings to get new plants that don’t come complete with plastic pots or plastic wrapping. You may also wish to consider saving your own seeds next year. These are all simple ways to reduce your reliance on plastic in your garden.
EWSP Consultancy 