[Beetroot queen]

We all like getting a bargain but sometimes are houses have things from it's day to day use that can be used really well. I thought it would be heat to share any ideas.

We do the obvious potatoes in black bins, for the children more than anything as it's nice to see them looking each day at the plants progress. The black bins are left over from the days before wheelie bins.

Loo rolls, I chop mine in half to make pots for seedlings, I know some people have problems with mould on the cardboard and this seems to be so with the posher loo roll tubes but switch to farm foods loo rolls and no such problems. Also chop kitchen rolls into four

I sometimes use yoghurt style pots for seeds too. Just stab a hole in the bottom for drainage.

I use margarine pots for growing cress.

We use all our scraps for homemade compost, obvious but money saving.

I have used large pop bottles for homemade watering devices in the tunnel.

Now I have a blank mind, I had so many to list and running up and down the stairs to a sick toddler has given me brain mould.

[Madame Cholet]

cd's as bird scarers
net curtains as nets
knives for weeding tools
lolly sticks for labels
old paint tins for storing small tools

[agapanthus]

My ex used to bring home all the used plastic water cups from the office.....I didn't have to buy small pots for years! They only last a couple of seasons but well worth it. I now buy them for 99p for 50 at Morrisons

[JaK]

We recently cut up an old plastic venetian blind to make plant labels. It made loads! 

[agapanthus]

We recently cut up an old plastic venetian blind to make plant labels. It made loads! 

That's a good idea....labels are really expensive!

[GrannieAnnie]

I make my labels from cut up plastic milk containers and margarine tub lids. I always get spare lids as Brian nicks the tubs for mixing up paint, filler, small amounts of cement etc.

[grendel]

I use a teaspoon for getting plugs out of the trays and potting up. sharpies make good dibbers for propogators.
Grendel

[Auntiemogs]

Supermarket meat and readymeal trays ( ) are great for radishes and lettuce.  I always try to think if something may be useful before I recycle or throw it out. 

[Beetroot queen]

Brilliant I needed some plant labels. 

[grendel]

the trays mushrooms come in are good for about 6 small pots to stand on the windowsill to keep the water in.
Grendel

[plum crumble]

I store the mushroom trays and in the summer use them to harvest all the freebie berries which grow in abundance round here. Also use them when harvesting my PSB - you can get a surprising amount of florets in one of them!!
I use old ice-cream containers to decant paint into,so I don't have to carry a large can around.

[compostqueen]

The plastic mushroom pots last forever too 

A certain brand of fresh Yorkshire puds come in a clear plastic box which is a perfect little propagator.

Wooden slatted blinds are the business. My mate has a load of these and every year they get cleaned and repainted with emulsion ready for the year's labels. These get pushed into the end of the row, vertically, and look very smart. He's rounded the tips off with some sandpaper   

[grendel]

Ah we use plastic takeaway containers with lids for soft fruit, they hold at most 2 layers of fruit, then the lid goes on, you can then stack them for transport / fridge and the fruit doesnt get squashed.
Grendel

[Beetroot queen]

Ah we use plastic takeaway containers with lids for soft fruit, they hold at most 2 layers of fruit, then the lid goes on, you can then stack them for transport / fridge and the fruit doesnt get squashed.
Grendel

I froze aloes in these last year. I forgot that. They stack really well.

[Trillium]

I've used the very large clear rectangular salad containers for potting seeds. Just drill a few drainage holes in the bottom and place in trays. Same with mushroom trays and plastic ice cream containers. And I go to thrift shops for metal blinds that I pick up for about a pound. Makes loads of labels.

Wooden fruit crates from the grocery shops are great for storing things like dahlia tubers, onions, etc for winter. Their slats allow air movement and they stack.

Also at the thrift shops, I get waste bins (that aren't too filthy) cheap, wash them out and use them to store potting mix, fertilizers, garden tools, etc. Our garage floor always gets wet through winter and the bins keep things dry. Ones for soil and fertilizers have lids.