Garden Furniture Products

June Newsletter

Garden Recycling

As we become increasingly aware of waste in all aspects of our lives, I am often asked what people can recycle from their gardens. Obviously, we are all aware of using vegetable scrap and grass cuttings in our compost. We can also use hedge trimmings, plants and bark, twigs and branches  (shredded), leaves and garden windfall, and cut flowers to feed our compost bin.

See more about Composting here...

What else can we do ...

1. Bricks and stone from building work can be used to create a useful Barbecue area. (Have a look at our delicious barbecue recipes for some ideas to make this summer sizzle).
2. Old tyres can be cut in half and used as flower planters, or as swings for the children.
3. Railway sleepers are becoming more difficult to find these days but can be used to create pathways, children's climbing frames and to delineate borders.
4. Bamboo canes have many uses in the garden from supporting climbers to holding bird scarers.
5. Pipes and old pots can be used artistically or to encourage wildlife into the garden by providing shelter and nesting sites.
6. Empty drinks bottles can make great bird feeders.
7. Small Yohurt pots and egg cartons make great seed beds.

Have you got any great tips for recycling in the garden? If so, why not send them to us by email and we will add them to the list.

Rabbits
Rabbits are the bane of gardeners lives. What do you do to limit their impact in the garden? Here are some tips which some poeple have found effective.

1. Put vinegar on a cotton wool ball in a container near where they are feeding.
2. Use aloe vera gel straight or reconstituted with 1 gallon of warm water around the area.
3. Sprinkle human hair around the perimeter of the garden.
4. Use foxes' urine (available from garden centres) on cotton wool balls around the garden

See July newsletter for more details about protecting your garden from rabbits.

How do I make leaf mould (mulch)?

Large amounts of leaves can be transformed into leaf mould. The leaves need to be stored in simple wire mesh container (at least 1m x 1m x 1m in size) to prevent the heap from drying out. If space is limited, you can use black plastic dustbin bags with a few holes pierced in the sides and base.

Collect leaves when they are wet after rain. Keep them damp and leave them to decay. As soon as they have started to break up and darken in colour they can be used as mulch or dug into the soil. This may be ready by the following spring, or it may take a year or two, depending on the type of leaves used and how moist they are.

You can speed up the process by shredding the leaves before heaping them up. If you mix some grass in with chopped leaves this will also help to speed the process slightly.

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