'Upcycling' Water?

This might sound like a ludicrous notion, but in reality all water is 'upcycled' or recycled. It all goes back to the three part system I learned in grade school. Water is always in one part of the water cycle or the other, it is either part of a body of water on the ground, evaporating/ed and floating above our heads as clouds, or falling to the ground as a type as precipitation.

This is not quite as complicated. Here I am speaking only about reusing rainwater on a small scale. Rainwater can be collected and redistributed to your garden very simply. Instead of letting rainwater run from the gutters into the street and into the city storm water system, it can be gathered in rain barrels and used when most needed. 

Here are some places for learning about how to make your own rain barrels:

How to Build a Rainwater Collection System

Simple Rain Barrel Plans

As you can see from the plans a spout is attached to the base to attach a hose and make watering easy.

Another fun water use for the garden:

A bird bath!

Happy Gardening!

Nikki

This 'N That Creations

Composting: The Ultimate Upcycle

What could be better than using free stuff to get better stuff? Nothing of course. That is what composting is all about. You take the free nitrogen and carbon that grows from the ground or falls from the sky and turn it into a medium that your new plants can use to become stronger, produce more flowers/fruit, and create a great place to relax.


First off a confession: I am a lazy composter. I throw my stuff in my pile and let the magic of nature do it's thing. This means that my compost takes 2-3 times longer than anyone else using a hot composting method. But I will get into more details below and point you in the direction of some great resources as I go along.


The basics:


To start off you will need a place to put a compost pile, materials to construct a composting box, and plant clippings. My compost box is constructed from 4 T-posts, coated garden fencing mesh and zip ties. Other composting boxes can be made from upcycled pallets or other materials, but see paragraph 2, plus I didn't find these plans until just now.


You can also buy compost bins like this one, but beware the plastic bins, they can get so hot your plants will produce a foul smelling plant juice. Unlike wood or wire mesh composters they don't get the needed air circulation.


As for what to add to the compost bin once you build it you need a mix of both green plant clippings (e.g. grass) and brown plant clippings (e.g. fall leaves), adding these will give you the appropriate mix of carbon (brown) and nitrogen (green) that you need to promote growth in your garden. Unfortunately, they tend to be available at different times of the year.


Composting:


There are two types of compost which I am going to touch on here: Hot composting and cold composting. 


Hot composting can only take place if you have the required balance of nitrogen, carbon, water and air. To accomplish this you need to add alternating layers of brown and green plant materials. I would suggest each layer be approximately 4 inches thick. You also need to make sure to water your compost. Don't let it get soggy, but don't let it dry out either. The last is air. About once a week you need to turn your compost pile to add in air. See I am tired just thinking about it, but you get good compost in 2-3 months. FYI, it is normal for this type of compost to steam.


Cold composting on the other hand is much simpler. Build compost box, add plant clippings, wait 6-9 months. 


For more information, I recommend checking out Composting 101.


Good stuff to add:


Green:
Grass clippings, food waste (vegetables), coffee grounds, garden waste.


Brown:
Fall leaves, hair or pet fur, fruit, shredded newspaper or cardboard, peanut shells.


Stuff to watch out for: 


If you decide to add fruit or vegetables to your compost make sure to bury them at least 6 inches from any side of your bin to deter rodents.


Don't add meat, pet droppings, or anything with oil in it. It will sour the batch.


Don't put diseased plants or weeds in your bin, it probably won't be hot enough to kill either of them.


But wait you say, when and how can I use my compost?

This is a great question. Once you have created a pile, you need to let it 'cook' for awhile, either actively or passively managing it. Once you have determined there must be compost in the pile, I recommend sifting it through a 1/4 inch mesh screen to remove any large pieces of vegetation (to go back into the compost pile). Then place around plants or till into your garden plot.


Pretty upcycled stuff to decorate your garden with while you are waiting for the compost:

As always hoping your garden is a little greener,


Nikki
This 'n That Creations

Love 2 DIY on the Weekend: Upcycled Furniture!

I have lots of chairs to upcycle so I was looking for some inspiration and found tons of ideas for upcycling furniture, so of course, I just had to share them with you for our Love 2 DIY series!

You may also know how much I love Pinterest so that's where my search began!

Hope these amazing ideas sparked your creativity~ pull out some of that old furniture and start remaking it, or upcycle some pallets into a designer style piece~ And remember to look at things in a different way before you throw it out!

Have a great weekend!
;) Cat

Wasteless Wednesday~ "Grow Green"!

This Wasteless Wednesday, we offer you another week's worth of tips~ this time for "growing" GREEN!

How does your garden grow? How about your lawn or yard? Do you have plants in your home? How do you care for them? Do you use fertilizers? Pesticides? Do you overwater because you aren't using indigenous species?

Every bit of green you surround yourself with will help sustain our planet but only if you do it without wasting resources while keeping it green!

Here are our tips for the week:

1. Instead of a typical houseplant in a container~ imagine having a little slice of Earth in your home...a terrarium!

Bear Pair Bowl Terrarium by DoodleBirdie

2. Try raising your plants on air instead of water...

Air Plant Dance Valentine's Day Terrarium from Roots in Rust

3. Use organic or natural pesticides~ Did you know fleas can be repelled by Eucalyptus? There are plenty of home remedies to control insects and pests, just make an effort to find them!

Organic Eucalyptus Essential Oil from Natural Earth

4. Consider carefully when you landscape your yard! Use indigenous, zone hardy and low maintenance plants. Use ground cover species instead of grass. Create ecological habitats for birds, bees and butterflies to encourage pollination.

Garden Mosaic Birdhouse from Winestone Birdhouses

5. Create a "Rain Garden" to catch the potential polluted run-off or stormwater from your property.

5. Use upcycled garden decor or statuary in your yard, patio or outdoor areas~

Yellow Flower Metal Art Sculpture from Metal Art Dude

Metal Flower Garden Candle Holder by Tink and Designs

6. Support and consume organically grown foods and products. Local if you can, but always consider the source!

Gourmet Chinchilla Yummies from Brizel4theAnimals

7. Encourage others to grow their own or "Grow Green"!

Veggin' Out Seed Kit Gift Basket from Humble Seed

We hope you found a way to Waste Less last week and PLEASE spread the word about Wasteless Wednesday~ Have a great week!