Frugal Container Gardening

**cheapgeek** · 07-05-2005, 01:51 PM

I'm in the early stages of learning about gardening. I lack a garden - all I have is a fire escape - but by next year, I'd like at least a few containers of something edible/useful out there.

Step one? A little aloe plant that I picked up at the store the other day. Cheaper than a bottle of that after-sun-type stuff and probably more effective! I plan on continuing over the winter with herbs and maybe doing some bean sprouting for my stir-fries.

I've started collecting things to use as containers. Have you ever heard the phrase, "once you find a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail?" I feel like now that I've found a power drill, everything looks like a plant container.

**forestdale** · 07-06-2005, 12:32 AM

lol You've got the right idea, cheapgeek. Why not recycle whatever you have. It's frugal and it helps save valuable resources. Good luck with your container gardens.

I'm a sprout geek. I love growing and eating sprouts. My favourite at the moment are brocolli sprouts but I'm finding it difficult to find organic seeds. I currently have alfalfa and onion sprouts in the fridge.

Don't forget to join our garden club. You'll be able to take part in our competition. See the comp thread for details. To join the club simply respond to the garden club thread.

Welcome to our garden patch, cheap geek.

**bacawind** · 07-06-2005, 01:50 AM

Where I work there is a kitchen with deep fat fryers. They go through 4 to 5 oil jugs a week. I get them! They are about 5 gallons, plastic, and come in a cardboard box for easy handling. I want to plant in them, cutting off the tops. My husband wants to fill them with water and stack them in our old school bus (seats are removed) to make it into a greenhouse. I like this idea better than saving every container I find. I find a lot of stuff, I save way too much (clutter, clutter everywhere and I can't find anything) and if it's outside for an hours it usually blows away. These are easier to save and handle. The problem is growing things. I have such a black thumb. In Louisiana everything grew if I wanted it to or not. Here it is dry, sandy, prairie. Tumbleweed and cactus salads!?

**cheapgeek** · 07-06-2005, 12:46 PM

Originally posted by forestdale
I'm a sprout geek. I love growing and eating sprouts. My favourite at the moment are brocolli sprouts but I'm finding it difficult to find organic seeds. I currently have alfalfa and onion sprouts in the fridge.

Oh, I LOVE onion sprouts! I'd love to do my own, because we don't use them fast enough and end up throwing half the container away.

Don't forget to join our garden club.

Will do, thanks! I wasn't sure whether or not I qualified.

They go through 4 to 5 oil jugs a week. I get them!

I'm jealous!

I'll have to keep an eye out on my street for restaurants to throw away their pickle buckets.

We're going to be looking at a place that has a balcony, so *if* we get it, I'll have a whole balcony to plaster in foliage.

**cheapgeek** · 07-16-2005, 09:41 AM

So far, I'm growing mesclun mix, cilantro, basil, and chives from seeds I bought. Then, I decided to do some grocery growing: I found ginger root that had some green nubs on it, garlic that had sprouted, spaghetti squash with some sprouted seeds, and jalapeno pepper. They're all growing! The spaghetti squash will probably die because it's just sitting in the window, but it's growing like a giant weed.

**waterlover** · 07-16-2005, 10:18 AM

cheapgeek your container garden sounds great

**forestdale** · 07-16-2005, 03:58 PM

I think you're doing really well! Not only are you saving money by growing these things, but those herbs and vegies will be packed full of vitamins and minerals when they're fresh from the garden.

**debbiepittman** · 07-18-2005, 03:07 PM

Plastic milk, juice, drink and pop bottles are good for growing also. Just cut the tops off to size.

Debbie

**Sara Noel** · 07-18-2005, 03:23 PM

http://www.smokytopia.com/paperpots/paperpots.htm

**cheapgeek** · 08-01-2005, 12:46 PM

Sara, that's BRILLIANT!

I've bookmarked that. I wouldn't even have to buy a newspaper: I can get free real estate newspapers.

Debbie, a container I like is from foods that are packaged in HDPE plastic, such as coconut oil and protein powders. It's a nice, solid plastic. I put wallpaper border around it to cover the labels.

The garden is doing nicely. Thanks for the support! We got to eat our first salad greens yesterday. They were just thinnings, but nice.

The spaghetti squash is a monster. It's forming little flowers already.

**bbson** · 01-08-2008, 04:47 PM

I've also got a wonderful spring garden planned for my little balcony. I've never really grown anything before, but suddently I'm obsessed with the prospect of growing and eating my own organic food. I plan to share the "harvests" of tomatoes, sprouts and herbs with the others in my building!!

I plan on using only naturals and recylables. I've also gotten some great economical and green tips on the internet, like using vinegar to get rid of weeds and hot sacus to eliminate pests! Right now I'm saving egg cartons for starting seedlings and scrounging for free containers...though I did break down and buy some $2.00 litter boxes for planting greens etc. Whew!!! a lot to do..and Hope your garden works out!!!

Bryce

**Edna_E** · 01-08-2008, 08:20 PM

Good ideas here! I often use yogurt containers to start plants, and have used egg cartons too. I like the paper pot idea! I also like the idea of using garlic that has sprouted - but how do you plant it? I LOVE garlic, but have never tried growing it.

**Katybird** · 01-11-2008, 09:47 PM

We are putting in a huge garden this year but I plan on putting in several varieties of pepper plants in hanging baskets on my deck and probably a few heritage type tomato plants in containers on the deck other than the hearty beefsteak and cherry tomato plants that we put in the garden.