How to completely recycle a milk bottle for garden use

Wash out the bottle using the same water you washed your dishes in.

1. Make a garden scoop.
This probably won't be strong enough to dig your soil but it can be used to meter out potting mix or fertiliser etc. You could make on for each medium so that they don't contaminate each other.

2. Make a plant self-watering container
There are only so many garden scoops you will need so rather than waste this bit turn it into a cheap plant self-waterer.

Put less holes in the lid if you want it to come out slowly.

Invert the bottle in your container and fill with water.

3. Make some seed trays

Mark out the bottom 1/4 to create a small seed tray.

Put some holes in the bottom for drainage, add your seed-raising potting mix (using your scoop, of course) and then sow your seeds. Leave them on the window sill to germinate.

4. Make some labels for your new plants or seed trays

There is still some scrap left over from the other projects so these can be turned into plant labels.

5. What to do with the ring seal?

This still remains and I have not idea how it could be used. Any suggestions?

Posted by Stuart on February 17, 2007 4:51 AM | Permalink | Check to Subscribe to this Comment:

Comments

I don't know what to do with the ring seal, but when I discard it, I always cut it so it is a strip. My sister said that sometimes wild animals get tangled up with them, and this helps prevent that.

Posted by: Carol | February 19, 2007 3:45 AM

Great tip Carol. I could see how that could become a disaster to some animals.

Posted by: Stuart | February 19, 2007 3:49 AM

I really liked this post Stuart. It's fun, and has some good ideas too :)
Carol's tip is a good one, although our rings always go into our furnace, along with our paper rubbish.
Another thing that's dangerous to animals is tin cans. We once had a barn cat get its head stuck in one and almost smother. Since then, I've always rinsed them well and crushed them.

Posted by: kerri | February 23, 2007 2:44 AM

I'm glad you liked it Kerri and thanks for the lovely comment. Good tip re: the cans. It makes a lot of sense to ensure that our waste doesn't harm our natural fauna or even our pets.

Posted by: Stuart | February 23, 2007 3:54 AM

You can give the milk ring to your cat/s and let them play with it. My mom's cat LOVES to chase a milk ring around her kitchen. Mine won't play with them :( But they love foil balls. lol

Posted by: Tish | April 1, 2007 11:04 AM

As for the ring, all three of our cats love them as toys. One of them will bring them to you so that you will throw them for him to chase and retrive. All three will toss them into the air and catch them before batting them around.

Posted by: Rowan | May 19, 2007 8:44 AM

use the ring for starter plants to keep the branches together. I.E: tomatoes. Place the ring around the fledgling branches as a bundle until they are strong enough to support themselves. Yes, this still doesn't resolve the issue of how to dispose of it, but, it lets you use it until you come up with another idea.

Posted by: Aaron Wasilewski | August 6, 2007 10:17 PM

Cut them once and loop them together into a xmas garland.

Posted by: Julian & Lynda | February 1, 2008 3:35 PM

In the Leo Sayer fan club (Bath Branch)we use the plastic ring to make plastic big hair party wigs, we therefore need a lot so if you know or can suggest a free source of plastic rings it would be very much appreciated.

Posted by: Nick Currie | February 1, 2008 3:44 PM

Hello

Funny! I know what to do with the rings but wanted to see how to use the bottle itself. Thanks for the great ideas.

I used collect the rings for a scheme brought to life by a doctor in North Queensland, Australia. When a certain weight is collected, a sick, needy child gets an operation for free. I have moved since and now just cut it up into pieces.
Maybe some member in your community would be prepared to do the same?

Regards
Dez

Posted by: Desiree | May 13, 2008 8:31 PM

You could use the rings around news paper pots to hold it together , a bit like toilet roll inserts

Posted by: Anonymous | January 25, 2009 12:18 AM

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