Recycling Bin Garden: A Simple Project

Recycling a no longer used recycle bin into a small organic garden may just be the most apropos repurpose ever. Though simple it was one of my favorite Earth Day projects that we have done.  My daughter's pride and excitement that she is growing tomatoes has a lot to do with that.

Easy Steps to Repurpose Recycling Bin into Garden

In my town and much of the surrounding area, recycling bins have been replaced by large recycling cans that need to be picked up less frequently. I still use one of them in my mudroom to collect recycling to be taken out to the larger can, but the other has just sort of been hanging around. The bins are quite durable and weatherproof, so when I was at the home improvement store yesterday looking at a self-watering patio container for my daughter to start a little vegetable garden in I took a closer look at the set-up.  It was simply a grid with a tube to pour water directly to bottom.  I decided the steep price of the planter was better spent on other supplies, such as organic soil and plants.

The bin already had tiny holes in the bottom corners.  If your doesn't, simple drill some.  I covered the bottom of the bin with about 3" deep of gravel.  2" would have been sufficient, but the bin is quite deep

I then let my daughter fill the bin with organic potting soil.

She adores tomatoes, so we ran out and got her a patio tomato to plant in the little recycle bin garden. The two lettuce plants are self-seeded lettuce from last years crop that I transplanted for her.  I folded the legs of the tomato cage over, so it would fit the bin.  I secured it to her play set, but it could have been secured to the bin itself if necessary.

The writing on the side doesn't bother me at all, but a can of outdoor plastic paint or a small attached sign could easily cover the writing if it bothers you.