I use the cardboard inserts from loo rolls (and some kitchen towel rolls too) to sow my runner and broad beans; my sweetpeas and tomatoes. Saves a fortune on buying 'root trainer' pots and uses a resource that would otherwise go to waste + when I pot on I just plant the whole thing and it disintegrates as my plants grow and there has been no root disturbance. I get my Mum and Mother-in-law both saving their inserts for me, so that puts theirs to good use too.
You can just imagine the original conversations I had when asking them to save the inserts for me! There was a time here when schools could make use of these inserts, particularly in primary/junior schools if they had to build things in the classroom. Now the Health and Safety brigade have got involved and schools are no longer allowed to make use of this free resource. My SIL is a primary teacher and told me that using something so readily available and free has been banned. Yes, it doesn't make sense to me either.
Our girls nest on straw and once a week they get a total clean out. The straw then gets put into one of two dedicated compost bins before ending up as mulch on the existing veg patch.
I know some people use shredded paper in their compost bins and understand that this is okay so long as there is nothing of a shiny hue, such as pamphlets or magazines, in the mix. Again I get Mum and the in-laws saving all their shredded stuff and I use it instead of cat litter in our cat's trays. If anyone really wants to try to put all the shredded pieces back together after our 6 have 'decorated' it, well they are very welcome. Personally, I think I'd give it a miss. That was another 'interesting' conversation x 2, but it gets rid of all their shredded paperwork and our cats love using it + its a darned sight cheaper than buying commercial cat litter.
I use the dead stuff from the garden, twigs, small branches sawn up etc for kindling for our open fire each winter. The larger stuff I saw up and use as logs. Anything else worth reusing in other ways often end up as supports for plants etc. My spent compost from pots ends up on the veg/salad patch and I got a couple of comfrey plants to make my own liquid fertiliser + use a wormery.
All this happens despite having on going problems with a scarily sited garden - on the side of a disused quarry - and things having got well out of hand since my husband had a stroke. He used to do all the heavy work, now despite my own physical problems I have to take that on, a little bit at a time.
Our girls nest on straw and once a week they get a total clean out. The straw then gets put into one of two dedicated compost bins before ending up as mulch on the existing veg patch.
I know some people use shredded paper in their compost bins and understand that this is okay so long as there is nothing of a shiny hue, such as pamphlets or magazines, in the mix. Again I get Mum and the in-laws saving all their shredded stuff and I use it instead of cat litter in our cat's trays. If anyone really wants to try to put all the shredded pieces back together after our 6 have 'decorated' it, well they are very welcome. Personally, I think I'd give it a miss. That was another 'interesting' conversation x 2, but it gets rid of all their shredded paperwork and our cats love using it + its a darned sight cheaper than buying commercial cat litter.
I use the dead stuff from the garden, twigs, small branches sawn up etc for kindling for our open fire each winter. The larger stuff I saw up and use as logs. Anything else worth reusing in other ways often end up as supports for plants etc. My spent compost from pots ends up on the veg/salad patch and I got a couple of comfrey plants to make my own liquid fertiliser + use a wormery.
All this happens despite having on going problems with a scarily sited garden - on the side of a disused quarry - and things having got well out of hand since my husband had a stroke. He used to do all the heavy work, now despite my own physical problems I have to take that on, a little bit at a time.
