As well as having a positive effect on the world around us, recycling can also benefit individuals - by transforming used plastic into functional items that will enhance our day-to-day life.
One way of ensuring plastic doesn't become a nuisance is to reuse items in your garden. With spring in the air, this is an ideal time to get the garden sorted ready for the summer months ahead - and there are some great uses for plastic bottles that will save you money.
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Watering jug
The easiest way to reuse a four-pint, plastic milk bottle is to wash it out properly to remove all traces of milk and then turn it into a watering jug. Use it to tend your garden, as it's an ideal size and not too heavy, while the built-in carrying handle makes it easy to pour out the water. It can be more convenient than using a watering can, which can be heavy when full and therefore more difficult to manage.
Trowel
Make a hand-trowel from a four-pint milk bottle by holding the handle and using a felt-tip marker pen to draw a trowel shape, going towards the base of the bottle and using its natural curve to create the well of the tool. Use a sharp knife to cut around the trowel shape, so that the milk bottle handle becomes the trowel's handle. Stretch a deflated balloon over any sharp edges to create a smooth handle with a rubber grip.
Grow cuttings
Grow cuttings from plants using plastic water or fizzy drinks bottles, which can provide a taller plant pot. Cut the top off any size bottle and make a small hole in the bottom for drainage. You will have a deeper than usual plant pot for planting your cuttings. If required, you can tape the top back on to create a mini "greenhouse" to ensure the cuttings are kept moist and protected from cold winds.
Fly traps
Turn empty bottles into fly traps to keep insects away from your fruit and vegetables - the ideal size bottle to make a fly trap is 1.5 litres. Cut a couple of holes in the side of the top half of the bottle. Fill the bottom half with some kind of "bait" - a sugary food, such as jam or honey, should do the trick. Hang them on the branches of fruit trees to trap the flies.
Growing vegetables
Tape together nine 1.5-litre plastic bottles to make a mini raised bed, where you can grow a selection of vegetables. Save up enough bottles to create a larger raised bed, which will be useful for planting all year round. You can also use five-litre bottles to grow single tomato plants or peppers.
Scarecrow
Make sure the birds aren't tempted to pick your fruit by making a plastic scarecrow. Thread several small empty bottles together on string. Then, hang them between trees, on bushes, or between canes. As they rustle in the wind, or reflect the glare of the sun, they will deter birds from landing. Alternatively, turn an empty bottle upside down and push it on top of a post, where it will make a scarecrow's head. Drape it with some old clothes and voila, you have a scarecrow!
Mini propagators
Bottles can be fashioned into mini propagators to provide extra warmth and shelter for young seedlings. Cut the bottle in half and cut an "X" in the lid for drainage. Invert the top half of the bottle and fill it with soil. Place the inverted top inside the bottom half. Plant your seed and water the soil, so that any excess water drains off. You can group the bottles in trays or shallow boxes and use them time and time again.
With a little imagination, you can recycle plastic bottles and use them for all kinds of useful things in your garden!
Solent Plastics caters to the UK and global markets, specialising in a variety of plastic products such as boxes, containers, bins and other plastic storage solutions that can be used again and again. For further information, please contact us today.