Possibilities?

**walshevak** 3/7/2011, 5:46 am

Walmart had STERILITE 18 gal bins on sale for $2. -- 27"x18 1/2"x15 3/4" -- I bought 14. I might have bought more but there were only 14 lids left. My list of possible uses.

store blended compost under my tabletops.
mix and store small batches of mels mix for use in potted plants
planters regular and self wicking
rainwater harvesting ( I don't have gutters and the wide open tops with window
screening on top could catch water better than the narrow openings in rain
barrels) FYI the health inspector allowed us to use STERILITE brand for
storing food when we ran a resturant. Not as sturdy as a rain barrel, but
also smaller.

And that's just gardening uses. There's a lot of other storage uses around the house not related to gardening. Before I start committing any of these does anybody have any more suggestions.

Kay

ander217 3/7/2011, 7:22 am

Thanks for the info that Sterilite brand is safe for food storage. Do you happen to know of any brands which should not be used for those purposes?

**walshevak** 3/7/2011, 8:08 am

No, we had some shallower ones from Walmart and the health inspector allowed them. That's all I can say about it. They were the white ones.

Kay

quiltbea 3/7/2011, 2:18 pm

How about growing herbs in a few of them? Plant a variety of 3 and enjoy.
You could then bring them indoors after the summer growing season so they can provide you with herbs a lot longer inside.

If you don't want to waste raised bed space for nasturtiums and marigolds to keep your plants more pest-free, you could set them at the ends of beds and grow these flowers.

Also, you could grow cherry tomatoes in a couple of them. I grew cherry toms in pots last year and enjoyed the harvests. You just have to hammer a few holes in their bottoms. How about carrots?

As you can see, I'm always thinking veggies. Very Happy

The list is endless. Laughing

**walshevak** 3/7/2011, 2:29 pm

quiltbea wrote:How about growing herbs in a few of them? Plant a variety of 3 and enjoy.
You could then bring them indoors after the summer growing season so they can provide you with herbs a lot longer inside.

If you don't want to waste raised bed space for nasturtiums and marigolds to keep your plants more pest-free, you could set them at the ends of beds and grow these flowers.

Also, you could grow cherry tomatoes in a couple of them. I grew cherry toms in pots last year and enjoyed the harvests. You just have to hammer a few holes in their bottoms. How about carrots?

As you can see, I'm always thinking veggies. The list is endless.

companion planting was on my mind, especially nasturtiums and petunias. Herbs are going into smaller pots that will sit on the tops of the cinderblock corners. Found some 10" square ones at the dollar tree yesterday. But carrots and other deep growers is a good idea.

FYI this configuration has been redone and stabilized with extra support since this pic.

middlemamma 3/7/2011, 2:43 pm

I am growing ALL my toms in them...DIY self watering containers...see link Smile

http://encyclopediahydroponica.wordpress.com/2008/05/17/diy-earth-box/

Odd Duck 3/7/2011, 3:00 pm

Vermicomposting!

http://www.redwormcomposting.com/getting-started/

Is one of the best tutorials I've seen on starting a DIY worm farm with a plastic bin.

And this site:
http://www.insideurbangreen.org/diy-sub-irrigation/

Expands even further on the sub-irrigated planter idea that MM is talking about. They have pics and descriptions of making a SIPS out of nearly any kind of container you might find. And using several different techniques, so browse around.

middlemamma 3/7/2011, 3:03 pm

LOL...YEP...making one of those as well!

**walshevak** 3/7/2011, 4:50 pm

Ah the worm farm. That I had not thought of. Something to consider.

Kay

**walshevak** 3/9/2011, 12:42 pm

Would potatoes grow in these bins and if so do I just start with 6" of mels mix and keep adding as the vines grow until I reach the top?

**walshevak** 3/9/2011, 6:49 pm

bump Would like opinions please Possibilities? 109486

Kay

middlemamma 3/9/2011, 6:57 pm

I think potatoes would grow in them fine...I did about 4 inches of mix in the bottom of mine and added mix as they grew...I got quite a nice yield for a first try Smile

Kabaju42 3/9/2011, 9:25 pm

I haven't tried growing potatoes yet personally, but I've heard several others do pretty much what you're talking about. They've used buckets, stacks of tires, and other stuff. So I'm sure you can do it too.

LittleGardener 7/25/2011, 6:16 am

What an Informative... discussion, Thanks! for the 3 Smile

great ideas you gave me

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