Unusual gardening equipment.

Today I was sewing my first ever proper seeds and discovered why those large sieve things are necessary. As I didn't have one, I substituted a badminton racquet which did the job nicely (if slowly!).

I was wondering if anyone else had had used anything unusual for gardening or made any other emergency substitutions?

 

They are called 'riddles' Lindsay. As you say though a badminton racquet worked, my husband would be appalled as a long time badminton player.

I ran out of plastic plant labels for pots this week so I cut up a plastic milk bottle and used an indelible marker pen to write on them.

 

Have used the same knitting needle for pricking out seedlings for donkeys years. I'd be lost without it. No danger of it ever being required for knitting purposes, though .

 

A few years ago I needed some fine seed compost but only had ordinary multipurpose so I used the kitchen colander which worked a treat and I'm still using it!! I bought another one for the kitchen I don't use the same one!! Val

 

The blue plastic trays that mushrooms are delivered to the greengrocers in also make a useful sieve

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I use one of those too Alex

 

Thanks Sheal, so it's a 'riddle' I need. I wondered if they'd have a proper name. That plastic milk bottle idea is a really good one, I bought some of those white plastic labels the other day and I couldn't believe how expensive they were. Mind you, I am convinced that my garden centre must be one of the most expensive in the country, it's outrageous! I have to admit, the badminton racquet hadn't been used for about 5 years and even then only for a short time while I worked out I was rubbish at badminton so no great loss

 

Sheal, like me is one of those folk who still call them 'riddles' - but you will probably find them listed as a 'sieve' in most garden centres or websites.

Here is a link for you: www.notcutts.co.uk/search?keywords=sieve

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The best dibber I have is my index finger , it makes the hole to the correct depth and diameter !
The mushroom tray sieve / riddle / griddle is a great idea Sieves are expensive.
Plastic milk bottles are very useful for a hundred and one things . I cut them up and Evostik pieces inside cracked teracotta planters , for a very strong permanent repair.

 

Lindsay, although the plastic labels aren't cheap (I'm talking about the ice lolly stick type) they can be used again and again. I write on mine in pencil and clean it off at the end of the growing season with washing up liquid for re-use the following year. Some of mine are so old and brittle (about ten years) that they are starting to break. I don't think they owe me anything.

 

Here's another Heath-Robinson job, a Potting Tray made from an old drawer.

 

Here's a good use for an old tin bath. It makes a brilliant receptacle for collecting all the material from my shredder.

 

What a resourceful lot we gardeners are! Sheal, if my plastic labels last 10 years I faithfully promise to stop moaning about how much they cost

 

Bit of a mishap while I was on washing up duties a few weeks ago. The dish I was cleaning was slightly bigger than I thought.


So what to do with a cracked washing up bowl?


Use it to grow carrots in the greenhouse, that's what.