Reuse -- Using cans in the garden

This blog is not a gardening blog. Honest. It's spring and that's what's on my mind right now, so deal. ;) Cans! I don't use cans in the kitchen much, mostly because of the BPA levels found in the plastic linings. I do, however, buy coffee that comes in cans, and I've come up with numerous uses for them. One of them using them as a seedling protector in the garden.




Once you've emptied the can, put it upside down in a can opener and remove the bottom, and discard it in your recycling bin.

What you'll get is a metal tube, just perfect for protecting your tomato seedlings from nasties and weather. The main reason I need these, is slugs and cut worms. Sunday night we had a huge storm, hail and all come through. The tomato seedlings that were protected by cans were the only ones that survived. I had one that just disappeared, likely washed away with the heavy rain. Sucky..

I'll keep my seedlings in these until they look like they're about to outgrow them. They have to be pulled up over the plant, so I would imagine about two weeks with this. Then the cans go in storage until next time, or the recycling bin.

My grandfather inspired this technique. Snooping around his old barn one day, I found paint cans with their bottoms taken out. I asked my dad what they were used for, and he explained the gardening tip. Funny how reusing things isn't some new age hippie thing, but a practical practice revisited.