On the old site, we had a thread going where people talked about the sorts of things that they recycled or re-purposed and reused in their gardens, so I thought I would start a new thread here so we could share our recycling ideas with one another.

Here are a few things I routinely recycle:

• I take old garden hoses that may have a leak in them. Using an awl, I puncture holes in them at evenly spaced intervals -- making sure that the holes don't go through both sides of the hose. I can then use the hose as a soaker hose.
• I use egg cartons to start seeds
• When I need to create a sleeve or support around a plant, I use plastic containers or coffee cans. After I've finished using a coffee can for example, I'll remove the other side so that I have it open from both ends. This works wonderfully as a support for tomatoes, for example. With card board containers, they make great seed starting containers. When the seedlings are mature enough to be planted in the ground, I simply cut the bottom off and slide it into the ground.
• Use kitchen scraps, newspaper, leaves, grass and even weeds to create a lasagna bed. You can even do that on a slab of cement.
• If you get clear plastic bottles from juice or milk, use those to root cuttings.
• I look for sticks of all sizes and shapes to use as supports. I can create trellises out of those sticks simply by weaving them together or tying them. If you want to weave them, sometimes it helps to soak the pieces of wood so they will bend more easily. You can also make your own border fence out of these.
• Save your cans and remove the labels. Rather than going to the expense of buying expensive bricks or stones, create your own border using the cans. If you can find rocks that are large enough to create pathways without having to buy them, that's great too.
• Go to construction sites and ask them if you can have things they are discarding. Sometimes you can get all sorts of things that way --- everything from bricks, stones, supplies that were formerly used in landscaping, anything like that.
• Instead of buying string   to tie your plants, use panty hose. They are gentler. You can also use panty hose to protect tomatoes if you are concerned about insect infestation. Make sure that they are as neutral colored as possible.
• Compost. Making compost will give you the best organic soil additive you can find anywhere.
• If you routinely buy fresh fish, ask the fish monger if you can have the head, tail and bones. If you need a nitrogen or calcium rich fertilizer -- say for tomatoes, this is THE BEST thing you'll find....It may also help you prevent blossom end rot -- which is caused by uneven watering and insufficient calcium.