Comments on: Gardening Without Plastic, Part 1: Raised Beds and Plastic-Free Soil

By: shelleyshell

shelleyshell — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 02:18:26 +0000

Good for you! I’m impressed and inspired!

By: Kelly S.

Kelly S. — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:13:48 +0000

We used newspaper as a weed block on the top surface of our garden this year. (It is held down by a thin layer of mulch dropped off for free from a local tree trimming company. It seems to be working well where we made the layers thick enough. Next season we can just till it into the garden. Your space is small so a watering can might do the trick! Metal ones do last forever and you might find them at a flea market for sale. Try the one at De Anza college! It is amazing.

By: Jayadeep Purushothaman

Jayadeep Purushothaman — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:22:05 +0000

We have an organic terrace garden and your post made me realize the plastic pieces in it – the bottom of the box is plastic, and there are some pots that are plastic that came with the plants we bought from a nursery – we didn’t want to throw it anyway. We didn’t buy a plastic hose(garden is small), but use a plastic water can. And we bought a pair of glows too – but decided not to use it. It was uncomfortable and latex.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:11:47 +0000

Your awesome! Think I´m extra touched by this post as I´ve just started growing as well. I have caved in on the gloves though…. & I still have blisters! have you found an answer to seed potting? I´ll post a pic to your facebook of a magic machine a friend lent me.

Another friend said Goats shit is the shit! But I know it´ll come in bags… so I´m off to get loose horses from a friend instead today. Another bag saved!

By: Katy

Katy — Tue, 17 May 2011 01:27:51 +0000

Go, Beth! I am so impressed. I too am a recovering garden failure. I take great interest in your evolution. Maybe I will give it another go! Keep posting your progress, I’d love to hear it.

By: BetsyR

BetsyR — Sat, 14 May 2011 15:41:28 +0000

@PeaJayFish- A 10′ length of 3′ high fencing looped into a circle makes a quick, inexpensive compost bin. Keep some bags of leaves to layer with your kitchen scraps and throw on some soil once in a while and you’ll have compost in 6 months. Make sure to keep the pile moist, but not wet. Also, a cheap stainless steel stock pot with a lid makes an attractive, cleanable indoor compost bucket.

By: Sophie

Sophie — Sat, 14 May 2011 09:15:55 +0000

Regards the cost of a metal watering can – yes, they are definitely expensive, but my mum’s is still going after 15 years :)

Show me a plastic watering can that can match that record! Given that if the plastic doesn’t become brittle and crack, the nozzle will probably throw a wobbly and there’ll be no replacements to be found. (guess who’s a convert..)

By: Buttes

Buttes — Fri, 13 May 2011 05:29:38 +0000

Many nurseries have seedling grown in wooden flats and cut the desired number of plants out of the flat and wrap them in newspaper and twine for you to take home.

By: britt

britt — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:45:48 +0000

I haven’t read the comments so you may have heard already, but they make gloves that are cotton canvas-type material. You can find them all over in fact I saw some the other day with no plastic packaging, but i prefer a different kind of glove so I didn’t think much about it. As far as watering is concerned. If you can be dedicated you do not need a hose, but you will need an outdoor faucet/spigot of some sort. Get a bucket or watering can (you can find plenty of metal ones post to criagslist/freecycle/etc and i bet you’ll find one)

By: Beth Terry

Beth Terry — Thu, 12 May 2011 18:01:39 +0000

peajayFish, Oakland does have city-wide composting, so I have been lazy about composting my own food scraps for the past couple of years. I did buy a compost tumbler made from recycled plastic back in 2007. Here’s my post about various compost tumblers: http://myplasticfreelife.com/2007/08/compost-tumbler-solution-to-potting/

And here is my less than enthusiastic update about the one I chose: http://myplasticfreelife.com/2008/03/update-2-urban-composting/

I’m considering starting up again with the kind of composter that sits on the ground because now I do have room for it. And yes, I too have been worried about killing worms.