BLOG REPOST FROM 6/29/2009: HOW TO MAKE A SWP!

Since I demonstrated how to make a SWP (Self Watering Planter) over the weekend, I thought I would repost this post. Good info to know if you want to grow some of your own food and don't have room for a garden! A few have commented on my SWP's, and a few more have sent me emails askinf how I make them. Well luckily I had one more Pepper to transplant so I needed to make one. The actual idea comes from Gary Ibsen's Tomatofest website, where they are called EarthTainers™. He and his friend Ray,(the original inventor of the EarthTainer™) ask that if you use their design that you simply make a donation to Feed the Children. Since I basically use the same directions- no problem. I just wanted a free or cheaper way of making the SWP's instead of buying roughneck totes to make them. Cheap Veggie Gardner should appreciate this stinginess thriftiness.
Anyway if you don't want to look at the videos, here is how I make SWP's
First I get 2 buckets in this case a 5 gallon and a 3 gallon bucket. You can get these from restaurant type places- just ask! (Thanks Wah Kue Café!)

Then in one bucket cut a hole big enough for a plastic planter or a tomato can to fit in this case I am using a galvanized steel planter I had laying around. If you have access to hole saws this is easy. Or use a jig saw. A jab saw or drywall saw will work as well, This time I used a jigsaw.

Then make a hole towards the side of the same bucket big enough to fit a piece of PVC Tubing through.

Then drill some holes in your tomato can or planter.

Most buckets will fit together leaving about 2" of room between the two buckets- I don't have to worry here as I am using a 3 gallon and a 5 gallon This is good as the bucket will have some room between the upper bucket –or planter and the 2nd bucket or “reservoir”. If it doesn’t HAve this lip or the top bucket goes all the way down simply insert a brick or a couple of rocks in the bottom bucket to raise the top bucket.

That done, drill a hole in the bottom bucket, taking note where the top bucket’s bottom is. Drill the hole just below the bottom of the top bucket. Put the PVC tubing in the hole you made for it.

. . Now fill it with about two cups of soil into your tomato can/planter, fill with water.
Fill the rest of the top bucket with soil and make sure to water a bit between layers of soil or compost. Until it is full and wet. Some times I rip up old t-shirts and make a “wick” throughout the planter. But I have seen no evidence yet in the planters I have done this to that it is any better than letting the soil “wick” the planters. Then plant your plant or seeds in it. When watering fill the bottom bucket through the PVC tube until water comes out the drain hole you drilled. You now have a Self watering planter! Very nice if your forget for a day to water or you go out of town for a weekend. Saves on water as well. If you like you can cut the lid to the bucket, leaving only a ring, then take a garbage bag or you can use a plastic shopping bag put over the bucket and snap your ring on- works as a mulch cover!

Simple Patio Table

Super simple. Just take an old wire spool, and put a microwave glass turntable on the top! Use as a side table or plant stand. Weather proof, should last for a while! And it keeps that spool and the Turntable out of the waste stream!

New life for an Old POANG Chair

Poang... That iconic chair from IKEA, what do I do when I see one on the side of the road that obviously has seen better days?










 

The POANG frame... getting a new life as Patio Furniture!

I throw it in the truck!!! I was looking at the frame and thought... I bet that could make a cool piece of patio furniture. So some light sanding, and cutting, and some cedar fence boards, and voila a Poang Patio chair!!! Now to decide if I paint it or stain it...

Better looking Planter

You know I love to use 5 gallon buckets as planters, but they can look a bit white trashy (Even too White trashy for moi), So, never hoping to not use 100% of something up-cycled for another project, this case my "squash planter", I used the remaining boards from the Gorm Shelving I took apart and set them around this bucket to give it a "Wood" look. Turned out well, I think.

DIY Business Card Holder

Ever need a place to hold all those business cards you aquire? Here is a simple idea... Take a book, (one you don't read anymore or like- or in my case an old contract book from 1999) fold the pages in half and fold them on towards the spine. Now you have something to grab that contractors number when you need to swear at someone. Could also be used as a recipe file, or a Baseball card file.

Making a Squash Ladder

My neighbors, (the like minded ones) who like me put out stuff the no longer want on the side of the street, put out a broken Gorm shelf unit. Bless their hearts. You know who scooped it up. And since it was missing two of the support posts, I decided to hack the hell out of it and make a "trellis" for my pumpkins this year at the Community Garden. I took the shelves apart, used an old 2X2's for the back "legs", and re used some of the shelving material for supports (The rest I am going to use for a bucket project- using 100% instead of sending to the landfill!) I am hoping to get them (the pumpkins) to climb up the trellis, or ladder as I call it, making a bit more room. And I can hang my lettuce bowl in the middle! No slugs! Or if they make it that far more power to them!

Recently Earth 911 had an article about 5 Materials from Your Home Repair You Should Recycle. 
Very good article on a very needed topic. But they seem to have forgotten about reuse as well

Here are some re-uses I have found in my own home DIY projects-
1 Shingles- while never have having shingles as a waste problem, it was interesting to learn that Owens Corning Roofing has an industry leading Shingle Recycling Program and has already recycled 738,605 tons since the program’s 2009 kick-off. They recycle those asphalt shingles into asphalt roads! While more roads isn't probably a cool thing, that asphalt can be used to repair roads we already have! THe other use for Shingles, maybe when a person has a few to repair/replace is use them for roofing on small projects like dog and bird houses, or build your own little Free Library!

2-DRYWALL- I must admit to never having too much left over drywall- I am pretty exact about the amount I need for a project. When I do have leftover of any amount it is usually kept in the garage for later patching or repairing- And on a side note- if you have a small drywall job that doesn't require a full 4 X 8 Sheet, you can buy 2 x 2 squares at most home hardware stores. Easier to transport, store and carry!

3- PAINT- while I agree with th article on paint, I must also add that sometimes, with a little "home work" you can find organizations that need paint for one project or another and they would welcome a donation of your leftover paint!

4- BRICK- Another item I never have too much of. Old brick not used is saved for gardening: Making new raised beds, making walkways in garden beds, etc.

5-CARPET- I re-use my old carpeting and Rugs!: Makes a great weed block for under the gravel where I park my car, and I have used it in the garden (for weed block under raised planting beds) as well. Small area rugs are great to cut up and use in pots (When you need to slow the drainage down) and baskets

On the Cheap Knick Knack Shelf

I have always like the look of furniture and stuff made from used pallets. Finally it's my turn. I made this simple Knick Knack shelf ! Here are the complicated instructions

• Find desired size pallet
• Take home
• Hang it!
• done

You can sand it down, finish or as I did just leave it (I like the rustic look!).It does not get any easier folks. Next time a chair or something more substantial but for now I will just admire my Knick Knack Shelf!

Reusing Carafes

Every once in awhile I get a bunch of carafes, be it that I don't have good luck with coffee makers or whatever (actually I do, ever since I said no to standard coffee makers and went with a one cup coffee maker and a coffee press) Anyway, here are some uses I found for used coffee carafes...

A metal bottom carafe makes a nice Ivy Planter

PLANTERS: I used one a few years back as a planter for an Ivy Plant. Spray painted black on the inside first to emulate a nice pitcher of dark roast coffee!

Pitchers: Use those carafes for pitchers for juice, water or martinis.

Picture from Mosby Building Arts

Fish bowl: while not having done this yet, I wouldn't rule it out! Probably make one out of an old blender first.

Vase- Just like a wine carafe, a coffee carafe of fresh flowers is a nice way to say have a great day in the morning with your breakfast!

Functional Art

Sorry about the bad picture, but I had to share my latest. I just love functional art. So this framed jean pocket phone charger has my name on it. Easy to make- just take a nice picture frame, take out the mounting board and cut the jean pocket out of the rear of a an old pair of blue jeans. Drill a hole in the mounting board, allowing the pocket to cover it, and mark the pocket on the inside where the charging cord should come through. Then glue the jean pocket to the mounting board. I used white glue, and just brushed it on the board and place the pocket on the board, but I could imagine a spray adhesive would work just as well. After the glue dries, put the mounting board in the frame, lock and hang. The cool thing is a new no sew use for a pair of old worn out jeans. I think this would make a great Christmas gift for anyone!

No Sew Dog Tote

This was so easy- I have seen these so many times on other blogs and such, but found it was super easy to make a "Dog Tote" for myself and Romeo and Buddy! I just cut one of their dry dog food bags

and folded over the edge about 2 inches, and instead of sewing it, I used my handy dandy Hot Gllue gun and duct tape. The front and back pocket on the bag is simply a piece cut out of the left over part I cut earlier and just duct taped onto the bag- remember to fold over the top duct tape piece first so the bag has an opening. THe handles ar made from strips cut from the left over piece of bag, and hot glued and duct taped in.
Now a tote for the boys for when we take a trip to the dog park!

REBLOG- Firestarter Logs

From December 20, 2010- A cheap and easy gift thats easy to make as well... and uses some of those daily items a person never knows what to do with like laundry lint and toilet paper rolls. A gift item really easy for kids to make as well as adults!
Ever wonder what to do with some of your household items that collect. Here's a gift you (Or your Kids) can make that costs nothing. FireStarter Logs- the perfect gift for someone who has a fireplace or goes camping... All you need is some common trash to make them! Dryer lint is highly flammable, which is why your dryer should always be vented to the outside, and you should remove lint from the lint trap regularly.
I made 6 of these Firestarter log's in about 10 minutes. They look like Christmas Crackers!

To Start: you need some empty Toilet Paper Rolls, Some Tissue paper (or News print), Some string or Jute Twine, and of course the laundry lint. Great opportunity to clean the lint trap of your dryer!!!
Cut the tissue paper or news print about 2 inches larger on each side of the TP roll
Stuff the TP Roll with the dryer lint.
Roll up the stuffed TP roll in the paper
Tie the ends of with string

There you are done making a Firestarter log. Just place under the kindling and light! Should stay lit long enough to start a Beautiful Fire. Just remember to extinguish on Christmas Eve - You don't want to burn Santa's Butt!

I only party down with the best at:

Trash Can Audit

You can save money with your garbage! I read this long after I went to the smallest can available in my area, but Earth 911 has a great article on doing your own garbage can audit. Saving garbage and recycling is a no brainer! It helps you save money, and be kinder to your mother earth!

Extreme Re-Use

One of my favorite companies, Terracycle, goes to the extreme in furnishing and outfitting their office space, like this conference room- the walls are all re-purposed plastic drinking bottles. See what else they  are doing do on Earth 911's neat little report...

REPOST: A Truck Wheel BBQ

This repost comes from my old DYI Blog, dated August 2, 2009 . It involves a truck wheel (which everyone has laying around in their yard, yes?) some furniture legs from IKEA, some hardware cloth and a grill. And yes years later it is still in use! Ever wonder what to do with those old truck wheels? You know the ones sitting in your yard? Well here is one thing I made- A bbq! Here are the steps:

Find an old pick up wheel (I got mine on Free-Cycle), Pick up a package of Ikea Capita legs- the 8" legs would have been better ( I had the 6" legs sitting around). Then take the leg mounts and put them on the deep side of the truck wheel, screw the legs through the other side, pick up agrill top (mine is for a weber grill- 18") or take one off an old bbq, Use some hardware cloth (fencing) Inside the deep end for an ash catcher. And you are done! Happy BBQ'ing!

Note: You might want to add some small C-Clamps to keep the grill centered orwhat I did is put some nuts and bolts through the top of the grill to act as a stopper!

Yogurt Spoon Markers

I found a new frozen yogurt shoppe near my house. I love their fat free and no sugar added offerings. But don't love so much their disposable spoons. They appear to be a heavy Bio-Degradable corn/starch polymer, which is kind of cool, but not perfect. So of course I needed to find a use for them. And the use was so easy- Plant Markers! Even if they don't Bio-degrade, they are re-useable. They look really cool in Mom's mini-garden!

Great Re-Used Items in the community garden!

My pea trellis

You know, I was going to use this headboard to make a "Garden Bed", but I needed a trellis for my community garden plot! Well, sometimes things work out, and I have a nice pea trellis in my bed!

These shutters make great trellises as well

Reusing old pots as smaller pots is a great way to reuse cracked/chipped pots and extend the life of the pot!

Tomato Cages turned upside down make great Pea trellises as well!

Many of our tools are also re-used or recycled like this wheelbarrow. The old tire was frozen on the axle, so I replaced it with a tire from a childs bike... Works great!