Saving money, reducing waste, and keeping your garden happy — it almost sounds too good to be true. With a gardening hack recently shared online, this perfect trio is a reality.
The scoop
This new gardening secret was shared by TikTok user Karle (@kolnes09) in a recent video.
@kolnes09 I like to recycle, upcycle, repurpose and reuse as much as possible. Old glass spaghetti jars come in handy for a lot of things! #gardentok #fertilizer #homemade #repurpose #upcycling ♬ original sound - Karle 🔵🆘🇺🇸
The post shows the gardener fertilizing their plants — though not in the typical, store-bought way you might expect.
"Call it what you want: frugal or resourceful," Karle says, as they pour liquid from an old spaghetti sauce jar with holes in the lid onto their garden.
"I fertilized my tomato plants with my homemade fertilizer, made from banana peels," Karle continues.
How it's helping
Karle's hack is a two-for-one on sustainability and clean gardening. Not only is the tool they use to administer the fertilizer reused from something that could have been thrown out, but the plant food itself is natural and homemade, without harsh chemicals that could hurt the environment.
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Upcycling or recycling hacks are the best — they reduce waste and fight overconsumption, keeping less items out of landfills and contributing to pollution, and save you money from not having to purchase new items.
It seems that gardeners in particular have their finger on the pulse when it comes to sustainability. One gardener took old plastic items, like egg cartons, that would end up in landfills and never break down properly and turned them into mini greenhouses to plant seeds.
If gardening isn't your speed, but you are still interested in reducing waste, you could try upcycling or donating old clothes or furniture. Plus, there are some organizations that are willing to take your clutter and give you cash for it — earning you money, and keeping pollution down.
What everyone's saying
Commenters on Karle's TikTok shared their interest in this simple, sustainable gardening hack.
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Not enough time ⏳ "I'm definitely trying this! I have so many pasta jars because I refuse to throw them away!" one person said.
Another user added, "I love that you do this!!"
Reusing old jars and containers is a stellar way of integrating eco-friendliness into your life. From using old products to integrate organization into your home, to using them to hold snacks or leftovers, these hacks keep you from purchasing things you don't need, and from creating waste.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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