Woman shares clever way to repurpose old food containers for your garden: 'It works so well'

An earth science PhD student has shared a truly genius way to repurpose old plastic containers as plant labels. 

It's a creative and practical solution for individuals who are looking to reduce their waste while also saving money on gardening supplies. 

@manicainbloom I saw this idea on Pinterest the other day and I thought I should make a video of it. You should work just as well as the plastic ones you buy at the store, etc.. except now we're being eco-friendly and reducing and reusing and recycling. Here's to not forgetting what plant you grew this season! #gardening #garden #zone6 #zone6a #sustainability #environment #reduce ♬ original sound - Manicainbloom

The scoop

The process of creating the plant labels is pretty straightforward. 

TikToker Manica (@manicainbloom) saw the idea on Pinterest and was keen to share the wisdom.

First, take an empty plastic container (she used an empty yogurt pot) and cut it into strips. Then, fashion them into stakes by cutting the edges. 

These can then be labeled and stuck into the soil to show what plants are in your garden and where they are. You can write on the labels with a permanent marker to note the plant names, ensuring that you can reference them throughout the growing season. 

The best part is that the plastic material from the container should be durable enough to hold up well outdoors, even in the rain. 

How it's helping

This hack saves money by avoiding the need for store-bought labels, but it also has important environmental benefits. 

By reusing plastic containers instead of discarding them, you're keeping the material out of the landfill, where it will take up space, shed microplastics, and contribute to the production of planet-warming gas methane. 

Repurposing these types of items also reduces the need for new plastic production. Making the material from scratch is environmentally harmful as it requires the extraction and burning of dirty fuels. 

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back 💰 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕 Making it as easy as possible ⚡ Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Through tips like this and through other efforts, like shopping second-hand through companies like ThredUp, we can make a positive impact on the planet.

As Manicainbloom said in the video's caption, "We're being eco-friendly and reducing and reusing and recycling." 

What everyone's saying

Viewers were excited about how simple but effective this hack is. The idea of repurposing something as common as a yogurt container for gardening purposes is both practical and cost-efficient. 

One commenter said, "This is genius on so many levels!" 

"I've done this for years and it works so well!" another added before sharing their own tip. "Sharpie does fade so a fade-resistant marker is good." 

By turning an item that would typically end up in the trash into a useful gardening tool, this hack can help you reduce waste, save money, and protect the planet — one plant label at a time. 

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