Gardener shares 'amazing' way to reuse old tins in your garden: 'I am so excited'

Cleaning brand 0WasteCleaning (@0wastecleaning) likes to take part in gardening on the side and was keen to share its progress on spring planting to TikTok. 

The scoop

"Guys they started sprouting!!!" the video caption read. "I'll keep you updated on how my zero waste microgreens turn out, but I am so EXCITED!!! It feels amazing to be able to garden a little while there is still snow outside."

@0wastecleaning Guys they started sprouting!!! 🥹 I'll keep you updated on how my zero waste microgreens turn out, but I am so EXCITED!!! 🥰 It feels amazing to be able to garden a little while there is still snow outside 🥲❄️ #zerowaste #microgreens #reuse ♬ original sound - 𒉭Kira𒉭

It showed the process of reusing a tin to grow microgreens in coffee grounds and eggshells. The plants didn't take long to sprout. 

Coffee grounds are surprisingly adaptable and can be used as a body scrub and as pest control in the garden. 

How it's helping

Microgreens are a great, easy way to get started with gardening indoors. Since microgreens are harvested well before plants have reached maturity, they can be enjoyed sooner with minimal upkeep. On top of tasting great, microgreens also pack a nutritional punch, making them a perfect addition to your next salad. 

Besides the greens, the original poster also showed that it's possible to rely entirely on reused materials to make the magic happen. Kitchen scraps can go to compost, but if you can use them directly without the wait of decomposition, all the better. Coffee grounds are a little on the acidic side and prone to molding, so giving them time in the compost bin is generally better practice. 

Metals are in high demand and are highly recyclable, but the process takes energy. By being able to use tins as they are, less energy is spent in waste transportation and recycling processing. That energy can come from polluting sources, which we all want to avoid. That said, recycling is leagues more energy efficient than harvesting virgin resources.  

What everyone's saying

TikTok commenters were just as excited as the original poster about the progress the microgreens have been making. 

"Only coffee grains and eggshells, no dirt?? that's sooo cool," one TikTok user said.

"You can grow microgreens on fabric, chux wipes, fine metal mesh etc or almost anything. They don't actually need nutrients if you harvest them before they have any "true" leaves, ie as microgreens," another commented.

How often will you be gardening this summer? Every day 🥗 At least once a week 🥕 At least once a month 🌱 I don't garden 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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