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  1. Real Simple
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  4. Gardening New Uses for Old Things

Gardening New Uses for Old Things

Real Simple Author
By Real Simple Editors Updated March 26, 2013
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Flower pot used to hold garden tools
Credit: Ann Stratton
Secret substitutions to help with planting, watering, and more.
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Flower Pot as Garden Tool Holder

Flower pot used to hold garden tools
Credit: Ann Stratton

Fill a terra-cotta pot with builder's sand (sold at hardware stores), then stir in some mineral oil—just enough to dampen the sand. The mixture will clean the tools and prevent corrosion and rust. (If the pot has a hole on the bottom, cover it with duct tape.)

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Golf Bag as Garden Caddy

Gardening tools in a golf bag
Credit: James Wojcik

A spare golf bag can carry unwieldy rakes, shovels, and hoes from the garage to your own green fairway (er, backyard).

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Banana Peel as Rose Fertilizer

Banana peel with soil and yellow roses
Credit: Beatriz Da Costa

Just flatten a banana peel and bury it under one inch of soil at the base of a rosebush. The peel’s potassium feeds the plant and helps it resist disease. Consider it a nutritional boost for you and your buds.

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Marbles as a Playful Arrangement

Marbles in flower vase
Credit: James Wojcik

Add marbles to the bottom of a vase to keep your daisies in the drink and make arranging, well, child’s play.

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Hose as Bucket Grip

Section of hose wrapped around a bucket handle
Credit: James Wojcik

For a handle you can comfortably handle: Snip off a section of an old garden hose, make a slit down its length, and put it over a skinny bucket wire.

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Birdbath as a Planter

Plants displayed in a birdbath
Credit: Beatriz Da Costa

Try this pretty display that isn’t just for the birds. Plant shallow-rooted succulents in the birdbath with soil. The lack of drainage will keep the soil moist, so you’ll need to water even less frequently than usual.

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Bleach as Flower Preserver

Yellow roses with bleach in background
Credit: Paul Whicheloe

To get more bang for your bouquet, add a few drops of bleach to the water to prevent bacteria growth and keep stems from mildewing.

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Car Wax as Garden Shear Lubricant

Car wax and garden shears
Credit: Aya Brackett

For cleaner cuts with less elbow grease, rub a little paste on the hinge of a pair of garden shears so they don’t get jammed.

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Balloon as Flower Preserver

Cut flowers with stems in a balloon
Credit: James Wojcik

A leftover backyard-party balloon will help keep freshly cut flowers from wilting when you’re bringing them to a friend’s house. Fill the balloon with a bit of water, then slip the opening over the stems.

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Cotton Ball as Flower Plug

Flower stems stuffed with cotton
Credit: John Lawton

Help hollow-stemmed blooms, like daffodils, delphiniums, and amaryllis, soak up water and stay hydrated longer with this fresh idea: Cut the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle, turn the stem upside down, fill it with water, and stuff it with a piece of cotton.

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Croquet Wickets as Hose Stakes

Croquet wickets and a garden hose
Credit: Beatriz Da Costa

Make an arched pathway from the waterspout to the flower bed, then feed the hose through the wickets. Now the hose can’t migrate and crush your impatiens.

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Garden Hose Holder as Holiday Light Organizer

0611christmas-lights
Credit: Beatriz da Costa

Coil strings of holiday lights round and round for knot-free hall decking. Your reward: You won’t blow a fuse trying to hang next year’s light show.

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Candlestick as Bud Vase

New Use: Candlestick as Bud Vase
Credit: Yasu + Junko

Cut stems short and add water to keep blooms upright for a night. (Alas, beauty is fleeting.)

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Grapefruit Knife as Weeder

Grapefruit knife in a garden
Credit: Beatriz Da Costa

To remove weeds, use the curved blade in container gardens or tight spaces where traditional tools are too big for the job.

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Hair Elastic as Bouquet Holder

Hair elastics binding flowers in a vase
Credit: Gemma Comas and James Merrell

To keep all types of flowers in place in a wide-mouth vase, stretch a clear hair elastic around the stems, then let the flowers fall naturally. Your beautiful blooms will be styled in a snap.

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Bread Plate as Plant Saucer

Bread plate used to hold potted plant
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

A seldom-used bread plate from your grandmother's formal china set, placed under a small houseplant, will dress it up while serving the practical purpose of catching excess water.

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Cake Dome as Terrarium

Cake dome used as terrarium
Credit: James Baigrie

Put your cake dome to good use as a terrarium. Covering small potted plants will help speed their growth. And when birthdays roll around you can remove the plants and use it for cake.

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Changing Table as Potting Bench

Changing table used as potting station
Credit: Annie Schlechter

Once the little ones are potty-trained, give your changing table new life as a potting bench. A coat of semi-gloss or high-gloss paint will protect it from the elements. Stack pots on shelves and stash seeds in drawers. Fill an easy access hanging nylon or canvas diaper bag with shears and gloves.

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Coffee Filter as Soil Saver

Coffee filter used in flower pot
Credit: Thayer Allyson Gowdy

Place one filter over a flowerpot’s drainage hole to prevent soil from leaking out.

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Epsom Salt as Plant Fertilizer

Epsom salt used to fertilize house plants
Credit: Anson Smart

Encourage green growth on your house plants by applying a solution of 2 tablespoons salt to 1 gallon water once a month.

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Dental Floss as Vine Winder

Floss used to tie vine to trellis
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

Because it's resilient, dental floss is ideal for training vines on a trellis. Be careful not to tie the floss too tightly or it will dig into the growing stem.

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Mailbox as Bird House

Mailbox used as bird house
Credit: TRIA GIOVAN

Attract new neighbors by nailing an old mailbox to a branch and watch house finches and wrens flock to feather their nests.

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Marbles as Potted Plant Upgrade

Marbles used to accent potted plant
Credit: James Baigrie

Add a few pops of color to the topsoil of a potted plant.

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Pinecones as Flower-Box Filler

Christmas decoration ideas - Pinecones used as flowerbox filler
Credit: James Baigrie

When autumn comes and the temperature dips, outdoor decorating becomes more challenging. Collect pinecones and pile them in an empty flower box for a pretty, no-maintenance display.

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Rocks as Plant Decoration

Stones used to insulate a potted plant
Credit: Jonelle Weaver

Insulate potted plants with a layer of decorative pebbles on top of the soil.

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Shells as Plant Pots

Shells used to grow herbs
Credit: Jose Picayo

Grow herbs or other diminutive greens. Layer large shells with soil and plant seeds inside.

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Soda Bottle as Funnel

Soda bottle used as funnel
Credit: Quentin Bacon

Funnel seed into a bird feeder through the top half of a bisected bottle.

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Sugar Bowl as Bud Vase

A sweet flower vessel. Your (topless) sugar bowl is just the right size to hold a single head of hydrangea or a half-dozen sweetheart roses. Crop the stems very short so the bouquet is tight, full and spilling over the sides.

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Towel as Plant Waterer

Towel used to hydrate plants
Credit: Aya Brackett

Keep your plants hydrated. If you’re going away for a week or so, place a towel in a bathtub or sink and fill with about two inches of water. Then thoroughly water the houseplants, and place them on top of the towel. They’ll soak up the water.

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Vase as Herb Garden Container

Vase used to grow herbs
Credit: Mark Lund

Assemble an herb garden. Fill the bottom of the vase with pebbles (for drainage) before transferring small potted greens.

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Yogurt Container as Seedling Cup

Yogurt container used to nurture seedling
Credit: James Baigrie

Poke a few drainage holes in the bottom of a yogurt cup and start growing seeds there before transplanting them to larger pots or garden beds.

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Funnel as Twine Dispenser

Funnel used to dispense yarn
Credit: James Wojick

Dispense yarn or twine at a craft station by placing the spool inside the funnel and pulling the end through the hole.

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Mug as Plant Pot

Tools for repotting a plant
Credit: Monica Buck

Wish your new houseplant's container was as pretty as the plush green leaves on top? Upgrade the nursery pot’s standard green or terra-cotta vessel by swapping it for a brightly colored mixing bowl or coffee mug. Here's how to do it:

  • Step 1: Choose a vessel that is taller than it is wide and a plant, such as a fern or a philodendron, that flourishes in damp soil.
  • Step 2: Unless you want to break out the drill, fill the bottom third of the container with pebbles to allow for drainage.
  • Step 3: Spread a layer of potting soil on the pebbles so the roots won’t touch rock. Set the plant and top off with more soil.

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Red Ornaments as Hungry Bird Banishers

Red Christmas ornaments in the garden
Credit: Sang An

Hang unbreakable ornaments on tomato plants early in the season. When pesky sparrows or blue jays come to peck, they’ll find the hard bulbs (instead of juicy treats) and abandon their attacks by the time the real fruits ripen.

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Planter as Side Table

Planter as table
Credit: Jim Franco

Supplement your assortment of occasional tables by bringing a tall planter indoors and topping it with a piece of glass.

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Plastic Bag as Knee Pads

Woman wearing plastic bags as knee pads
Credit: Kana Okada

Need to kneel in your garden to pull weeds, or on the street to change a tire, but don't want to preserve the memory eternally on your pant legs? Grab a couple of plastic bags and tie one around each knee, covering the area that will be exposed to dirt and grime.

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Plastic Bag as Plant Filler

Flower pot stuffed with plastic bag as filler
Credit: Kana Okada

Crumple bags to fill the bottom of a large pot that's too deep for your plant (but be sure not to cover the drainage hole, if it has one). You can cut down on the amount of potting soil needed, and since plastic packs less heft than dirt, you'll be able to move a big planter around with a bit less grunting.

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Plastic Bags as Hand Protectors

Dog biscuits and a leash
Credit: Kana Okada

Fact: There are some things you'd just as soon not touch with your bare hands. Use bags as gloves to handle what's messy (say, chicken carcasses) or just plain gross (like the little "presents" the dog leaves in the front yard), then turn them inside out to trap the offending matter within for easy disposal.

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Soap as Dirt Blocker

Bar of soap and potted plant
Credit: Beatriz Da Costa

Keep nails clean when gardening by scraping your fingers along a bar of soap before digging in. The soap stays under the nail and keeps everything else out. Wash with a nailbrush to remove.

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Styrofoam Peanuts as Potting Mix

Styrofoam peanuts in a pot
Credit: Beatriz Da Costa

Supplement potting mix by filling the bottom of a planter with leftover packing peanuts. They are lightweight and improve drainage, which promotes healthy roots.

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Turkey Baster as Plant Dryer

Plant and turkey baster
Credit: David Prince

Bail out a waterlogged plant by suctioning excess water from the pot's base.


Monica Leibacher
Celebration, Florida

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Club Soda as Plant Waterer

Club Soda as Plant Waterer
Credit: James Wojcik

Keep your houseplants well­–hydrated. Most club soda contains a phosphate, which promotes growth—but be sure it’s flat.

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Coffee Can Lid as Twine Dispenser

Coffee Can Lid as Twine Dispenser
Credit: James Wojcik

Save your coffee can's lid from the recycling bin and use it to dispense twine. Simply poke a hole in the lid and run the twine through.

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Sponge as Soil Saver

Sponge as Soil Saver
Credit: James Wojcik

Keep soil contained in a planter by lining the bottom of the pot with a sponge.

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Eggshell as Seedling Planter

Seedling in empty eggshell
Credit: James Wojcik

Using a pin, poke a hole in the bottom of an empty eggshell half, put it in an egg carton (for stability), and fill with soil and seeds. Once your seedling appears, plant the whole thing in the ground. The eggshell will disintegrate and nourish the soil.

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    1 of 45 Flower Pot as Garden Tool Holder
    2 of 45 Golf Bag as Garden Caddy
    3 of 45 Banana Peel as Rose Fertilizer
    4 of 45 Marbles as a Playful Arrangement
    5 of 45 Hose as Bucket Grip
    6 of 45 Birdbath as a Planter
    7 of 45 Bleach as Flower Preserver
    8 of 45 Car Wax as Garden Shear Lubricant
    9 of 45 Balloon as Flower Preserver
    10 of 45 Cotton Ball as Flower Plug
    11 of 45 Croquet Wickets as Hose Stakes
    12 of 45 Garden Hose Holder as Holiday Light Organizer
    13 of 45 Candlestick as Bud Vase
    14 of 45 Grapefruit Knife as Weeder
    15 of 45 Hair Elastic as Bouquet Holder
    16 of 45 Bread Plate as Plant Saucer
    17 of 45 Cake Dome as Terrarium
    18 of 45 Changing Table as Potting Bench
    19 of 45 Coffee Filter as Soil Saver
    20 of 45 Epsom Salt as Plant Fertilizer
    21 of 45 Dental Floss as Vine Winder
    22 of 45 Mailbox as Bird House
    23 of 45 Marbles as Potted Plant Upgrade
    24 of 45 Pinecones as Flower-Box Filler
    25 of 45 Rocks as Plant Decoration
    26 of 45 Shells as Plant Pots
    27 of 45 Soda Bottle as Funnel
    28 of 45 Sugar Bowl as Bud Vase
    29 of 45 Towel as Plant Waterer
    30 of 45 Vase as Herb Garden Container
    31 of 45 Yogurt Container as Seedling Cup
    32 of 45 Funnel as Twine Dispenser
    33 of 45 Mug as Plant Pot
    34 of 45 Red Ornaments as Hungry Bird Banishers
    35 of 45 Planter as Side Table
    36 of 45 Plastic Bag as Knee Pads
    37 of 45 Plastic Bag as Plant Filler
    38 of 45 Plastic Bags as Hand Protectors
    39 of 45 Soap as Dirt Blocker
    40 of 45 Styrofoam Peanuts as Potting Mix
    41 of 45 Turkey Baster as Plant Dryer
    42 of 45 Club Soda as Plant Waterer
    43 of 45 Coffee Can Lid as Twine Dispenser
    44 of 45 Sponge as Soil Saver
    45 of 45 Eggshell as Seedling Planter

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