Amateur Gardening – 29 June 2019

10 AMATEUR GARDENING 29 JUNE 2019

Reusing and recycling

A

RECENT work visit took me

to the manufacturer of black

plastic flowerpots, carry trays

and bedding-plant cells,

which proved both an eye-opener and

a mind-opener. For many years the

company has used recycled commercial

plastic offcuts, receiving it in small chip

form, heating it to return it to sheets and

then vacuum moulding it to produce

new products.

The firm’s used products are also

taken back for recycling, but they have

to be thoroughly washed by specialists,

which is a costly business. The company

is now also manufacturing clear and

pale-green bedding-plant cells, but the

plastic is more expensive and, again, it

has to be thoroughly washed before it

can be recycled. The firm believes most

of this clear and pale-green plastic, like

the black, goes to landfill, and I find that

Peter looks at ways we can reduce the use of plastics

“One way to reduce

the use of plastic is

to sow direct”

the white plastic carry trays are only fit

for one or two uses and similarly are dirty

when broken.

In the company’s view there are two

options for the future – either we as

consumers wash our empty black plastic

containers (as we do our milk bottles)

so they are clean for recycling, or the

whole industry changes to longer-life

reusable products with a returnable

deposit when purchased.

The same week another

manufacturer forecast a shortage of

basic ingredients for potting composts

within the next five years. Demand for

coir is increasing beyond available

supply and so up goes the price.

At home, I am adding more loam

(from stacked turf cut off the lawn) to my

composts, along with oak-leaf mould to

save money and be more self-sufficient.

Another way to reduce the use of

plastic and manufactured composts is

to sow direct, and I recently visited the

Fleuroselect Nasturtium trial at the RHS

Garden Hyde Hall in Essex.

Molli Christman, a new recruit there,

has sown more than 70 different

cultivars and the seedlings are up and

away. They should make a colourful and

sustainable display this summer.

Peter’s top tips

All photographs Peter Seabrook unless otherwise credited

with Peter Seabrook, AG’s classic gardening expert

Listen to

Peter’s free

podcast every

Thursday. Search for

‘This Week In The

Garden with Peter

Seabrook’ on

iTunes

1

All empty plastic pots and

containers are best stored out of

direct sunlight to extend their life.

with Peter Seabrook, AG’s classic gardening expert

Sow direct – Fleuroselect’s Molli Christman

beside the direct-sown nasturtium trial.

Direct sowing cuts out the need for pots

and manufactured composts

Alamy

Lesley Upton

Are we prepared to wash

empty black plastic

containers so they are

clean for recycling?

Reusing and recycling

White plastic trays become brittle very quickly

in sunlight and cannot be reused many times

4

Carefully cut open polythene

bags along their tops so they

can be used again, or cut down a

side and base to give a strong

polythene sheet for a car-boot lining.

2

It will take three years to rot down

most leaves into a condition

suitable for use in potting compost.

Have one bin for this purpose and

keep topping it up each autumn.

3

Sweet peas, sown in situ in the

autumn and supported on pea

sticks, offer a sustainable source of

colour, fragrance and cut flowers

(Molli has these at Hyde Hall).

Alamy

Alamy