Wooden Crates

18 years ago

What a find! Last week I saw these sitting outside a warehouse that is near where my son works. He asked and was given one and was told to speak to the supervisor about getting more. They were just throwing them away! I am really excited about this! This first one will be a planter in an area that I'm leery of digging because of the gas meter and lines. I'm going to line it with burlap that I had leftover from my wedding (western theme, we used them as tablecloths!) It has starch in it, but I'm going to wash it several times to get that out. The lining is to keep the soil from falling out through the side slats. The bottom is snugly fitted slats. Once I get it filled, I'm going to poke holes through the burlap between the slats and plant trailing flowers, etc. to keep it from just looking like a square box.

DH and I have come up with several ideas for these, if I can get more. Among them are:

More planters for hard to plant areas

Storing hoses, garden tools

Storing bags of mulch, compost/manure, soil

Making benches and tables

Storage for the kids' outside toys

breaking apart and using as edging/fence panels around beds

I would use some as compost bins, but the landlord isn't real fond of the idea of compost bins... he's fine with lasagna gardening though.. go figure! So, making a compost bin is out until either the landlord changes his mind or we sign the papers to buy this house in a couple years once the landlord makes back the money he put into gutting renovations on this house.

Any other ideas? Resting inside is a new metal, twin sized headboard for one of my backyard garden beds. It's set in there just because it was where I wanted the crate, waiting for me to carry it into the backyard. But it does give a sense of the size.

Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:32076}}

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Comments (5)

the_analyst
18 years ago
Kathy, is your landlord over to see if it were turned into a compost bin? I'm just wondering b/c I made my own compost bin out of cedar wood planks. It works fine and there is no smell from the compost.

Sarah
jaleeisa
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Sarah!

He actually is about fairly often. He enjoys seeing all that I do with the yards because this place had been pretty much stripped down to the point that both house and yards are as though they were new constructions. However, I'm thinking that I may be able to tuck one into a corner to create a compost bin. The biggest problem I have though is getting the stuff to go into it. See, we don't waste a lot of veggie peels, preferring most veggies with the peels intact for the vitamins. Though I have discussed getting throw out greens with a local supermarket.

But, since he doesn't have a problem at all with lasagna gardening, I'll still have my compost and it'll already be in the bed. So not having his permission to actually set up a compost bin isn't all that bad. I can still do it, just in a different way.

I know there is very little, if any, smell to compost, but you know how some city people can be about it.

Kathy
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the_analyst
18 years ago
True, some people still think it is gross. I find that the longer I have a compost the bin, the more I realize how much I can toss in there. For example, the rest of an uneaten pb&j sandwich. I have two small compost bins with carbon filters in my kitchen. I toss food scraps in one and coffee grinds in the other. Once they are full, they get dumped outside.

Sarah
freshair2townsquare
18 years ago
uses:
* turn it on its long side and hang on the fence for a double-decker window planter sill
* you mentioned benches and tables -- what about a planting table?

if that's a headboard inside it, its at least 40" wide & that's pretty dang big for a crate - you scored, girl!
jaleeisa
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Freshair! Yes, I did consider a planting table and to be honest, that will probably get made before benches and tables :)With all the planting and potting I do, and I was thinking it could be made into a wonderful seedling tray holder as well. And I was thinking a couple of them could make a lovely cold frame greenhouse along with some plastic sheeting.

Yeah, it's pretty wide and deep. That headboard sits inside it with an inch or two on each side of the legs! And when the headboard is standing, it comes pretty close to reaching the bed line (ya know, where the bed would butt against it!)
It's really deep enough that I'm also considering, provided I can get more, making some raised veggie planters. Would make tending the plants much easier on my back. Especially low growing (lettuce/chard) or root veggies. I was also thinking it would give squash and cukes plenty of room with a couple plants in there. Or a potato bin, I could keep laying the vine down and burying it.

I'm really excited about all the possibilities with this and am wishing really hard to be able to get a few more of them! So keep the suggestions coming!

Kathy