All gardeners—from passionate rookies to seasoned green thumbs—produce a good amount of Garden waste. This so-called rubbish can come in various forms, from pruned twigs and fruit scraps to unused clay pots and fallen leaves.

Instead of throwing these resources in the bin, there’s often a way for you to repurpose them and breathe new life into them. While it may be difficult for some of these materials to find new life, there are many innovative ways you can reuse garden waste.

Not only will repurposing garden waste reduce the amount of waste you’re generating, but these materials can also help make your garden a more sustainable and beautiful setting overall.

Ready to get your green hands dirty? Here are some unique ways you can repurpose garden waste and make them useful in your lawn.

1. Use Green Waste as Compost

If you’re growing plants and vegetables in your garden, then you could repurpose kitchen leftovers and garden waste as compost to enhance the health of your living plant matter.

Composting is a process of converting organic materials into nutrient-rich soil matter. This special composition of organic matter helps promote prosperous plant growth and yield by fostering a healthy, nitrogen-rich environment in the soil and retaining moisture.

Instead of buying compost-rich soil in a gardening or hardware shop, you can make your own using fallen organic waste straight from the garden.

Common types of waste you can use as compost include fallen leaves and grass clippings. You simply have to mix them in a compost bin and spread them on top and all over your soil.

That said, you can also use Green Waste from the kitchen such as coffee bean grounds and vegetable scraps. However, if you’d rather appropriately dispose of your green waste, you can always call on removalist service like 1300 Rubbish.

2. Use Twigs and Plant Matter as Mulch

Want to ensure that your plants are well-hydrated all year round? Mulch can be your trusty pal.

Much like compost, mulch can often be purchased in gardening and hardware stores. However, it can also be repurposed from the plant matter that most homeowners typically dispose of without second thought.

Shredded forms of leaves, twigs, and clippings can all be combined and formed into an effective mulch. Mulch is useful for conserving water and suppressing weed growth. It also helps in insulating the soil’s temperature and keeping it consistent, thereby allowing plants and crops to thrive.

If you’re unsure how to repurpose your organic waste, simply gather and collect the grass clippings, twigs, and leaves and shred them using a lawn mower. Put them in a bag, mix them thoroughly until they’re fine, and then spread them evenly over your garden bed.

3. Use Natural Pest Repellents

Did you know that you can use green waste as an effective form of pesticide? The even greater news is that there’s a diverse list of pest-repelling options you can pick from.

For instance, eggshells are great for keeping snails and slugs away from your territory. These critters are notorious crop-eaters, so sprinkling some crushed bits of eggshells is great for keeping them at bay. Plus, they also double as fertilizer thanks to their high inherent calcium content.

Another potent pesticide is coffee grounds. Sprinkle bits of wet coffee grounds around your onions, corn, and lettuce gardens. By doing so, you can keep larger mammals like cats and squirrels away. You’re also dissuading snails and slugs from entering your territory.

Want to get rid of aphids, ants, mosquitoes, and smaller bugs? Chop down orange and banana peels and scatter them around your garden. Their strong, fruity flavours can repel these critters from venturing into your crop garden.

Just be sure that these fruit waste are finely cut—leaving them too big can do the opposite and attract even more pests. By going the natural route, you’re reducing the harmful effects of pesticides on humans, wildlife, and the environment.

4. Create DIY Garden Art with Wood Waste

There’s no denying the fact that a garden’s beauty is elevated when there are artistic elements surrounding it. One way you can maximise the artistic quality of your garden is by incorporating wooden sculptures made from the very material that grows in your garden.

The number of ways you can repurpose wood waste is endless. Whether you’re working with twigs or branches, you can make rustic and decorative creations with these materials.

For instance, you can make miniature garden fairies or gnomes by carving or assembling small pieces of wood. For bigger materials, you can also make DIY wooden pots and planters to hold a new batch of plants and vegetables.

If you want to create an easy DIY wood project, you can make pallets for your pots or even shelves for the house using large wooden waste from the garden. You’ll just have to paint them or lacquer them to give them a final touch.

5. Create a Birdhouse

Fostering a habitat for wildlife is a great way to inject life and perk up your garden. And while you definitely don’t want to introduce pests and rodents that can wreak havoc in your garden, you likely can live with a few friendly birds lounging out and about.

A birdhouse is an easy DIY project that you can consider making over a weekend once you’ve gathered enough materials and have the right tools. You simply need wood to create the exterior and some leaf clippings as a nest. You’ll also want to create a dedicated section of the birdhouse to place the bird feeder.

Besides introducing life into your garden, a birdhouse can also be a good way to dispose of various organic waste. Birds can eat fruit scraps, vegetable scraps, and seeds that you may have initially thought of throwing away.

Furthermore, a birdhouse can invite birds to stick around your garden and look for pests frolicking around, making them an easy and passive way of keeping pests under control.

6. Use Old Pots and Trays as Rainwater Harvesters

Transported seedlings into their new spot in the garden? Have a seedling tray that you’re not sure what to do with?

Instead of disposing of your new surplus of trays or pots, use them for something else instead. While you can definitely grow a new batch of seedlings, another way you can use them is to make them rainwater harvesters.

Position these trays and pots under downspouts and pipes where rain falls. Then, once you’ve collected rainwater, you can use it for your gardening needs.

The great thing about this new function is that you’re no longer relying on tap water to nourish your plants. You’re essentially conserving water and making more environmentally friendly moves, which is a good way to stay sustainable while maintaining a high standard of functionality with things around your garden.

The post 6 Creative Ways to Repurpose Green Waste in the Garden first appeared on Stuff Parents Need.