Green Thing Blog

When a tree dies and needs to be cut down, it can be all too easy to just throw it into the chipper (well, maybe not physically easy...) but before you get rid of it, take a look at some of these clever ideas to reuse that old tree.

The bee habitat
It can't have escaped your notice that bees have been having a hard time of it lately. Give them a helping hand by turning an old branch into a relaxing resting place for them. Using a length of wood around 20cm long, drill lots of holes into it. These should be between 2 and 10mm wide, no larger or the bee's wont like it. Or you can hollow out the middle and use bamboo to create a cozy bee-friendly hang out. Nail or tie it up and in no time at all your garden will have solitary bees buzzing in to take a rest between pollinating.

(Image: Wikimedia Commons) 

Paving slabs
Slice the trunk up into 3inch thick discs and lay them together to create a beautifully natural path for your garden. Wet wood can be slippery though so score and mark the tops and add sand or fine gravel for added grip in rainy weather.

(Image: Tony Wood. Science Photo Library) 

Plant pots
Choose a thick branch or the trunk, hollow it out (made even easier if the wood has rotted) and create a flat bottom to it. Add some soil and a favourite plant or two and you'll have a lovely looking pot that will both stand out and blend into your garden.

Trellises and fences
If you have a number of thin branches you can lash them together to make trellises for your plants to grow up or even a natural looking fence to surround your veggie patch.

(Image: Karen Blackerby) 

Make a chair
If the trunk isn't too rotten then you can sand it down, varnish it and make it into a gorgeous chair. You can either go for the simple stump, or if you have a few wood working skills up your sleeve then go for something altogether more fancy!

P.S. If a dead tree is in a safe place and wont suddenly fall and hurt someone or something then leave it where it is, it provides fantastic protection and food for all sorts of living things.

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Learning a new skill and helping someone in need are two of the greatest things you can do. So imagine the pleasure in doing both at once.

Well, The Bicycle Academy in Somerset does just that.

By enrolling on their four day course of fillet brazing (welding metal tubes with bronze), not only do you have all the materials, space and advice that you need to build a bike frame but those very same frames you make get finished off and shipped to Africa for those in need.

(Images: FacadeMedia screengrab)

The Bicycle Academy are working with Re-Cycle and World Bicycle Relief to produce bikes specifically geared towards use in Africa. They are super sturdy and very resilient, thanks to the special bike parts supplied by World Bicycle Relief. It means the bikes can last for around five years without much maintenance.

But if things do go wrong, they are very simple to fix and don't have hundreds of fiddly bits that can break. Even the tyres are puncture-resistant so rugged and uneven ground won't be a problem.

And once you've learnt how to make a bike frame, you'll know how to do it forever. New skills, a warm, feel good feeling and a bike you've made yourself.

You couldn't ask for more.

(Spotted on Springwise)

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(Image: Miss Mass)

Now is the perfect time to start your vegetable patch. Whether you're growing prize winning marrows in your garden, delicious leeks on your balcony or some basil on your windowsill, it's time to turn your fingers green.

You don't need loads of space to plant a few seasonal veggies and you don't need to spend a fortune getting your patch up and growing. There are plenty of clever upcycling ideas to lighten up your recycling bin and keep your wallet nice and full.

Sow your seeds into these simple newspaper pots. They are easy to make and when your seeds are big enough for a new home, you can just plant the whole pot into a bigger container and the newspaper will compost itself into nothing. Clever.

For seeds that need more space around than down, cut milk bottles in half and poke a few drainage holes in the bottom. These work perfectly as seed trays and can be reused year after year or recycled.

When your seedlings are big enough to be planted outside, repurpose old wine boxes and wooden crates as fancy looking pots.

(Image: Ari Mail)

But if you can't get your hands on any of those, then just about any container will do.

Don't forget to water your plants regularly. Homemade watering cans are dead simple too. Poke a few holes in the top of another plastic milk bottle and away you go.

So there you have it, some easy DIY ideas to get you growing your own without spending any cash.

And when better to start your vegetable patch than this Easter weekend. So put down the chocolate eggs and pick up the trowel. It's veggie planting time.

P.S. And if you need some seeds to get you started then check out Allotinabox or the EDENBOX.

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(Image: Diane Gilleland)

It's Easter and who doesn't like an excuse to eat chocolate, see cute fluffy chickens and adorable bunny rabbits all around the place? It's also a great time to get your craft on and practice those All-Consuming skills.

Beautiful baskets: From your scraps of pretty paper, you could weave a lovely easter basket. Or transform those carriers you get in the supermarket that hold bottles into another beautiful basket? Or simply give your candle votives a lift for the day.

(Image: BBCgoodfood)

Homemade egg: It is a great idea to make your own chocolate egg. Although you will need a special mould to make the two sides but you could fashion a mould out of last years easter egg packaging. A lot of the eggs you buy in the supermarket have an egg shaped protective layer around the chocolate to prevent it from breaking, so save any you get this year and next year you can make your own and forget about excessive packaging. 

(Image: Invitingsmiles)

Decorate your eggs: Of course decorating eggs is an Easter tradition you don't want to miss out on. All you need to do is simply hard boil your eggs and decorate how ever you like and with what ever you like. The possibilities are endless!

(Image: EmilyAClarke)

Chain it up: Make your home look pretty with some homemade paperchains. Grab some leftover paper, cut into long ribbons and glue them into loops like in the picture above. It's like floral Christmas. If you have paint samples lying around then cut them into egg shapes to make a really great garland. Or if you want something a bit more advanced, why not give this a go?

(Image: Makesandtake)

Reclaim those cans, cartons and containers: Upcycle any old containers, like your tin of beans, into a bunny holder for whatever you like. You could hide some sweets in it as part of your Easter Egg hunt or replant your herbs for a jollier windowsill.

(Image: Happyclippings)

Bling up your bottles: If you have some plastic bottles in your recycling bin why not grab 'em and make these cute sweet holders and put a smile on someone's face.

(Image: Poppytalk)

Finally, send some one a secret message in an egg. When baking or cooking don't crack your egg but drain the yolk out and use it as a vessel to surprise someone like an adorable Easter fortune cookie.

Above all, we hope you're as eggcited as we are about this weekend. Have an eggsellent break and go easy on the chocolate stuff.

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Bought a bike but not sure how best to look after it? No idea how to mend a puncture or take off a wheel? Or know your way round a bicycle pretty well but don't have the right tools to fix it with? Then roll on down to the London Bike Kitchen.

The London Bike Kitchen is an open DIY workshop where you can bring your bike along and fix it yourself instead of having to fork out for someone else to do it.

As well as friendly mechanics on hand to help, the LBK also run workshops on everything from Introduction to Bike Maintenance to Bike Building and Long Distance Tour Preparation. There are girls and gender-variant nights (a.k.a WaG nights) as well as monthly rides and events like Bicycle Bingo.

As a charitable social enterprise, their 3 mains aims are:

1. To promote self reliance and confidence on your two wheels through education

2. To make cycling accessible and affordable to all

3. To get all sorts of people out and about on their bikes

We love their ethos and the whole idea of learning to making the most of what you've got.

At the moment, the LBK is just open on the weekend between 11am and 7pm but if you want to know more about bike husbandry or are just looking for a smoother ride, pedal over or check out their website for more details.

P.S. If you're based in the West Country then check out The Bicycle Academy for some helpful bike advice.

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