A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 any trashpickers-junkers out there #2

I just brought home two boxes of junk from a friends house...There's a dumpster out by a barn that 4 families use, she can see when ever anyone puts anything in there and her hubby also alerts her that so & so just put a huge amount of stuff in there and she should go check it out. I didn't even have to dig in the dumpster she had this stuff boxed up for me There were 2 nice terra cotta flower pots no drainage hole, they are glazed on the inside and marked made in W. Germany. 3 clear glass vases...not just your normal vases either..very pretty. A skinny wooden rolling pin & a bunch of electronic stuff..like computer cables etc. A gardening book was also among all this stuff...So I made out and didn't even have to go looking for this stuff..just load it in the Van and carry into the house.

Hey.....great finds Comfrey and even better that the boxes were right there for you!!!

I thought I would share my latest trash rescue, A friend retrieved these (yes 2 of them)from a trash bin and brought to me...Now to figure out what to grow in them, also I was thinking about painting them, any ideas??? They have an open bottom, so I will have to use a big pot inside of them.

Wow....pretty cool find.....as for the color...what are you going to put in there first???

Good question Penny..have any suggestions?

Some trailing plants would look nice or do one with trailers and the other with full plants...i like things that are natural, so i would go with a stain and keep it like that, but i'm sure whatever you decide will look great.

I was thinking some sort of short vining plants also.

Comfrey, I'm like Penny and love the natural look in my gardens so I would stain them. If you paint them you will have to keep doing it to keep them nice looking and that's a real pain. I used to paint all my trellises white, but now I just stain them because it is years before they have to be refreshed and staining them is much easier than painting them. Besides, if you ever decide to put any flowers in them you might be taking away from the color of the flowers.

As far as what you should plant in them, I think any vining plants would be good. Actually, Sweet potato vines would very look nice and they would be cheap. Of course, I really love Ivy Geraniums and they would look awesome, but they would be quite a bit more pricey.

Man, talk about a double bonus...

One to find them in the garbage...
and One to have a FRIEND that brings them to youuuuuu.....
*I'd be keepin' them puppies for myself*

How about some of the shorter morning glories..
*or if you can find some of the Black~Eyed~Susan Climbing Vines*

Oh Weezie What a great Idea...I just happen to have a package of Black-Eyed Susan Vine seeds. I had thought about shorter MG but then I was worried about getting seeds everywhere if I didn't keep them picked off and my yard full of morning glories in the long run.

I really like those vines,
They're pretty, and colorful...
and not a common color in a climbing vine...
*at least I don't see many that color!*

I just trash-picked the other day. Got a 10' patio umbrella. Yeah, it's a little faded & yeah, the wood pole needs to be sanded & polyurethaned, but it works w/no mechanical problems & no tears in the umbrella material.

Wooo Hooo!!

Hdey...great find!!

Let us know what you decide to put in there Comfrey.

Well I will for sure put the Black-eyed Susan vine in one of them...not sure about the other one. It appear the wood is treated, so will that effect staining them?

I love junk! I have a whole yard full of everyone else's leftovers. From bricks to garden treasures. We even build with discarded wood from tilt-ups from a contractor friend (He delivers).

Ummmm...not sure on that one Comfrey...the best thing to do is call or go into a paint store and ask...I'd really hate to give you advice and it be wrong.

Well Penny they are weathered, but I noticed some green places and DH said he thought they were made out of treated wood originally, so not sure either..maybe I'll just use them the way they are this season????

NuSkewl ...great find, I was thinking you found one that wasn't covered and was going to make a vining umbrella stand like the one mentioned either in this topic or another one similar. But finding an umbrella in good shape is great!!! I'm going to be looking for one for vining plants....City wide clean up is next month and I will be searching for an old table type umbrella in everyone's trash piles

What a great idea! Quick question... does anyone get creeped-out w/sitting under a trellis or this vining umbrella... thinking of all the creepy-crawlees that could drop onto your head/neck (into your drink)?? <shivers> I didn't for the longest time. But now...

I was thinking of some sort of vining plant for the umbrella that might might draw humming birds or butterfly's...and I am not going to sitting under it.

Ok I found the post I was refering to about the umbrella check it out Here

Ahhhhh...!! I see! Very cool!! How did it turn out??

I didn't make one...I want to find an umbrella to make one out of it.

Ha! I just picked a pyramid-like topiary from the trash!! It's about 5' tall & in pretty good condition. The way I gauge it... it will last a good 2-3 yrs in my garden. That'll work for me!

Any suggestions of what to have grow on it? I'm thinking those climbing/vining daisies (but that's not the right name). Help!

NuSkewl,
Got a picture of your find???????

Also, you know we're switching to the new forum in a day's time..
Click here to jump to new forum...

I can take a pic & DH can teach me how to post it.

& thanks for the heads up about he new forum. I didn't even know it was happening. I did just notice the note above "your membership & log in info has been transferred to our new facilities", but I wasn't sure what that was all about.

I'll bookmark the new forums now.