Kitchen Garden Forum

Best practices...or worst practices? We've just had some shingle delivered to cover a hard surface - 3 jumbo bags the first time, and then 4 more. After I'd spread the first lot, I rang the builder's yard to order the second, and said that if it would help I could return the first 3 bags for refilling. Categorically not - these bags are only allowed to be used once. What a waste! I can understand the reasoning, on health and safety grounds - over time the straps could wear and there could be a danger of an accident. But this seems to be a regulation based on the usual health and safety assumption, that no-one has any common sense. And what about the issue of trying to cut down on non-recyclable household waste? Has anybody got any great ideas for reusing these things? From a previous delivery of mushroom compost, I've got one I use for leaf mould, and a couple more for storing shredded garden waste, but I'm running out of ideas!

On out allotment site we used them for collecting cans for recycling

Wow, I'm impressed. Must be one long party round at your allotments Any chance of an invite?
(Yes, I know - Fine if I bring a jumbo bag full of cans of lager...)

I've used them for leaf mould and it works really well. Two years ago I filled two, combined them the following Spring then used the stuff in the flower garden this Spring. I regretted that I only had the same amount to follow on so this Autumn I intend to fill six, only three so far but planning to go out road sweeping again quite soon. I've also used them to make compost but that doesn't seem to work quite as well, not sure if they were too dry or not hot enough, might have been both. They don't last very long outside so if you are not using them all, and are not planning any more building projects, fold them up and store them in the dark.

I guess they could always be used for growing potatoes in or possibly storing beetroot/celeriac etc, although you would need to be growing an awful lot of them to fill a bag that size.
I was trying to get hold of an empty one for collecting manure but my OH was definitely not up for getting himself another hernia by trying to lift a full bag of that into his car boot. But I guess they would be useful for storing manure that wasn't yet sufficiently well rotted to be spread out on the soil if you were lucky enough to get a supply of it.

I have one from a delivery of gravel and I find it fantastically useful when doing major pruning in the garden. I place it just nearby and lob all the prunings directly in, and can then drag it straight to the compost heap. Saves soo many wheelbarrow journeys!

ken wrote:What a waste! I can understand the reasoning, on health and safety grounds

Mmm, I think you were right first time Ken - it seems like it's more to do with the waste and less with H&S. The suppliers don't want the hassle of dealing with them and we pay for the cost of the bags in the price of what we buy.

Whilst it may be a practical & convenient mechanism in some respects, the task of disposal lies with us. I wonder how much longer they will be allowed to do this?

We use them to keep offcuts of wood (OH is a joiner/furniture maker) and we store them in a barn so they don't perish in the sun.
I think Ryton used them in an experiment, building a wooden frame around them and then growing veg - like a big tub. There was an article in KG about it, last year if I remember correctly.