Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Monday, February 28, 2011

Root Trainers

I was at college this last weekend. Our classroom is in a five star conference centre in a country house in Buckinghamshire. Between lessons we enjoyed coffee and tea from vending machines. I suddenly noticed the shape of these paper cups was just perfect for re-using as root trainers! So I announced to the rest of the class that I would like all their empty cups to use as root trainers. Expecting a bit of a titter and some teasing.... but nothing! As the weekend went by, more and more paper cups appeared on my desk, without a word and willingly, and with smiles!
Isn't it wonderful how times are changing? People really embrace and encourage re-using and re-cycling in their lives at the drop of a hat nowadays!
I have been the weirdo, for most of my life! Having a compost bucket under the sink at home or outside the back door in the 1980s and 90s just was not cool! Neither was collecting loo rolls, getting excited at the sight of horse manure! Or pee-ing on your compost heap for that matter! Now the rest of the world has caught up! Hallelujah!

14 Comments:

At 8:29 PM, Blogger Rob said...

It reminds me of Bob Flowerdew.

 
At 9:03 PM, Blogger Matron said...

Rob - an amazing compliment, thank you! Bob is my gardening guru!

 
At 9:32 PM, Blogger Peggy said...

Hi matron, waste not want not! I think most people are only too pleased to recycle specific items for a specific reason.I must admit I have never seen root trainer when looking at disposable cups...but from now on!

 
At 11:06 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Recycling has always made sense, now thankfully it's the thing to do! So happy you received so many cups to start your seeds!

 
At 7:59 AM, Blogger melsanford said...

Fab idea! :-) Love 'n' hugs, Mel xx

 
At 11:02 AM, Blogger Jo said...

Great idea. I'm glad everyone was pleased to help.

 
At 11:43 AM, Blogger Kath said...

Nice to be cool isn't it?

 
At 1:57 PM, Blogger BilboWaggins said...

What an excellent bit of recycling.

(and you're right, Bob is a Gardening God!)

 
At 6:13 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Love it !
Plus the contents will taste better than Nescafe.

 
At 10:46 PM, Blogger Cabbage Tree Farm said...

Good one. Yes isn't if funny how things go around!

I wonder where you went in Bucks, that is where I grew up (Bourne End).

BTW when you say 'root trainer' do you just mean getting the beans started prior to planting?

 
At 6:24 AM, Blogger Matron said...

Cabbage - a big country house in Pinkneys Green which is near Bisham Abbey - not far at all.
Yes, root trainers are usually longer in shape than a flowerpot so the roots learn to grow a bit deeper prior to planting (that's the theory)

 
At 4:26 PM, Blogger Janet/Plantaliscious said...

Halleluja indeed! Though being cynical, I wonder whether it will outlast the recession...

 
At 12:06 PM, Blogger ShabbyChicShaz said...

Weirdos of the world unite, lol thank you for making me smile, I too have had some funny looks over the years for collecting loo roll middles but they are fabulous root trainers and eco friendly. Our time has come, tee hee. Loving the blog, I'm a keen gardener, used to have an allotment but still get my fix by running an allotment group for people with mental health problems. I'll definately be back, best wishes, Sharon

 
At 9:25 PM, Anonymous Emma said...

Great to see we are not the only mad ones using disposable cups to get our seeds going. When I worked in an office about 9 years ago, I saved all the vending machine cups, and we are still using some of them now, all these years later. They do crack after a while, and so we have had to buy some new disposable cups from Tescos as replacements. It's a lot cheaper than pots from the garden centre!

 

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