Plastic PVC pipes are cheap, easy to find, and useful for so much more than just indoor plumbing. There are so many DIY projects creative people have come up with using these plastic tubes, and they extend to the garden. Try your hand at a DIY PVC pipe garden with some tips and ideas.
Gardening with Plastic Pipes
PVC pipes in the garden may seem counter to the idea of natural environments and growing plants, but why not use this sturdy material? Especially if you have access to used pipes that are only going to be thrown away, turn them into useful garden implements, beds, and accessories.
In addition to the PVC pipes, all you really need to accomplish most of these plastic pipe garden projects is a drill, a tool that will cut the thick plastic, and any decorative materials you want to make the industrial plastic look pretty.
PVC Pipe Garden Ideas
The sky is the limit in your DIY PVC pipe garden. There are endless creative ways to give these pipes new life in the garden, but here are some ideas for projects to get your mind working:
- Simple, elevated planters. Use short, leftover pieces of pipe as planters. Sink the pipe into the ground until it is at the desired height, add soil, and plant flowers. Create different heights in beds for visual interest.
- Vertical towers for small space. Longer pieces of tube can be used on patios or in other small spaces to create a vertical garden. Cut holes in the sides and fill the tube with soil. Plant flowers, vegetables, or herbs in the holes. These can also be used horizontally for hydroponic gardening.
- Drip irrigation. Create lines or grids of thin PVC pipes that can be laid down in vegetable gardens. Drill small holes in the sides and attach a hose at one end for easy drip watering. This can also make a fun sprinkler toy for the kids.
- Tomato cages. Create a three-dimensional grid, or cage, of thinner pipes to create a structure to support tomato plants. This idea also works for any vine plant that needs support.
- Seed planter. Instead of bending over to drop seeds into holes in the garden, use a PVC pipe. Attach a holder to the top of a length of thin tube to hold your seed, position the bottom of the pipe in the soil, and drop the seed from a comfortable level.
- Garden tool organizer. In the garage or gardening shed, attach pieces of pipe to the walls as holders for rakes, shovels, hoes, and other implements.
- A cage to protect plants. If deer, bunnies, and other critters are nibbling on your vegetables, create a simple cage out of PVC pipes. Cover it with netting to protect your beds.