A healthy garden does not always require expensive pots, planters, or gardening equipment. Some of the things that can help plants grow may already be sitting in your kitchen or storeroom, waiting to be thrown away.

From plastic bottles and old buckets to kitchen scraps and eggshells, everyday household items can find a second life in a garden. Indian gardeners are already putting these ideas into practice, turning discarded materials into growing spaces and organic compost.

Here are seven ways to reuse household items in your garden, inspired by people who are doing it themselves.

1. Plastic bottles can become planters

Empty plastic bottles can be turned into planters for herbs, leafy greens, and other plants that do not need much root space. Wash a bottle thoroughly, cut it to the desired size, and make drainage holes at the bottom before adding potting mix.

You can also arrange bottles vertically to make use of a small balcony wall.

Mandeep Sangwan and students in Delhi created vertical gardens using discarded plastic bottles. Their initiative shows how waste can be turned into green spaces, even where ground space is limited. 

2. Old buckets and containers can grow vegetables

An unused bucket, plastic tub, or drum can provide a home for tomatoes, chillies, and leafy greens. Choose a container that is deep enough for the crop, clean it thoroughly, and make drainage holes before filling it with potting mix.

Avoid containers that previously held paint,........

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