While I’m on my recycling trip at the moment, can anybody think of any ideas for what I could use these for?
My husband bought it home from work for me as its original use was the spool for some welding wire. He mentioned that they throw out lots of these each week so it would be an item that I could have on a regular basis. They are made of sturdy, rigid plastic and measure 12″ wide by 4″ high.
I already have a few ideas in mind. One of these could be a support to stand a plant pot on. Also, if the middle section of the spool was removed and more than one was stacked on top of each other, it could make an ideal planter for carrots or any plants that require a long growing depth. I even thought that they could be turned on their sides and half buried in the ground and used as edgings along raised beds or paths.
Any other ideas?
Happy recyclin’
Debb
digginwivdebb 
I was thinking growing potatoes — just add another spool and soil as they grow. But I don’t know the composition of the spools and whether they would leech toxins into the soil and into the potatoes.
The inside diameter of the spool with the middle removed is only 8 inches across so not quite wide enough for potatoes. Maybe one seed potato but I don’t think that the harvest would be great. Keep the ideas coming!
What about for marking rows? Turn on its side and roll in well-prepared soil to show where you should plant seeds. But you wouldn’t need more than one. Unless you ganged a bunch together to mark several rows at one time…
That’s a great idea! They could be used when sowing things like spring onions and radishes that can be grown quite close together so rolling the spool once could make 2 rows. Thanks for the idea. Keep them coming. Debb.
You could get a plank of wood and nail them up it in a slightly staggered line, and then grow a vine up in…
Errr. Trying to picture what you mean:-(
I hope these pictures show up. They are of bycicle wheels, but I was thinking you could use your spools in a similar manner http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/192x/cb/d8/5d/cbd85d15a837b0549b6d3ce94f9ab0d6.jpg and this one http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KOgegPf4qGM/TDY46lG8YiI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/73f2we3FOhQ/s1600/100_1984.JPG
ya sort of gotto try and follow my thought process. What you’d have would have more detail as your spools are smaller, but the plants would grow up it a treat!
Ahh! now I see where you’re going with your thought process. Yes that is a great idea and I think I am going to do something similar to grow strawberries. When I have enough spools together I will take a picture of what I plan to do. The idea is to lay them flat against a wall or a fence and interlock them so that a strawberry plant could be placed in the gap and hang over. Watch this space!
Ha! Sounds good! Can’t wait to see!