Building Your Own VertiFlow Vertical Garden Using Residential Waste
Vertical gardens are an innovative solution for urban gardening, but did you know you can create one using household waste? In this how-to guide, we'll show you how to build a VertiFlow vertical garden using everyday items like aluminum cans, cardboard, and wire. Not only will you be creating a beautiful garden feature, but you'll also be giving new life to items that might otherwise end up in the trash. Let's get started!
Materials:
- Aluminum cans and pet food canisters
- Cardboard, paper, or fabric
- Wire, string, or zip-ties
How to Create a DIY Sound Baffle Using Quilled Paper, Upcycled Cloth, String, and Cardboard
Why Make a DIY Sound Baffle?
Sound baffles are effective at reducing noise and echo in a room by absorbing sound waves, making spaces more comfortable for conversation, music, and general activities. By using upcycled materials like quilled paper, cloth, string, and cardboard, you can create a functional and beautiful baffle that also supports sustainability. This project is ideal for improving sound quality in home studios, libraries, meeting rooms, or any space where noise reduction is beneficial.
How to Upcycle Foam Sheets, Cardboard, and *Tillandsia recurvata* for a Living Sound Baffle
Why Make a Living Sound Baffle?
A sound baffle reduces noise, absorbs echoes, and improves acoustics in a space. By incorporating foam sheets, cardboard, and Tillandsia recurvata (Ball Moss), we can create a functional, beautiful, and sustainable acoustic panel that also purifies air and supports biodiversity.
This method follows the ReLeaf ethos—turning waste materials into adaptable, living systems that evolve with their environment.
How to Make a Cat Scratcher from Upcycled Cardboard
Why Upcycle a Cat Scratcher?
Scratching is a natural behavior for cats that helps with claw maintenance, stress relief, and territory marking. Instead of purchasing a commercial scratcher made with synthetic materials, this guide will show you how to make a durable, upcycled alternative using discarded cardboard.
Spanish moss
collected some from the Shoal Creek trail
Ball moss in corrugated board
Since last night I've been stuffing individual ball moss shoots into lengths of cardboard and then augmenting the tubs with these living buffers. I put a leaf cutting balanced in there to try it as a micro propagation bed.
Ball moss
Walked to church field and collected as much as would fit in my pockets. about 5 or 6 balls which separated into a couple hundred pieces. I fluffed them and wedged them between pots and rockwool
Ball moss
Collected from neighborhood, separated and used as filler in tubs
Artemisia 1
I tried some new to me micro propagation techniques with these. I think it may be possible to have success with cuttings of individual leaf branches, if they are arranged vertically and in balance with a water fractal. By that I mean a "vertical" gradient of water, which provides a perfect, exquisite arch at the apex. It's a good sign if it seems to be floating. My theory is that surfing on that wave is the key to surviving night time and dry time, by being flexible enough to span two dimensions and make adjustments as needed.