Human Hair in the Garden

Ewww. I know. But lookie here, this is about hair in your garden. Animals smell your scent in your hair, and they tend to steer clear, handy if you are trying to deter certain creatures from your tender transplants. So after you clean your hairbrush, use it by:
1. Composting. It will compost just fine, although it may not have quite the deterring power if your compost is open and yummy to foraging squirrels.
2. Stuff it in a section of pantyhose and make a garden "sachet". Tie it to your fence or on your tomato cage. (Wow, that tip is so good, I should have kept it for another pantyhose tip. Ah well.)

Pantyhose Tip#13 Non-stick Rolling Pin

The other day, I was on a cooking website, and I found this tip. In the spirit of full disclosure, I haven't yet used my rolling pin. I mean ever. So this means I have also not yet tested this tip. But here it is:

Take a section of pantyhose leg. Slide your rolling pin inside, and tie off the ends. This will prevent dough from sticking. Apparently.

Looks like I've got some baking to do.

Pantyhose tip #12 Potty-train Plants

Before potting a plant, use a section of pantyhose to cover the small holes in the bottom of the pot to keep the soil from leaking out when you water or move your plants. The water will still flow out, but the soil will stay in the pot.

(I've almost used up all of my old pantyhose these past few weeks!)

Pantyhose Tip #9 Find Small Things

Lost something small, like an earring, a sewing needle, maybe a bead? Try this:

Stretch a section of wrecked panty hose over the nozzle of your vacuum cleaner, then vacuum around the area where you think you lost the thing... jewelry comes to mind, but it can be any small, hard to see thing. The vacuum will suck up the stuff around without sucking it into the bag.

Pantyhose Tip #8 (Store Onions)

Cut the leg off an old pair of pantyhose, and push an onion into it. Tie it off, then push another onion, tie that one off, add another onion... Soon you will have an onion chain, which you can then store in a cool, dark, dry area. Cut the chain from the bottom to use onions as needed.

What is so great about an onion chain? Well, if you've ever had a bag of onions go bad because one was going bad, so all the others went bad, you know the power of onion badness. It spreads, and it's gross. One bad onion CAN spoil the whole bunch, girl. Onions need air circulation and dry, dark conditions to keep well, apparently.

Last year, we grew no onions. This year, though, we are planning to grow lots of onions, enough to get us through the whole year, just like in the olden days (like 30 years ago or so). We are going to need to store them, and this is how we plan to do it. Now, if we can just keep our basement dry so it meets the requirements, we'll be set.

Pantyhose Tip #7 Big Giant Rubber Band

Cut the waistband off the top of an old pair of pantyhose, and use it to keep the trash bag from slipping down into the trashcan.

If you're moving, you can bundle books together in easy-to-lift piles. Use two, one going horizontally across the books, one vertical. If you want to carry them by the crosshairs, you have to be sure they're in there tight, or the band will slip off while you carry them.

What else could you use a big, giant rubber band for? I dunno. Giant slingshot? Hang something big to a hook?

Pantyhose Tip #6 (under pants)

Use old pantyhose to keep your legs warm under pants. This will accomplish several things: 1. Your legs will be warmer, not much, but a little. 2. No panty lines. 3. You won't have to give up that slightly itchy, uncomfortable feeling just because you're wearing pants. You know who I'm talkin' about, librarian friends. (Oh, do you suppose that rule will now be repealed?)

I am starting to run out of pantyhose stuff.

Pantyhose Tip #5 (sachet for drawers, closet)

Make a sachet for your drawers from pieces of old pantyhose. If you cut off the foot, you can load herbs into that section, tie it off. But don't stop there, cut the next section, tie off one end, stuff herbs in, and tie it off. Continue until you have enough for all of your drawers.

We grew tons of great smelling herbs last year, so I was lucky enough to have lots to put into my sachet. Lavender, rosemary, mint, lemongrass... yum. I made one with lavender only for my pillow. You could use ribbon to make it pretty, or to create a tie to hang from your closet pole. Some herbs deter moths, I hear.

I also had some 'old' spices (over three years old) that I hated throwing out. Do not use powdered spices for this, of course, because it will sift right out and get all over everything. I'm going to try dried citrus peels next time, and maybe collect and dry some flowers that will hold their scent.

Pantyhose Tip #4 Grass Head Project

(I am making a point of only posting stuff I actually do, or have tried. In this case, though, I am making an exception because I think if I had kids, this is something we'd make.)

Create a science project/chia pet type craft. (I would have added a starburst, but alas, I could not.) It’s Mr. Grass Head.
Cut the leg off a pair of ruined pantyhose. Up by the toe, add a face. Then, put in some grass seeds. (I am not sure if alfalfa spouts or chia would work. Maybe!) Then, add some soil. Tie this off, and place in a small container of water, like an old baby jar or a yogurt cup. Add face, details to the front, and trim the hair as necessary.

Pantyhose Tip #3

Back to pantyhose....

Cut off a leg from the pantyhose, and fill with soap that has become uncomfortably small for bath usage (bars of soap that have whittled down to thin slivers of soap). Tie off the end and use it inside or outside. The extra length of pantyhose can be used to tie to your garden faucet, making a quick wash up outside easy.

Pantyhose Tip #2

Cut the pantyhose horizontally across the leg (see hair ties) and use these for staking up plants. The soft, yielding material won't damage the stems, especially if you tie using the loose, crazy-8 pattern. Combine two ties for a longer cord, if needed.

To combine two, overlap two loops on a flat surface. Simultaneously pull the lower loop through the upper loop on one end while pulling the upper loop through the lower on the other end. These will tighten into a knot as you pull. Hmm, that isn't as clear as it would be with illustrations.

Here is an illustration that is pretty close. Their loops have a long tail, but the method is the same.

Pantyhose Tip #1

Old, ruined pantyhose are so incredibly useful... I almost regret not having to wear them anymore. Almost. Because there is so much to do with these, I am going to put a tip a day on here until I run out of ideas for pantyhose.

Take an ruined pair of pantyhose. Cut strips, 1/2 to an inch wide, across the leg, to make loops. Pull on the loops, and the cut ends will curl on themselves. Use these to tie your hair back. Bonus for black pantyhose, the black ties look great.

You can cut the elastic waistband to make a headband, too. It's not pretty, but it will keep the hair away while you wash your face.