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Uses for Aluminum Pie Plates in the Garden

Aluminum disposable pie plates are recycled all the time to use as trays for left overs. But they are also very useful in the garden, as well.

I love to find neat garden uses for common household items.  There are so many things that we throw away that can be put to good use around the home. 

Keep reading to find out how you can put this common item into use outdoors in your backyard garden.

Disposable pie plates on a garden bench with a galvanized watering can and clay pots.

 

Don’t Throw those Disposable Pie Plates away!

These plates can be re-purposed for many garden uses. Check out these ideas:

Use pie plates to scare the critters

Scare the pests away with them, at least for a while.  They make an annoying sound when they move around in the breeze. 

When sunlight hits them, they also flash light around which can scare critters.  Just tie them with string to branches, trellises or garden fences.

They will scare away birds from your corn and squirrels from all the vegetables.

Trapping snails in small pie plates

Snails can do a lot of damage to hosta plants. Use these trays as a way to repel them.

Fill the pie trays with beer to trap snails and slugs that love to eat hostas and some vegetables. 

Cut holes in the center and place them right around the base of a plant.  This thwarts some pests and also serves as a way to reflect heat up to the plant in the cooler months.

Water for the birds

Are the birds eating your fruits and veggies? Most of the time they want water, not food.

Place the trays around the garden with water in them to give the birds what they are really looking for.

Repel ants with pie plates and cinnamon

Put cinnamon in them to deter ants and keep them from eating blooms of your favorite plants.  Ants hate cinnamon and will not cross over it.

Use them to keep away the squirrels

Use the trays as natural squirrel repellents by adding crushed red pepper flakes. Squirrels hate this smell and will avoid your vegetables.

Pie plates make great plant saucers and bird feeders

The trays make great make shift saucers for house plants. 

They can also be used to make a bird feeder. 

Can you think of other ways to use disposable aluminum pie plates in your garden?  Please leave your comments below.

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Carol

Thursday 16th of May 2019

can I use an aluminum pie plate to keep a solar fountain for a bird bath to keep it from floating?

Carol

Thursday 16th of May 2019

I haven't tried it so I don't know whether it would work or not. Sounds like a good idea.

Heidi Bookenstock

Friday 1st of June 2018

My grandmother also told me not to throw anything away, I didn't know that could even apply to aluminum plates! It's such a great idea to re-purpose them for garden uses. I never knew that cinnamon could help get rid of ants.

Carol

Saturday 2nd of June 2018

My grandmother was exactly the same. She always used to say "look after the pennies and the dollars will look after themselves."

Nancy Alleshouse

Wednesday 24th of July 2013

I use the aluminum pie pans under my stoves broiler when broiling meat, etc.. When I'm done, throw it away. Saves a lot of time from standing in front of sink washing a regular boiler pan.

admin

Thursday 1st of August 2013

Great tip.Thanks!

Carol

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission from the sale, but the price is the same for you. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."