Here are some tips to help you make the most of recycled materials:

• Use homemade fertilizer made from compost. Compost adds nutrients to tired, worn out soil and retains moisture better than unenriched soil. For more information on composting visit www.mastercomposter.com

• When buying materials such as hoses, bed liners and drainage pipes, look for products made out of recycled plastics. Recycled plastic lumber resists decay from water and can be purchased instead of treated lumber.

• Form walls with texture and character around your garden using broken concrete, old bricks, composite lumber scraps, colored glass bottles and natural stone.

• Old tires can also be used as retaining walls or spiced up as decorative planters. Recycled plastic edging can be easily bent into curves to form clean lines in your garden beds and walkways.

• Experiment! Vary the textures, colors and height of your garden through plantings, furnishings or decorative objects.  Recycled glass and tiles can provide splashes of color to any garden. Don’t be afraid to try something new! Plastic plant and tree stakes work well and resist decay better than wooden stakes.

• Check out ReCycle North in Burlington for deals on used garden tools. The Fletcher Free Library in Burlington also offers a limited number of gardening tools that can be borrowed free of charge.