How to Use Pantyhose in the Garden

Dollmaker Madame Alexander conceived of the idea of pantyhose in 1950. By 1959, pantyhose were being mass produced by Glen Raven Mills. Shortly thereafter we began wondering what to do with the hose after a run or snag rendered them unwearable. The following ideas give those pantyhose new life in the garden.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Use the leg of a pair of pantyhose to store flower bulbs out of season. Cut off the leg, drop in the bulbs, knot the end and add an i.d. tag with masking tape. Hang in a cool, dry, ventilated area until replanting time.

2. Repel deer with bundles of human or pet hair. Collect hair clippings from the local salon or dog grooming parlor. Fill the foot sections of old pantry hose with the human hair, tie the end and hang the "hair sachets" where the deer like to snack. Replace the hair every week as it tends to lose the repellent scent.

3. Stake new plants and young trees with strips of pantyhose. Eliminate possible damage from string and wire as the plants mature.

4. Wash up after gardening without getting dirt on the bathroom faucets. Drop leftover slivers of soap into the foot of a pair of pantyhose and tie it shut. Hang it next to the outdoor faucet for a quick wash before going inside.

5. Make a firefly jar for a child. Fit a square of nylon pantyhose with a rubber band over the top of a plastic peanut butter jar.

6. Pot plants with a piece of pantyhose in the bottom of the pot. Prevent soil from leaking while water drains freely.

7. Create protective sleeves for melons to keep them up off the ground. Slide the new melons into the foot section of a leg of pantyhose. Tie it to a stake so that the melon isn't touching the ground. Eliminate ground rot, mold and invasion by insects.