Unfortunately you cannot buy a helmet and use for life. You have to replace it every couple of years as the material structure changes and it becomes less protective. So you cannot even sell it or give away as it would compromise the person safety. Luckily there are ways to prevent helmets to go to landfill by upcycling a bicycle helmet for the garden, here is the step by steps! it’s super easy!
What you need to create a DIY garden container
- An old bicycle helmet
- Garden fabric/ landscape fabric or DIY (see below)
- Seedling
Notes:
The helmet can be in good or bad condition. If the strap is broken, get some rope to create a hanger basket if you wish.
I recommend using seedlings and not seeds so the plant is already strong and will grow well into this new pot.
DIY material for the “Garden Fabric”
As the helmet has holes, you can to cover them with a material which will not let all the water escape. I used two types of materials. A plastic sheet (waterproof) and the side of a big reusable bag that I was given to carry Xray documents. If the sun can reach the plastic, it will make it crumble, so you want to make sure that the plastic is all covered with potting mix. It will make sense below in the steps by steps.
Step 1
After you can out the bag and plastic sheets in the right size. Put them into the helmet making sure that they cover all the holes till the top
Step 2
Poke some holes in the plastic sheet to make sure that some water can escape. You can use a pin to do this.
Step 3
Add some potting mix inside the helmet. Get your strawberry runners or other seedlings and pot them into their new upcycled home!
Step 4
Hang the basket or leave it on the floor is this is more suitable for you.
I hope you enjoyed this DIY. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions. I have had it for over 6 months and the strawberries have given flowers and fruits!
If you are new to gardening and live in a city, you might like my COMPLETE GUIDE FOR URBAN GARDENING on a BUDGET with more savvy dips, ideas and DIYs for the garden.