I use an old "Metamucil" plastic container with a hole in the lid for shaking fertilizer granules over an area. I can throw a narrow stream a fair distance, or spray it over a broad area to a lesser distance.

My hand-held "spinner" spreader tends to jam, and it only thows a very little at a time, and sprays it omni-directonally, wasting too much.

But you just inspired me to use ALL my empties to store fertilizer, and just switch the lid-with-a-hole to the one I'm using at the moment.

P.S. If a plastic jar is too slippery to hold with wet hands, try tieing some waxed twine around it. Or rub some beeswax on it. The wax improves the grip.

What a great tip ... this is an idea I am definitely going to use! Thanks gingin!

Great tip. I actually do this. These kinds of containers are also good for holding any soil amendments in smaller amounts too. Bone meal, etc... whatever you regularly use when planting... they're handy & easy.

I remember the old-time metal coffee cans. Nowadays, DH orders whole coffee beans in packages made of cardboard or something!

I've been using different sizes of these bird seed containers. They have a spout, a larger opening, a handle and they are clear plastic. Here are some links just to give you an idea what I'm talking about. I've gotten them at my local Lowe's, Tractor Supply and Meijer's (I'd guess you could find them in Walmart, but I normally don't shop there). I get some for bird seed and fertilizer (etc...). You'll find them in the bird seed isle in your stores. I dedicate some clean unused ones just for bird seed and some for fertilizer and 'such'. I mark on the sides with a sharpie what it is and/or since it's clear the bag will show through on the side.

Works for me, because I drink iced tea every day year round and the coffee that we do get is Dunkin Decaf, which comes in bags.

http://www.duncraft.com/Seed-S...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IKAB88/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IKAB88/

I use the plastic coffee cans for lots of stuff. They also work well for rooting larger cuttings like brugs.

I use my coffe cans to hold USED (and then dried in the oven's pilot light) coffee grounds for keeping my blue hydrangea blue.

This is a great tip I've been using the coffee cans for fertilizer, too. The lids snap tightly to keep everything inside dry. I also use them for compost for the same reason.

Great idea. My oldest was a container from coffee purchased in 2003. Been using that red plastic container with the snappy black lid for a variety of things - fertilizers, guano, sand, perlite, etc.

I find a bag of garden lime to be too heavy so I divide the lime into more manageable sized containers.

@greene At 80, I can't do the heavy lifting I used to so I find the smaller containers useful for a variety of things, too. DH had an old hand cement mixer with a tight lid that he has donated for me to store my alfalfa pellets in. I use about half a bag to use in the garden when it is first purchased and the rest goes in the container in the garage. I fill up my coffee cans from this.

@rocklady, I agree. When I turned 60 I vowed to not buy another thing that I could not lift and carry by myself, aided by a wheel barrow or hand cart if needed. (This self-imposed rule does not apply to vehicles that can be driven. )

@RickCorey, - I buy the copy-cat brand of Metamucil in the smaller containers because they are an excellent size to store bulk seed, small plastic bags, and even pens and markers.

Hmm, I always buy the largest size thinking it's cheaper, but buying a smaller size for the containers ... that's a good idea!

The large ones are OK for holding compost ingredients next to the sink (I cut the top inch off so that the threaded lip doesn't get in the way when I dump it out).

BTW, I bought some seed-starting trays with 200 cells because i read that was a good way to start lots of lettuce. But they make GREAT pen-and-pencil holders when cut into blocks of 5x4 cells! One or two pens in each cell. Probably most people could make do with a 3x4 block of cells, but it might be tippy.

Rick Corey, I am beginning to think that there is nothing you use for its intended purpose. You seen to have an alternate use for so many things. We should re-christen you Rick Re-purpose Cory.

I'll second that.

>> there is nothing you use for its intended purpose.

Pretty close! The container is often a major consideration when I buy something. Yogurt quarts, gallon jugs and half-gallon jugs all get used for years after I've eaten or drunk whatever-it-was that came in them.

I'm a little like the guy in the movie "Airplane". The damaged airplane is coming in for a landing, or maybe a passenger had to take over piloting. As it approaches the runway, someone says "turn on the runway lights!"

Then one major character gets a shrewd expression and dramatic music plays in the background.

"WAIT!! That's just what they'd EXPECT us to do!!!"

I'd hate to use a product solely for what someone expected me to use it for.

Rick. I save all sorts of things and usually find a repurpose.