How To Repurpose Old Rubber Gloves In Your Garden

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Anyone who loves to garden knows this popular hobby can quickly get expensive — from buying seeds to investing in pots, various supports for your plants to thrive, and must-have tools even beginning gardeners need. That's why it's always worth finding clever ways to create upcycled items like repurposing mesh produce bags into garden tool storage. For example, if you have an old pair of rubber gloves lying around — the kind you use for washing dishes — you can repurpose them into a surprisingly handy and thrifty gardening item. With a few snips, those worn-out gloves can be transformed into soft, flexible plant bands or ties that offer gentle support for your tall or climbing plants. This simple DIY can not only save money but helps reduce household waste — a smart move, especially since most municipal curbside programs don't accept dishwashing gloves, so unfortunately, this everyday item often ends up in already crowded landfills.

Converting this type of glove into flexible ties or rubber bands is easy: Grab a pair of scissors and cut away. How you cut them — into bands, strips, or ties — is determined by how you want to use them. For instance, the rubber-band shaped pieces will work well for holding seed packets together or securing small bunches of herbs, while longer strips can be wrapped around plant stakes to support growing stems.

First, hand-wash your gloves with soap and water (if they're dirty) and allow them to dry. Then, grab a pair of sharp utility scissors and cut the length of each glove into long, thin strips. If you lay your gloves flat and snip across the gauntlet or palms, you'll create closed-loop strips that will work like rubber bands — great for bundling stems or gently securing vines. The fingers can even be cut into mini-rubber bands. Or cut these loops to make strips of varying lengths. Once you've made your bands, store them in a Ball regular mouth Mason jar, a closed tin, or small container in your shed or wherever you keep your gardening supplies so they're ready to go whenever you need them.

There are a number of other garden-related uses for old rubber gloves. You can turn a single glove into an easy hanging planter. Fold the gauntlet half over to create sturdy sides, fill the glove with dirt, and plant a variety of herbs or mini succulents. Use the finger tips as protective coverings for screwdrivers, knives, and scissors. Or fill a glove with spray insulation foam or a lightweight concrete made of vermiculite and Portland cement. Paint it, and fill it the palm with bird seed for a small feeder. Really this is just one household staple that can be repurposed into garden decor: The options are nearly limitless!