Homeowner shares before-and-after photos of the garden they transformed with the help of kitty litter containers: 'That's a lot to be proud of'

Summer is the perfect time for folks with green thumbs to get outside and start planting. For one Reddit user, a three-year transformation in a side yard shows how valuable time and patience — and the help of recycled kitty litter containers — can be when it comes to gardening. 

The user started their garden by planting small arborvitae shrubs in recycled kitty litter containers in the winter of 2020. In the comments, they write, "Those [containers] are the best. We've been using them for container gardening for years." 

Gradually, the user added flowers around the shrubs and lights on the fence, sprucing up the garden into a small outdoor oasis. Three years later, the garden is almost unrecognizable. 

The yellow kitty litter pails are one of the most visually distinct aspects of the photos the user shared with the r/gardening forum. These containers can be used to plant dwarf arborvitae varieties because they can restrict root movement and keep the plant growing small.

Besides shaping the root system of the arborvitae plant, the recycled kitty litter pails are made of freeze-resistant, sturdy plastic that can keep the root system of the plants safe during cold weather. In addition, the plastic protects against one of the largest predators of the arborvitae: deer. Deer absolutely love eating the soft arborvitae leaves — which do not grow back after being gnawed on by Bambi and his friends. 

Utilizing leftover containers for gardening is a critical way to reduce household waste and curb the purchase of other unnecessary garden tools. Unfortunately, some avid gardeners purchase garden pails specifically for container gardening — which are merely thrown away after the plant has been transferred to an outdoor space or bigger pot. 

Using recycled kitty litter containers is a way to breathe new life into a recycled good to make a magical outdoor space. 

Users praised the original poster's progress. "That's a lot to be proud of! Beautiful. :)," one wrote, while another joked, "That litter got lush."

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