Don't Toss Old Vinyl Records When There's A Great Way To Use Them In The Garden

With vinyl records enjoying a resurgence in the last few years, you may face the issue of a full library. But no worries, you can put your old, scratched ones to use. Make room in your collection by repurposing your old LPs that don't play as well as they used to in the garden with a helpful TikTok hack. Try making a fun and quirky garden border with them.

Garden borders can be an important part of any landscape as they divide flower beds and can also make your garden appear more organized and planned. Almost any material works, including plastic, metal, wood, or even brick, as garden edging. But before you install a quirky record divider, just know that it's not likely to have the longest lifespan. Plastic, like that used in most records, will deteriorate in the sun. It can still last several years, however. And if it saves you an expensive trip to the hardware store, then it's really a win.

When thinking about where to install your new vinyl record border, it's all about where you want to put emphasis. Use it around certain flowers to highlight them or to designate different garden styles, such as a moon garden and a pollinator garden. While edging is just one way to create garden separation in your yard, it's also one of the cheapest when you're recycling materials. So, if you want to try this repurposing hack, just grab those records, a shovel, and a tape measure to get started.

First, you'll need to measure out the garden bed to figure out how many records you'll need. Traditionally, there have been three sizes of records: 7-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch. For a neater, streamlined look, pick one type and use it for the length of the garden edging, making sure all the records are in the same-size family. Or, if you want to make a really eclectic garden bed, experiment with different sizes.

Then, the concept is simple. According to @Rainbrock on TikTok, you'll just bury the records about halfway in the soil, lining them up so they create a wavy edge (or a series of half-circles) around the flower bed. Make sure the soil is tight against the records and that they're buried at least halfway down. Always pat down the soil on either side, ensuring it's compacted and not loose. Otherwise, the wind or rain can knock the vinyls over. You might also want to consider adding in a wooden or metal railing behind the records, just as an added support.

Keep any extra records, even if they're broken, because you can use them to fix parts of your new edging that might crack, warp, or otherwise need repairs. After cold spells in the winter, the records may be prone to heaving as the soil thaws and freezes. You can repair frost-upheaved landscape edging fairly easily. Just pluck out the LPs that are affected and replant them.