The Creative Way To Repurpose An Old Cheese Grater To Use In The Garden

A sturdy cheese grater is one of the handiest tools to have in the kitchen. From fresh parmesan to homemade zucchini noodles, your cheese grater has probably provided you with some of your most delicious meals. However, all good things must come to an end, and eventually, a cheese grater may become dull, the handle may break, or the edges may even begin to rust. While it may not be ideal for food preparation anymore, there's no need to throw it out! In fact, you can turn your retired cheese grater into a handy garden protector that will continue to make you smile every time you pass by it — and even ensure that more fresh food finds its way into your kitchen. 

Besides being a cheap and clever way to perk up your patio and repurpose materials, this DIY cheese grater owl could also have some cool protective benefits for your garden or chicken coop. Here's how to make one and how it can protect your backyard from unwanted visitors.

To make this cute owl craft, as explained by Sustain My Craft Habit on YouTube, you'll need an old box cheese grater, canning lids and rings of various sizes, bottle caps, paper, a power drill, and screws, bolts, and washers to keep everything in place. Start by laying your largest lid on the paper, and then trace its outline with a pen or pencil. Cut out the circle, and hold it on the cheese grater where you'd like your first owl eye (the lid) to go. Use a pen to poke a hole in the paper where a grater hole is directly below it. A helpful tip: If you don't want to drill through the grater itself, use the grater's side with the biggest holes.

Next, place the paper circle inside the rim of your largest lid and mark a dot on the lid through the poked hole. Repeat with the other large lid. Next, place your medium lid on the paper circle, trace it, and cut out the smaller circle. Place this circle inside the medium lid as you did before, marking a dot where the drill will go. 

Finally, repeat this process with the bottle caps. After marking dots on all the lids, drill through the dots, and stack the lids inside of each other so that the holes align, making the eyes. Use a screw to attach each eye to the cheese grater, fasten each with a washer and bolt, and, optionally, create the owl's "feet" by securing a branch to the grater's bottom with some wire. Then, place your owl outside or use wire to perch him on a branch.

This DIY owl project isn't just an adorable piece of décor; it may also be one of the best ways to keep chipmunks out of your garden (as well as other pests). That's because the large, round eyes of the DIY owl may deter garden scavengers like squirrels, rabbits, and corvids like crows and jays. Devices with LED lights that look like eyes are often marketed to scare away produce-thieving critters, but with this DIY owl craft, you may be able to reap those same benefits in a more affordable, eco-friendly, and adorable way. 

Have a flock of chickens you need to keep safe? Birds of prey such as hawks, falcons, and owls are also unnerved by the presence of large, round eyes, but may be doubly scared of your little DIY owl friend due to its shiny metal surface. Moreover, a popular backyard chicken tip is to hang shiny objects around the coop to deter predators. By placing your DIY owl in a nearby tree or on the fence line, the shiny cheese grater with daunting eyes could be enough to scare away hawks and other threats. Ultimately, while your cheese grater's time in the kitchen may have ended, it can continue to bring you fresh vegetables and eggs by protecting your garden and flock, making this DIY craft not only fun but also money-saving.