Gardeners urged to put old tin cans outside for one very good reason

If you've chucked a can of tomatoes into your dinner and you're about to pop the empty tin in the , stop right there.

You can rinse it, but you'd better keep hold of it so you can use it for this purpose in your .

Joe, who posts on as @joesgarden, said first, you should "remove the labels that might be on your tin and carefully poke some holes in the bottom".

He said that a "hammer and nail or drill works best" to put the holes into the tin cans, as they're hard to break through.

Then: "Give your tin a really good wash to make sure there's no residue and to check the drainage holes are working."

Joe then said that this part is "optional," but he shared that he likes to paint the outside of the tins to make them look more aesthetically pleasing and as though they're a real part of the garden.

He also said it can offer "a little more protection from getting too hot in the sun".

Joe said: "You can then start to screw your cans to a wall or fence trellis somewhere that is sunny, but also gets a little bit of shade throughout the day".

Then, once this is done, you can "pop in some quality soil and start to plant out some micro-herbs such as chives".

He then showed off his tin can wall, and it looked incredible and will be perfect for this summer and summers after.

He said: "To take it to the next level, paint on some little black squares where you can write the names of each variety," as he used a white pen over the top.

"It's very important to harvest your herbs regularly to keep them nice and small and also keep them well-watered during hot sunny days," Joe urged.

In the caption, he said this is one of his "favourite ways to help people who may only have a small space or garden to grow food. Without doubt, the best way to grow food and plants in a small space is to use vertical gardening techniques."

He continued: "Now I would like to make a few important points. The bigger the tin, the better, as small containers will dry out fast throughout the day, and where possible, use lined tins. If you look closely, the tins I am using have a white liner on the inside, which is commonly used with tins that store something in water. These are really slow to rust and I've had some in my garden for nearly three years with no sign of rust at all."

Joe reiterated: "These planters are best when planted with really small plants such as chives, pansy and alpine strawberries, and just make sure to keep harvesting to keep your plants small."