 |
| Plastic Containers To Become Seed Starters |
I've been allowing used milk jugs and produce containers to pile up in the basement. Even though I'm trying to avoid buying things in plastic containers, the family continues to buy milk in plastic jugs and we had plastic produce containers from before my ban. But no worry, they all have a very good use. I'm going to start this year's vegetables and flowers in these containers and set them outside to await the warmer days of spring.
I've always avoided starting plants from seeds because the few times I've tried it's just been too putzy. However, last year at a garden club meeting the speakers shared this great method for sowing seeds in milk jugs and other plastic containers in the winter or early spring, putting them outside and pretty much forgetting about them. I tried it with a few seeds last year and thought it worked pretty well. I'm going to try again this year with many more seeds, so I hope it works this time too.
Check out the website mentioned at the bottom of the instructions. Wintersown.org. It has photos and links to more information that looks very helpful. Also, I see a tab marked Free Seeds!
Here are the directions:
WINTER & SPRING SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Michelle Mero Riedel
For milk, distilled water, and similar containers, gallon sized, rinsed, toss cap.
1. Cut four 1/2 - 1” holes in the bottom of the milk jug with a utility knife. Twist knife to make a hole.
2. Cut a horizontal line with utility knife from one side of handle to the other, about 3-5” from bottom of
milk jug, leaving a 1” hinge.
3. Grab handle and pull back to open container. Again, don’t cut all the way so you have a hinge.
4. Add soil to 1” from cut line.
5. Water well so soil is muddy and you see water coming out bottom.
6. Take a break to make sure water will flow out the bottom.
7. Flatten soil so there isn’t any peaks or valleys.
8. Add seeds, as many as you wish.
9. Cover with enough soil, the diameter of the seed (example if seed is 1/8” in diameter, add 1/8 inch of
soil). Additional soil is not needed if seeds are very tiny.
10. Lightly add more water to moisten.
11. Add a plant label along inside container wall with name of plant, color, light requirements, and height.
This label will go into the garden.
12. Close cover and duct tape in place. Clear duct tape is best.
13. Label container lid with plant name and date.
14. Remember to toss the container cap.
15. Place outside on the east, south, or west side of your house. Allow snow to pile on top and collect rain.
Can put container on patio, in garden, on grass, on picnic table, on deck. Do not put under deck, awning,
or roofline.
For bakery, takeout, produce, or rotisserie chicken containers:
1. Follow same instructions as milk containers except add holes at top of the container.
2. Add as much soil as you can.
3. Place plant label inside on its side.
4. No need to tape unless the container won’t stay closed.
5. Label container top.
Hints
1. Plant perennials in February and March
2. Plant annuals, herbs, and vegetables April 1-20.
3. After late April, they can be direct sown in the ground
4. Most Aprils are wet, so you won’t have to water until early May.
5. Watch containers for drying and water if necessary with hose attachment on mist. Be gentle with
small seedlings.
6. If you wish, as weather warms up, open containers during the day, and close at night if temps are too
cool or below freezing.
7. Bring your tender plants (what you sowed in April) indoors or in your garage if temps are at or
below freezing. Perennials can remain outside. They can take the cold.
8. On hot spring days, you might want to move your containers to receive less sun (east side of home)
so they don’t completely dry out.
9. Can cut off lid when weather warms up, usually after May 15.
10. Wait for mature roots before dividing.
11. For additional information, go to wintersown.org.
Christy I have enjoyed reading your blogs daily. And now more exposure in your Womens Press Magazine. Good for you. Seattle being the rumpled REI destination and its ever increasing wave of restaurants and businesses using sustainable local products has hit a beautiful crescendo. The little neighborhoods such as Steve's have brought many folks who share your thoughts on saving the world one step at a time. My daughter in law is a rabid recycler, I think they are down to one teeny tiny trash bag a week. They again Seattle is a recycling haven. A stroll through their neighborhood and you can see how tiny little yards have managed to create lush vegetable gardens on the little strips of property in front of their homes in raised beds, or turned entire front lawns into beautiful and enviable vegetable gardens. On one particular walk I saw a very clever use of milk jugs. Not only are folks in homes growing vegies one clever apartment dweller created the most amazing raised bed garden I have ever seen. He took those plastic milk jugs, cut them in half, drilled holes for drainage, and some how scaled a big tree in front o fhis property and made a ring with many of the jugs all tied together with a big think fat rope. He or she managed to also rig a soaker hose to the entire ring for constant even watering. And he had tomatoes and greens and hard to tell what else was flourishing up in the tree. I'll try to forward a photo. And of course let I forget to tell you, the neighborhood also has an urban goat owned by a couple nearby who walk their goat daily , he leading the goat , she following behind wtih pail and broom. PS I have used those plastic containers for mini greenhouses for a long time. Last year I actually saved the seeds from my tomatoes, and started my own tomatoes.. carefully carefully time consumingly the entire process until yes we had repeat tomatoes. Inbetween we visited the Tacoma greenhouses where I was able to buy very big,very full tomatoe plants for $2.50 each. When I think of the time my seeds spent under the grow light and the energy expended to keep my seeds warm and my time and effort, the $2.50 deal just seemed a better deal. So its hard to be as enthusiastic about starting seeds as I thought I was. Although the vintage seeds sound amazing.......how fun to have that history. Like an heirloom rose garden:) I see the flowers my grandma always grew in her gardens making a comeback. Its such a warm feeling . All the best with your blog. Love Monica
ReplyDeleteMonica, Seattle sounds like so much fun! I would love to have the city wide food composting that you have there and I do love the gardens. One reason to start seeds is to assure your plants don't carry pesticides in their pollen, which harms the bees and with the neat winter gardening approach I've listed here, you don't need grow lights. Still, I understand buying the plants fully formed. That's what I've always done, but hope to do the seed starting this year. We'll see how it goes.
ReplyDelete