Play with dirt and plant some seeds: Let’s make a milk jug garden

 

Are you eager to play with dirt and plant some seeds? You can do this now using a plastic milk jug as a tiny greenhouse. This is an inexpensive easy way to get plants started for your summer garden.

Take a half gallon or one gallon plastic container and clean it out with soapy water. Then rinse it out thoroughly. Using a scissors or utility knife, cut almost all around the jug 4-5 inches up from the bottom. Leave 2-3 inches uncut to form a hinge between the top part of the jug and the bottom part of the jug.

With a small knife or screwdriver, puncture at least five small holes into the bottom of the jug for water drainage.

Decide what seeds you are going to plant and make some labels with those seed names. Some good flower choices are alyssum, poppies, Forget-me-nots, black-eyed Susan, and coneflowers. Kitchen herbs and greens are often a good choice too: parsley, oregano, spinach, and romaine.

Fill the bottom part of the jug with very wet soil. Using a pencil or stick, poke shallow holes for the seeds and spread the seeds out. Try not to use too many seeds. The soil is very moist, so you don’t have to add any more water.

After the seeds are planted, use some duct tape or packing tape to tape the top and bottom of the milk jug back together.

Now bring your little greenhouse to a good resting place outside. You can even put it in the snow. Find a spot for the jug where it will get a lot of sun but it will also be sheltered from the wind. Leave the cover off of the milk jug to let air circulate, release extra heat, and capture a little rain. Now is the hard part, you have to be patient. The seeds have enough food and water to get started and grow over many weeks.

As the weather warms up, you can remove the tape and open up the jug so the plants can grow big and strong until it is time to transplant them into a bigger pot or a regular garden. Even when it is still cold, these seeds will grow slowly and they will grow strong.