Container Question

OK, it appears that gallon milk jugs is the container of choice. My milk comes in returnable glass bottles, I do have alot of small (1 liter, and 20 oz sizes) water bottles. I realize there may be a problem with them tipping over, but I could put them in a box or something to keep them upright. But, Is small OK?? Or will it freeze too solid?

Thanks for any assistance.
Deb

Hi Deb,

This is only my 2nd year WSing, but I will be happy to share last year's results with you. I don't think the size of the container matters as long as it's deep enough. I believe the general rule is at least 4" of soil and they need to be tall enough that the seedlings will not be cramped after germinating. I used a few of those smaller bottles last year and had no problem other than you can't get too many seeds in them. You are right though that you'll need to contain them in a box or crate or they'll blow over or completely away!

Good luck,
La

Thanks for your input. I thought if I just put a few seeds in each bottle I would probably be OK. I haven't had a lot of luck starting seeds inside, so thought I might give this a try. I've asked my brother to save their milk jugs for me, but, I'm still waiting for that, and I am anxious to get started!!

Deb

I have been warned that there may be certain legal problems for prowling the streets early in the morning snatching used milks jugs from recycling bins - but the neighbours know me, so hopefully they won't turn me in to the city!

I must look quite the sight at 7 am with a large plastic bag in hand, collecting the milk jugs!

You rock Seandor.

I used plastic cups last year, even with our ice storm and bad weather I had great results. I didn't have a crate so I wrapped twine around 6 or 7 of them together and made like one big one so they wouldn't blow around. Worked pretty good to.

Man . . . wish I had thought of that . . . oh, well. Now I have about 20 milk jugs to use upl.

Anyway, here is what I do with the milk jugs - I cut off the tops and throw them away - then I use a cheap ziplock baggie - not the kind with the zipper tab) and use that as the top (clip the corners for ventilation).

Alas - I just ran out of the baggies - but the bottom of another milk jug fits perfectly over another - and it makes a great little green house, with lots of room for seeds to grow.

Last year I had so many people saving jugs for me that I finally had to cry, "uncle". In fact by the time everybody got word that I didn't need anymore I almost had enough to cover this year too!

Lucky you!

Good idea Seandor. But I take the tops and cut strips out of them to use for identification tags in the jugs. cheaper than buying them.

I like the idea of using the tops for identification tags :-)

I just cut them into strips with one end pointy. It goes into the dirt real easy and a sharpie pen works great and doesn't wash off. Another thing I use is an old metal or plastic mini blind that I replaced after it broke. I cut them into 4 inch lengths and stick them in the ground, they really last along time.

I'm one of those that uses whatever I can find to put seeds in. Why buy it when we throw so much away. I've used butter tubs and have sunk them half way into the ground, Aluminum pans any size. I will take a 2 inch deep one try to sink it a little. Drive a steak down in it so it won't blow away and then cover it with leaves. I've even used egg cartons in a really cool garage and it has worked. I would rather spend my money on seeds than on seed tray and such (unless they are on sale) I got 8 of the dome type for a total of $2.00 this past fall. That was a bargain.

Old plastic pots works, the kids old play pails, I even have an old (antique) dairy creamer container that I use. Just use your imagination and have fun. Just make sure there is at least enough dirt in them and they have some protection if they are shallow or flimsy. After all this is the freezin season and those seeds have to freeze their little bodies in order to bloom for us one day.

Good point about making the soil deep enough. :-)

momcat: I would worry about glass bottles tipping over, cracking from freezing temperatures, plus once the seedlings got large enough, how would you get them out of their containers? Wouldn't you have to shatter the glass bottles? Sounds like it could potentially lead to injuries!!! Therefore, I would highly recommend winter sowing in plastic containers only!

Plastic water bottles are great! Make sure to buy the largest size the store offers. Putting them in a crate is a great idea. However, if you don't want to purchase a crate, I've never had a problem with them tipping over, especially once they are all huddled together. It's very important to have a minimum of 4 inches of good potting soil in each of your containers. Otherwise, they will dry out to fast. Dried out soil = dead seeds!

Here's another suggestion, if you don't have any 1 gallon plastic containers, do you have any family, friends or neighbors that might have some? You could share some of your winter sown seedlings with them in exchange for their containers! Everyone loves FREE plants!

Hi Shirley,
Thanks for the input, I wasn't planning on using the glass bottles, that's why I was asking about the small plastic water bottles. We've always got a supply of those around the house or in the car. I have some cardboard boxes that I can cut the sides down on and fill with water bottles. I figure by spring they will have about had it, and probably fall apart, but by that time, the plants should be about ready to plant, anyway.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

Deb

2 questions:

1. Can I use green mountain dew soda bottles?

2. I saved a whole bunch of 1-gall plastic milk jugs. I thought I cut it in half, tape the seem and puncture vent holes in the top portion, leaving off the cap. Is that correct??

First time WS this year. Thanks.

r30

don't forget drain holes in the bottom

rebecca30:

I have no experience with green mountain dew soda bottles, but perhaps someone else does.

I use 1 gallon plastic milk or water jugs. I cut approximately 3/4 of the way around, but I leave a hinge where the handle is attached. I don't cut the top of completely, otherwise it is more work to try & match the two halves together when they are taped.

Puncturing vent holes in the top is very important to let the jug transpire and to let in moisture provided by Mother Nature . I throw away the milk jug cap and leave that hole open for the same reason that you provide extra vent holes on the top portion. Don't forget to make your drainage holes in the bottom half as cathy 4 suggested.

Best of luck with your winter sowing. Be sure to let us know how it goes.

You need your soil deep, but someone mentioned egg cartons in a thread or two. Does it depend on the type of seed or time of year? Egg cartons really aren't very deep. I was wondering if my old seed starting thingamajig with 72 little plant places will work. Do you know what I mean? It has a plastic domed lid, but those little pots are very skinny.

McGlory: You need a minimum of 4" of good potting soil in your container. Do not use egg cartons, as you pointed out, because they are NOT deep enough.

Could you post a picture of your plastic domed lit with pots? If it can't hold 4" of good soil, DON'T use it! It will dry out to fast and your seeds will die. Give the seeds a fair chance by having your container deep enough to hold the soil & seedlings.

I'll echo what Shirley said... i had some with only 2" of soil, and they certainly did NOT do as well as the ones with 4".
there is just not enough room for the root system.

so make slits at the very top of the milk jugs in addition to removing the Cap? okay. Thanks.

r30

Oh, I don't think it will work because it's too shallow. Sorry for the bad pic - I had to hold tape measure with one hand, camera in the other, and I'm not coordinated enough to do that.

Lord, it's dusty! Dust is good for seeds, right? LOL

I wouldn't use it. Too shallow.

Karen

I have 2 of these Jiffy flats. I used them for inside sowing on a heat mat... and yes, they are quite shallow.
they did "OK" ... i did coleus in one of them...and the roots were so entangled, I could barely get them apart... when i came to the end of the flat... I just took what was left, about an eighth of the flat, and just sunk it into the ground, as i could no longer get the roots apart.

I agree - the flats are too shallow. I used one and winter sowed California Poppy, Clarkia, Phacelia and Scabiosa. Everything germinated, but most of the seedlings ended up drowning in the humidity inside the flat, even though I cut ventilation slits in the top.

One somewhat shallow container I have used to winter sow shorter plants (like Alyssum) are those large plastic salad-greens containers. They worked pretty good for short stuff.

Joanne

Those plastic containers Joanne described didn't do well for me- again too small and shallow. I note she is in zone 3 while I am in zone 6. Our weather can get so hot so fast in spring, I imagine that is the difference. In warmer climates we might get a little less slack in this regard.

In my first year I tried so many types- those plastic clambshells from the deli, deli chicken containers, cake dishes, etc, none really worked very well for me. Again, in a cooler area, they might work a little better. It is for this reason that last year (my second) I stuck to milk jugs and 2 liter pop bottles and they worked much better. I plan to do the same this year, my third as a wintersower.

Your mileage may vary. :-)

Karen

You folks are into something very important. Good for you.

I like to cut off the top of a bottle and then cut down the side, accross the bottom and back up to the top. That leaves me standing there with two halves. Next put those halves back together using duct tape only on the sides. Now you have a bottom hole and a pot easy to remove when planting time arrives. Want something larger...look for ice cream 1.75 gal straight sided tubs. They have a plastic liner. Handle them the same way.

Has anyone seen the pot makers that all of the seed catalogs seem to have this year. It is a wooden form and you make the starter pot form strips of newspaper. The cost varies but shipping and all is about twenty dollars. It would be a one time expense though. I like the idea of using the newspapers. I would like to know how will it works before I invest in it.

i know there were some who made "paper pots" though i do not recall how well they worked.

I have seen those paper pot makers. Interesting but you will not get the debth being talked in this thread at this moment.

Wonderful thread! Thanks for all the info.

I am a first time WS'er and saw those pot makers. It seemed like a great idea to use up old newspaper. The largest one I saw was for a 3" pot which might be too shallow for WSing but would be ideal for spring started seeds later on, tthe ones that do not get WS' ed. Like Coleus and Zinnias.

Check out Dave's video on making newspaper pots under guides and information. Good stuff!

Last year Santa brought me one of those paper pot makers, though I hadn't asked for one. I hated them. They dry out so fast. I won't use those again, either.

Karen

Karen -- shouldnt Santa know what you want??

and yes... i do recall hearing that... drying out too fast.
I heard the same for peat pots too... but what i did is put my lil pots, i did tomatoes in peat (first on a heat mat)
is i put the lil pot in #1 deli containers... that way i could control the water easier... worked great for me. May do it again this year.

I just stack em together in a flat and water from the bottom. Not a big deal. My tomatoes and peppers seem to love the newspaper and get off to a great start. I normally transplant them to larger pots when they get some size for a strong root system and then directly to the garden once the soil warms up a bit. And I do push the envelop with that, use black plastic to warm up the already prepared bed. I use cloches and row covers to protect them from the cold. That gets me early ripe tomatoes in June.........yummy!

Yes, I had them enclosed in a container, too, but still didn't like either the peat pots or the paper pots. Some got moldy when the wather just started to warm. They just dry too much when the weather gets really warm. Sometimes on days I work I'm gone from home 10 or 12 hours- I just can't be here to water them several times a day. Plus, I don't WANT to.

The only option I've tried for and liked for individual little pots is yogurt cups and styrofoam coffee cups- a lot of them- to fill an underbed container. The moisture can't evaporate through the sides of the plastic and styro cups like it can with peat pots or paper pots.

I don't know how far N or S you might be in Illinois, but here it can get HOT pretty fast in spring. Last year was the hottest dryest spring I've ever seen. Paper and peat pots just don't do it for me.

My underbed box looks like this, and it holds a lot of cups.

Karen

I can understand that one, I use wicks for mine, it pretty much takes care of itself.

Please explain about wicks........