What I would try is a place that sells food and equipment to businesses. We have an "Institutional Foods", "GFS" and other like that around here, I think that would be a good place to try, they carry those containers and lids you are talking about.
Kathy

Dollar stores carry elastic bowl covers.
Not really reusable though.
Ron

How about some of those really cheap shower caps from dollar store? I imagine the elastic wouldn't last that long, but might be cheap enough to replace each year.

You memtioned you don't want to tape a plastic cover to the top. What about dropping the entire container down into a plastic bag, like a bread sack?

While you look for something in larger quantity, consider cutting the center out of the Folger's lid, placing plastic across the container, then snapping the lid on to the container.

I'm putting all of my containers under one large cover with plenty of holes all over. If you don't find what you need, consider getting clear vinyl by the yard from the fabric store.

Everyone is invited over for a yummy cup of Folgers!

Good suggestions! I checked the on-line restaraunt supply places and keep coming up with small lids. If anyone's a Costco member looking for containers, I saw the 32oz containers there with lids for about $12/250 count. (membership was $50 if you aren't a member).

Anything flimsy I've used (those shower caps and zip bags) haven't worked too well. I have to put a stick in them to tent them up and no matter what I do, it seems the water pools up somewhere and my pots get dry.

I hadn't thought of checking the craft/fabric store! I'll take a ride over this week to see if it's material I could use. Do you know if it's firm enough where snow won't cave it down?

I just tried cutting up one of those plastic domes used for seed starting. The hold up firm in the pots but it's not easy trying to punch holes through the material.

I'm going to take a ride over to the office supply store to see what they might have.

I use blanket bags - even without holes - because I put them on my covered porch, zip them up and leave about two or three inches for venting. I get condensation, still have my blanket bags in tact and it works unbelievably well. I did this last year and save the bags now from year to year - what I do is put the pots in a plastic shoe box bottom (again no holes) and when the pots need watering, I put the water in the shoebox and the pots suck it up - ) It works for me

Carrie

Shimla,
It is the same material that beach balls are made of. It is near the home upholstery at JoAnn's for about $1.50 per yard at 54 inch width. I'm trying my pots this year inside an adapted coldframe with this as the cover. The plastic will be stretched and stapled to the frame with holes and slits. I have not figured out yet how to arrange the holes and slits.

I was also thinking that if you have the height in the containers, you could staple squares of this vinyl inside to the perimeter of each container then poke holes. 5-6 staples. A coffee can lid or a big gulp lid would be much less work and probably recycled.

I was also looking in my pantry. My protien powder has a white lid like the coffee cans. Maybe a smoothie bar or icecream place has the lids you need.

Good luck

I was afraid of that, SG. I don't think that's going to work for me. Nothing at the office store nor dollar store. We'll see what the people at work come up with tomorrow. I might have to end up saving different kinds of things, here and there over the year.

Does your coldframe regulate the temperature? If not, what do you have, or what you can make for a removable coldframe cover? (I'm thinking of something like a wooden doorframe). You might want to consider something that you can lift off easily.

I don't know much about coldframes at all but had a homemade one for years here. t was just a box in the ground, about 6 foot long, 1 1/2 feet deep. It was sectioned off in 3 sections (I could fit 2 flats in each section). I covered my frame covers with plastic. I didn't put holes in them but boy, stuff could cook really fast in the box! I never used it to grow stuff. When I took my covers off of my WS pots early on in the season, I'd put them in there. I'd toss the cover over them when it rained really hard. I'm just thinking aloud here that if your holes aren't quite right, you might not be able to tell how hot it is inside and cook your babies. If you have a way to prop open your cover then you can lift it in an emergency.

It sounds like you found a good deal on plastic. I have used the really heavy mil drop clothes for my pot covers. I got a huge sheet for about $10 at the hardware store. It's holding up from year to year without any signs of wear.

Have you tried using a wood burning tool to put holes in the plastic domes that you talked about. That is what I use to put holes in milk jugs and 2 liter bottles.

Ginger

I use a small bit and drill the holes in the plastic. Put area you want the holes over a block of wood and drill away. It's speedy.

Hi,
Take a look at the link below. Maybe one of the lids is the one you want.
Remy

Here is a link that might be useful: Deli containers and lids

Shimla, If youfind those lids, be sure to post!!!! I am doing the exact same thing! My idea is to use those black bulb crates (Brent and Becky's bulbs sells them for $4.00 each if you don't have a source.)

I am putting my azalea pots on a table, putting the bulbs crates upside down over them , then covering all in plastic tarp material. I can tuck the tarp under the bulb crate to keep it tau t, but it isn't critial except for blowing away because theblack bulb crate will keep it off the pots. Six azalea pots should fit underneath -- I think. I haven't done anything except sow the 6 pots yet. Then I will just punch holes using a thing from my kitchen that is designed to go into a tomato to give you nice even slices. (It would be like a very sharp Afro comb from the 70s) The tarp will be throw away, but they cost $6.00 and would cover at least 30 bulb crates (which I don't have anyway)

I can't have milk jug trash another year.

My other idea is to use some 2 1/2" square, very deep, pots I have for slower growing things, and things I don't need too many plants of. I have the pots and the flats to hold them, I just need the cover... been thinking about how I can make a rack or something.

Lime

In case no one mentioned it within the last hour, Winter Sowers Are Awesome!!!!!!

That's a great link, Remy! I found the lids I need. They're 6.45" so I just need to trim them down a bit and I'm in business. Thanks, I'm going to order a case and see how they do!

I'll also try drilling the tops I made from my seed starting dome. I like that idea much better than trying to melt holes (fumes).

Lime, you've lost me. Can't the crates serve as a cover for your pots? I know what you mean about the milk jugs! The first year I had pots, milk jugs and soda bottles outside. What a sight, I think I did about 600 containers that year! And of course, the ones in jugs and bottles didn't germinate right away so they were in the yard for quite some time. I didn't have them in neat crates or anything, I just had a massive lump of containers sitting out there. At least with the flower pots, unsuspecting people that pop in the backyard get a general idea it's some type of gardening activity. I think I'm going to like these little lids. The plastic covers tend to glare in the sun so now I can tone it down a little! I'm also going to get short picket fencing this year to corral everything in during the winter.