i don't prticularly care for the tape, and its cheaper, and the ties dont come untied like a string. LOL

Last year, I was strictly a 2L girl, but we go through at least 2, sometimes 3 gallons of milk a week, and it seems silly not to use those containers, since they are available. So I am interested in the responses you get to this thread. I think I will practice on a couple of jugs and just see what seems the easiest. With the 2L, I don't use anything to attach the two halves together, the tabs in the top half do the trick. I'm wondering if you couldn't do something similar with the jugs? Hmmmmm......

Bonnie

Duct tape. It's fast and works great, it doesn't come undone here. I don't have to mess around with puching holes and doing twists, it's not efficient for time.

I'm a taper. I actually use a cloth-type tape used in television production. I find it is easier to work with - easier to rip, easier to position (and re-position if necessary) and it does not stick to itself as readily as that darn duct tape.

That being said, it is very expensive, and when I run out of my allotted supply, I use duct tape. In some ways, the duct tape is better - it actually comes off more easily in the spring than the cloth tape does, but by the same token, it holds up well through the winter.

I do a lot of lifting and moving of my milk jugs, so I feel more confident in lifting the heavy jugs when they are taped up fully, as opposed to using the twist tie, which I have tried.

:)
Dee

Ths is my first year,but I do agree with using the tape if you are trying to save time.I thought I was going to use some floral wire I have and it would be a snap.It wasnt long before I realized the tape would be quicker,and hold my jugs together better...lol...they are the worlds ugliest jugs!:) I hope I am better at it next year!
hightransplant,I do like where your mind is going with the milk jugs,I just wonder if the plastic would be too flimsy to lock and stay together,especially when filled with dirt?I have a practice container,I think I'll fiddle with that one myself!Thanks for the idea!:)

I'm using the clear plastic shipping tape.
Arlene

duct. I just slap a 3 inch piece at the corner opposite my hinge. Then out they go and I forget them until March. The simpler, sloppier and easier it is, the better I like it.

I also use shipping tape.

Duct, I do the same as Bakemom, one piece opposite the hinge and out they go..

Vickie

Bonnie, I tried the tab thing in the 2L soda bottles one year, and while it works quite well, I gave up on it for one reason.

I would always, always, ALWAYS forget that the botles were NOT taped, and I would go to lift the bottle up by the neck - and of course just the top would come off! I felt like George Bailey and that stupid finial on the staircase!
I drove myself crazy, lol!

:)
Dee

Even though it can be a bit of a pain to get soil in and the seeds spread evenly I usually just use the flap method, and cut a decent size flap. Sometimes I have to use a little tape to close them, they don't fall apart. And sometimes they even stay closed on their own.
Monica

Just started out on this winter sowing thing myself. I've used the tab method with the 2L and that seems to be doing the trick. Just did up some milk jugs and tried some duct tape strips. It worked ok but the tape was a bit of a pain since it keeps sticking to itself. I may try some of the twist ties or I think I'll also try cutting a tab in the milk jugs instead of cutting the tops all the way off (that was probably my problem in the first place.

For those of you that are taping or twist-tying the jugs closed, do you open and close it a lot? Or could you use something more permanent to close it, like a zip-tie?

Bonnie

I used duct tape all the way around my jugs last year. I waited until it was safe to open it up, and once it was open, it remained that way. Out of the 70+ jugs that germinated for me, the tape came off very easily except for on two jugs which I just took a knife to. It was so easy for me that way I am doing the exact same thing this year. I need simplicity in my life, and making holes and using twist ties was just way too complicated for me. That's just what worked for me though.

I use two strips of duct tape, one on each side of the milk jug. Once the weather breaks, I start opening and closing the lids alot..between the warmer days and peeking!

Keeping the moisture in the jug isn't really an issue for me, our winters and springs usually have so much rain, nature takes care of it. I don't believe you are trying to get a terrarium effect with the jugs, rather, you are giving the seeds protection.

I twist tie with floral wire. I find it's easier and faster than duct tape. Duct tape sticks to everything but what you want it to, kind of like saran wrap.

Well last year I cut windows in the jugs and then covered them with a plastic baggie..Donn's method. This year I am just using duct tape. Cheap..easy and secure!
Joann

Two points on milk jugs: (I ask the manager at my local Starbuck's to save 20 or so milk jugs for me... the employees are always curious about what I'm doing... The average S'buck's consumes over 100 gallons of milk a day, who knows about the one at Time's Square)

1 - I heat an old phillips screw driver with a MAP gas torch and melt-in the drainage holes

2 - after I do that, I also melt two holes just a little above and below where I cut the jug (perpendicular to ground). I slightly force the top half over the bottom half and insert a drywall screw to hold things closed... when it's time to open, check on things, water, what have you... no problems.

This is really fast and isn't nearly as involved as it might sound--- just watch the fumes

I use the flaps so I don't close my containers with tape unless I cut too many drainage holes.

Heating up soldering guns, fumes, using a hole punch (8 holes per jug x 50 jugs is 400 holes!), twisting wire just sounds too fussy for me.

I used the awl tool on my Swiss Army knife to create drainage holes, and then the knife tool to cut flaps (the Swiss Army tools cut through the jugs like butter). Slapped on a piece of 2-3 inch piece of duct tape to keep the flap secure. Voila, done.

Next set of jugs, I think I'll try cutting the jug 3/4 way around, and slapping duct tape on the corners.

Btw, if you fold one end of the duct tape back on itself a little, it gives you a little flap to pull the tape off in the future.

No duct tape for this girl. I use just 1 twist tie in the front to keep the top and bottom half closed. I also offset the holes just slightly so that there is a gap between the top and bottom. So when things start to dry out (usually 1st week of May here) I can use the hose sprayer and gently spray the side of the containers and the water runs in just fine. I also recycle my containers from year to year. I store them in the attic of the shed in black bags. That means that the next year I usually have at least 3/4s of my containers ready to go when it's time to ws. Sometimes the twist ties must be replaced but that's it. I found this method on this forum the year I started wsing and it has worked great ever since. Unfortunately, the post (with pics) has since disappeared.

That sounds interesting ccoupkir, I would have loved to see those pictures. Your watering method sounds simple too. If you only put 1 twist tie, do you find that the top and bottom half of the jug stays sturdy enough to lift it by the handle and move it around?

I just started, but I have been using clear duct tape. (not the packing tape, but actual clear duct tape.)Apparently it comes off in the spring easier than the silver duct tape. ..... We will see this spring!

I like the flap. This is my first year WSing and I'm not sure how I'm gonna make the flap stay open when the weather warms, but for now it's been quick and easy. No tape, no twist-ties, they stay closed all by themselves, mostly, although I do set the jugs close together so they help each other out in that department.

rahvamil,

What is a drywall screw? This sounds like a good method to me, but I'm not sure what it is.

ilene, I make my flap so it opens toward the top and find that it stays up by itself when it is opened. If you have a few that won't stay open, push the jug against another jug to keep the flap open.