Hi Lisa!

(Waving at you from Delaware) Be warned that we are a bunch of enablers, need some seeds? :) Give me a shout!
I have tried lots of different methods like Stage rat said
and it's very true, you'll hit upon the ones that work best for you. VJhale introduced me to the idea of just cutting a window in the milk jugs like Vera does. (it works great, doesn't it Vera?!) I LOVE that method, it is quick and easy as pie! I never have to tape them closed, the flap kind of snaps back in place. If it does gape open somewhat, I face 2 milk jugs with their flaps facing each other and they each hold the other's flap closed. Does that make any sense? We had a LATE Saturday night! :)
This is the first year I did 2 litres like Token does, cut them all the way thru. Before I had been cutting the window thingy, but didn't work as well on them. I also use plastic cups with recycled ziplock baggies- these work well when you have a small amount of 1 type of seed or want several cups of the same thing- I sow about 10 cups of Lobelia every year and use them in planters, just plant the whole cupfull into the pots or you can break them into smaller hunks of seedlings. With the cups, I slip them into the baggie with the zip going down the side. I punch holes in the top and cut slits for drainage on the bottom of the bag. After sprouts appear, I start cutting larger and larger holes until I finally just remove the baggie altogether. Maybe people can post pics of their methods?
Here are a few pictures I took during winter sowing this year. Welcome, welcome to our wacky and wonderful world! Have a blast, it's so addicting, cool and amazing!
Shore

Hi Lisa!

(Waving at you from Delaware) Be warned that we are a bunch of enablers, need some seeds? :) Give me a shout!
I have tried lots of different methods like Stage rat said
and it's very true, you'll hit upon the ones that work best for you. VJhale introduced me to the idea of just cutting a window in the milk jugs like Vera does. (it works great, doesn't it Vera?!) I LOVE that method, it is quick and easy as pie! I never have to tape them closed, the flap kind of snaps back in place. If it does gape open somewhat, I face 2 milk jugs with their flaps facing each other and they each hold the other's flap closed. Does that make any sense? We had a LATE Saturday night! :)
This is the first year I did 2 litres like Token does, cut them all the way thru. Before I had been cutting the window thingy, but didn't work as well on them. I also use plastic cups with recycled ziplock baggies- these work well when you have a small amount of 1 type of seed or want several cups of the same thing- I sow about 10 cups of Lobelia every year and use them in planters, just plant the whole cupfull into the pots or you can break them into smaller hunks of seedlings. With the cups, I slip them into the baggie with the zip going down the side. I punch holes in the top and cut slits for drainage on the bottom of the bag. After sprouts appear, I start cutting larger and larger holes until I finally just remove the baggie altogether. Maybe people can post pics of their methods?
Here are a few pictures I took during winter sowing this year. Welcome, welcome to our wacky and wonderful world! Have a blast, it's so addicting, cool and amazing!
Shore

Hi Lisa!

(Waving at you from Delaware) Be warned that we are a bunch of enablers, need some seeds? :) Give me a shout!
I have tried lots of different methods like Stage rat said
and it's very true, you'll hit upon the ones that work best for you. VJhale introduced me to the idea of just cutting a window in the milk jugs like Vera does. (it works great, doesn't it Vera?!) I LOVE that method, it is quick and easy as pie! I never have to tape them closed, the flap kind of snaps back in place. If it does gape open somewhat, I face 2 milk jugs with their flaps facing each other and they each hold the other's flap closed. Does that make any sense? We had a LATE Saturday night! :)
This is the first year I did 2 litres like Token does, cut them all the way thru. Before I had been cutting the window thingy, but didn't work as well on them. I also use plastic cups with recycled ziplock baggies- these work well when you have a small amount of 1 type of seed or want several cups of the same thing- I sow about 10 cups of Lobelia every year and use them in planters, just plant the whole cupfull into the pots or you can break them into smaller hunks of seedlings. With the cups, I slip them into the baggie with the zip going down the side. I punch holes in the top and cut slits for drainage on the bottom of the bag. After sprouts appear, I start cutting larger and larger holes until I finally just remove the baggie altogether. Maybe people can post pics of their methods?
Here are a few pictures I took during winter sowing this year. Welcome, welcome to our wacky and wonderful world! Have a blast, it's so addicting, cool and amazing!
Shore

Here is a link that might be useful: winter sowing pictures

How you cut your jugs is a matter of taste. Some people leave a bit connecting the top and bottom on the handle side. Others cut all the way through and push the top back down over the bottom. As for the cap, the little plastic thing you replace after you pour milk(water, soda, tea, etc), throw that away. You don't need it. There needs to be some sort of opening at the top for water and air to get into the containers.

I use two liter containers and I cut mine all the way through. We're in the same zone, although we have different winter conditions. If you have lots of winter wind, you might want to consider leaving the containers hinged and hold them closed with a single piece of duct tape opposite the hinge.

I tried duct tape and didn't like it. I found it much easier to make a hole in both top and bottom about half inch from the cut in the jug and directly opposite the hinge and run a wire bread tie through. Made the jug very sturdy and easy to move around. Not original, I stole the idea from someone on here, maybe Bakemom??

I use milk jigs and for the gallon-sized ones I like cutting all the way leaving the handle intact, so the handle acts as the hinge. It's useful for carrying the jugs too.

For half-gallons & quart jugs, I cut around 3 sides, leaving one side as the hinge.

I like the bread tie idea -- Thanks!

I don't cut mine it half at all, but rather just cut a window large enough to get my hand into for sowing. I use gal. sized ziplock freezer bags for the cover by cutting a 1" slit on either end of the zipper (too make it fit over easier) and then fold in half lengthwise cutting a half triangle out on the folded side to allow the jug mouth to fit through (that's the ventilation). Easy for me and that way I don't have to cut them open until necessary in spring. When you are not completely ready to remove the cover you can allow extra ventilation on warm days by sliding up the bag and and letting it rest on a clothespin placed on the bottom lip of the window :)

Vera

I also cut all away around the jug and then use the florist wire I have precut to keep the milk jug together. And I use a hole punch to make the holes on both pieces of the jug before I fill it with soil. But I am liking the half gallon jugs better than the full.
But it is all a matter of personal taste and style. I would have so much trouble getting the little seedlings out of a "window" in a jug so it is far easier for me to cut the whole thing off.

Paula

I tried a few of these different methods, and decided on the one(s) I liked best. You should do the same! It really is just a matter of personal preference. I did feel that finding and preparing my containers took a lot of time, so I didn't like any method that required me to "ruin" them. Other people don't want to have to store the containers, so they're happy to do them every year. Keep that in mind as you decide on ways to prepare the containers.

Sometimes I think we should have a big banner at the top of the page that says "If you remember to THROW AWAY the screw-cap, then you'll know what we mean by cap or top." I think we've all had to ask about that, or search for the answer. There's just no way we can all retrain ourselves to call it "The upper half of the container after it has been cut in two horizontally," which is what we're really talking about.

Welcome to wintersowing, by the way! Be sure to either buy your fluffy, soilless (or mostly soilless) mix before winter sets in, or get your homemade stuff mixed up while you still want to be outside doing it! And be sure to ask any other questions you have. It's nice to search, too, but if you don't find the answer quickly, just come ask--we've all gone through the same thing, and no one will yell when you ask something that's been asked before. Yes, we are pretty different from most of the other forums in that respect! :)

My favorites are pastry containers/cake containers turned upside down and those white baskets that garden centers use for 6 4" Geranium/flower pots.

For small seedlings such as Lobelia & Dahlberg Daisy, I like to use paper pots. That way I don't have to disturb the roots when I plant them out.
I just plant the entire paper pots.
So easy.

Have fun and welcome to the WS forum.
:-D

Oh my Gosh, you guys are the greatest. Shoregrowin I was laughing out loud reading your response. Thanks so much for the pictures too. I am a very visual person and they helped tremendously. I don't really have to much of a choice in what to sow in..my families lifestyle dictates that I have to use gallon milk jugs. With all of my kids, we go through at least 10 gallons of milk a week (should buy a cow, I know)so to hear all of your ideas and how you cut them and secure them was great. Maybe next winter I will start to trade seeds. This year I have collected as many as I could from my garden and bought some from Parks so I will make sure I know what I am doing this year and be ready for everyone to "enable" me next. Can't wait.