Amen to that! But I do put any plastic lids in the recycle bins. If they get rejected at the recycling center, that's ok. I'm hoping they can recycle them just the same and I'd be a happy camper.
My first year winter sowing Trudi, a neighbor saved milk jugs for me, cap on- OMG they were the stinkiest, most foul things ever!
I still used them after cleaning 'em up a bit. That's a really nasty smell though!
Already looking forward to the solstice party, what's on your menu this year?
I'm saving up some driftwood for the naked dancin'!!! :)

Shore

Amen to that! But I do put any plastic lids in the recycle bins. If they get rejected at the recycling center, that's ok. I'm hoping they can recycle them just the same and I'd be a happy camper.
My first year winter sowing Trudi, a neighbor saved milk jugs for me, cap on- OMG they were the stinkiest, most foul things ever!
I still used them after cleaning 'em up a bit. That's a really nasty smell though!
Already looking forward to the solstice party, what's on your menu this year?
I'm saving up some driftwood for the naked dancin'!!! :)

Shore

Amen to that! But I do put any plastic lids in the recycle bins. If they get rejected at the recycling center, that's ok. I'm hoping they can recycle them just the same and I'd be a happy camper.
My first year winter sowing Trudi, a neighbor saved milk jugs for me, cap on- OMG they were the stinkiest, most foul things ever!
I still used them after cleaning 'em up a bit. That's a really nasty smell though!
Already looking forward to the solstice party, what's on your menu this year?
I'm saving up some driftwood for the naked dancin'!!! :)

Shore

Howdy, Shore! Haven't 'seen' you here in awhile - hmm, I think your right - ye auld beginning of winter is November 1, so it's time to start thinking about that mid-winter celebration - hmmm, which of the hundreds of seeds to pick?...

Actually this year I'm thinking of saving the caps to make feet for my pots that are on my deck all summer. I'm thinking that either a hot glue gun will work to glue them together or else use GE Silicone II, that is used for making the pretty bowling balls with half marbles. Since we only drink bottled water by the gallon all the time, I should have a number of the caps saved by the time I will need them.
Alberta

I'm a newbie and will try my hand at winter sowing for the first time. I thought you had to have a cap on your milk jugs when you set them out. Am I wrong?
Ann

All containers should be vented. A milkjug is easy--no cap! It's shape is perfect for funneling up and out any air that is warmed by the sun.

Thank you. It all sounds too easy. I'm looking forward to Winter!
Ann

Ann, it's super easy ;-)

You are going to love it Ann, because it so easy (Trudi was brilliant in figuring this process out) and because even when you make mistakes, people here will help you.

LOL. I made every mistake at least twice and often more than that, thank goodness I usually learn from them. "How to Winter Sow" came from that learning experience.

When I think about why I put flats up on tables I clearly remember in my mind Lizzy, who was a young puppy then, finding the stash of WS flats which I had tucked in under a pine tree and her shaking each one to death. She's also very sweetly gone off to save the garden from plastic plant tags and kindly placed them all for me in a well-gnawed pile ;-) Hehehe. She's now ten and quite the good girl dog.

Actually I use my caps on my tomato jugs. I just poke about 4-5 large needle size holes into the cap and replace it back on. Seems to give the seedlings a little more protection in the event of frost or extreme cold temperatures; more daytime heat is retained. BTW I keep all my w.s. containers in full sun. Might just be horse-puckie, but makes me feel better anyways LOL!

Alberta- good thought! I've seen people save them to use as checkers.
I only save them when I have to tote water to our adopt-a-spot in my car, otherwise out they go!

What an important reminder! And hopefully finding this in a search will quickly answer that perennial question of whether we mean the screw-cap when we talk about putting the lid or top on a jug (we don't!)

I, too, have used jugs saved with the caps on--yuck! Even worse were the ones fished out of the recycling center; they were never even rinsed. That was a desperate first WS winter! I think it was Seedmama who suggested having a candle burning nearby when you clean the stinky jugs, so the flame burns the nasty smell! Unless it was you, Trudi.

I saved a bunch of caps to the milk and the 2-liters, and they have come in handy. Like mmqc mentioned, for transporting water. I've also used them as invisible feet indoors, to get some things up off a floor that gets damp. Using them as pot feet didn't occur to me, though!

Must have been Seedmama who gave you that tip--sounds good!

I've been thinking that it might be a good idea if over the next few weeks I do a one-by-one post of the FAQs, which will help the beginners and refresh the more-experienced folks. Also, it's sure to bring out new ideas--someone does something different and it helps us all, or someone is doing something slightly odd and it's not working out--that way we can help people adjust their method to work better for them. WS continues to be a method that adapts to everyone and we all add our experiences into that.

T

BTW I don't use milk jugs...water only :)

Thanks for the reminder about the lids on milk jugs..I've had that experience before and it is not pleasant..
I also use the two liter soft drink bottles for winter-sowing..They are ideal when you only have a few seeds of one thing to sow and because most are clear plastic,its easy to see how your babies are doing.I use them,too,for starting seeds indoors,makes a nice little green house..
I can't wait to get started,but theres still several months to go .Come December,though,I plan on making several jugs for the winter solstice,for several family members who do not have green thumbs but always enjoy what i give them.

Trudi..what a great idea..we newbees need all the help we can get the first time we do this. Those black trays you bring home from the garden center or nursery..keep them, as won't they come in handy for putting your jugs/containers,etc. in? I was thinking about buying some of those milk crates from office supply place or Walmart or Target and using them to put the jugs in when wintersowing starts.