Get an old piece of scrap wood, use it like a cutting board. Drill a few holes in it. Put the jug on it and it's easy to stick anything right through the plastic and into the hollow space below (i.e. the holes you drilled). I use sharp pointed scissors (closed). Goes through like butter. You could also use a serrated steak knife, anything sharp. I like the closed scissors better- I twist a little for larger holes.

Karen

I only use one gallon jugs but here is my prep system:

1) Wash jug
2) turn upside down and drill holes
3) turn right side up and drill one hole at the point where I want to cut around to open the jug
4) insert Black and Decker electric sissors (best WSing purchse I have made) into starter hole and zip around , leaving handle area intact
5)Flip the top half open, fill 3-4 inches of damp promix, add seeds, pat down.
6) Insert inside label. Close jug. Use three pieces of foil tape to secure closure. Attach outside label (already written on another piece of foil tape) BRING OUTSIDE!

I poke the drainage holes in the jug bottoms before cutting them open. I only once cut the jug before poking the holes and it made it awkward so I use an ice pick or awl to make the holes first, then cut the jugs all the way around, leaving an inch or so below the handle for a "hinge."

I bought an 8 dollar wood burning pen at Walmart 6 years ago and use it to make the drainage holes in the bottom of the jug before I cut the jug open. I do this outside on the back patio because it does create a bad smell but it makes the holes in a second! I also use it to make the drainage holes in sterlite shoe boxes that I can sometimes buy at the dollar store for real cheap. I use them for winter sowing too. Once I made a cold frame type thing with a sterlite under the bed box and made the drainage holes and air holes with the pen as well.
Joann

nan,you do it,exactly the way I do it.with drilling the holes in bottom and drilling the hole in the side for the scissors.I thought I was the only one.your steps were exactly like mine :) except for labels,for some reason I refuse to label very well and until I use the styrofoam cups for the toms and the peps later in the year,where I can just carve with a ink pen,the name of them.I never know what I got :o)

OK - so I'm supposed to drill my holes before I slice the milk jug. Which will involve setting up a whole new procedure.

Right now I wash the container, remove the label, then I cut the container. I use one of those plastic package opener knives which I keep in the junk drawer in my kitchen. Then I put the sliced container down in my basement. I can't imagine slicing all those containers at once.

Lately I've been drilling holes in the bottom of the containers, filling the containers with potting mix, and then stacking the containers in cardboard boxes in my garage. Come January, the plan is to pop in a few seeds, stick in a label and place outside.

Here is a link that might be useful: Universal Package Opener Knife

I also drill holes in the bottom of the jug and two holes for my pipe cleaner to go through on other side of where I will cut the jug in half. Then I start my cut with a box cutter type knife and use scissors to finish it off.

Pixie - it is a lot of work to do it all at once. I usually do about 25 at a time. I'm really not looking forward to all the hole drilling and cutting I need to do in the next month. I definitely will be reusing these milk jugs next year!!

I use an ice pick to poke the holes in my containers/bottles. I don't mind the amount of time it takes but this year I'm prepping my containers as I collect them, that is, poking holes in the top (for air) and bottom and labeling them. The plant labels I cut up from old blinds and labeled and stuck inside of the container/bottle. We have about another month before we start planting and it's killing me lol.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

bookjunky - what is the pipe cleaner for?

I have nowhwere to go in a hurry during the winter months so like Brad I don't mind spending the time it takes to poke holes through the milk jug bottoms for drainage. The plastic is so thin, the ice pick goes right through. I twirl it around a few times to make sure the holes are nice and wide. If I'm ambitious, I'll poke a hole an inch from the bottom on each side of the jug as well. My two years' winter sowing experience has taught me drainage is key when the spring rains start falling.

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I do it the same way as bookjunky. Drill holes first in the bottom. Then two more about an inch apart in the side that I use to keep the jug closed with a twistie tie. I start my cut in between these two holes with a box cutter and cut back towards the hinged side, then I turn the jug and cut from the holes back to the hinge on the opposite side.

A nice new sharp box cutter cuts it like butter, but if you don't have a firm controlled grip it will cut your skin like butter too! I have the best control sitting and holding the jug between my thighs to drill it, and resting it on my lap to do the cuts. A 1/4" spade bit on the drill slides across the jug less than a standard bit...and making bigger holes means you don't need as many.

Here the small holes get clogged very easily and freeze. I also drill at least one hole in the side of the jug to let excess surface water drain off, in case the bottom holes are frozen to the ground.

OK - so you are using the pipe cleaner or a twist tie to hold the jug closed in lieu of tape. Makes sense.

To be honest - I've been collecting containers since about June. And thus far was only able to come up with 3 gallon milk jug containers - which all happened to have cider in them. So I'm thinking that the issue of how to prep a milk jug is almost irrelevant to me a this point. Though the pointers I've received here will be most helpful with some of my other containers.

Pixie Lou if you want more milk jugs go to Starbucks and grab a bag from their dumpster. Even when an employee is out back they just ask what I will use them for from curiosity. Sometimes they will help me get the good bags (I am very short). Last year I got whatever they had and most were smashed. You can make them right again by filling with hot water. This year I just take the ones that look good. I usually get 9 or 10 good ones in a bag. I try not to get more than I know I want to deal with that day. There is always some other trash in the bag so when I get home I just pull out the jugs and rinse them off. Don't wait too long to rinse them out or it will be harder and smell bad. The dumpster, believe it or not is not dirty or smell bad. It smells like coffee and chocolate! After using many different containers last year I found milk jugs to be the best. More head room and easy to pick up and move if you need to- or just to peek inside. Don't get frustrated getting them ready. Do a few a night while watching tv. I use a box cutter to make drainage holes. I make four triangular holes. Then I use a rubber band to mark where I want to cut and make a line with a sharpie. Make a start with the box cutter, then it's easy to cut around to your handle-hinge. Try everything till you find a method that works for you. Have fun.

I like milk jugs, but don't use them much anymore. They don't last more than 2 seasons because the plastic gets too brittle. We don't drink milk anyway, and I'm not into cleaning OP's stinky jugs and cutting and poking every year. My 2 LTR bottles from 2008 and 2009 have been going strong for years now! And use more large cups, which are also re-usable. Containers were cleaned out, dried, and stored in the basement months ago.

Terrene, you use 2 liter soda bottles? I did use some last year but was heavyhanded with seeds (my first year). I would love to re-use containers. I had to trash my milk jugs. I thought it was a one time use! I will try 2 liters again and save them this time. What do you use to make drainage holes and do you crimp the bottom and push down top? Do you tape closed? I have already prepped 80 milk jugs and will use those too. I'm supplying some newbies with some of them as well. Does anyone else re-use milk jugs? Thanks. Linda Jo

Yes Linda jo, I have used the same 2 LTR's for 3 and 4 years. I've tried many different types of containers, and the 1 and 2 LTRs work great. They give you a little less room in width than the milk jugs, but I fit 3-4 inches of soil no problem. The pastic holds up much longer to the weather than the milk jug type plastic. It was very important to me to find containers that were easy to use AND re-use. I also prefer the 16-24 oz cups with the clear plastic lids.

I used the awl tool on my Swiss Army Knife to make holes. I cut them in half, and then put a 1.5-2 inch slit up the side of the top half. Then wedge the top half down firmly over the bottom half. I don't use any tape at all.

The containers look like this:
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To wash them I rinse them using the spray nozzle on the hose, and let them air dry. (Yes, I am an orderly person.)
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Holes first then cut. I put mine upside down in the sink and stick a very sharp knife in to the hilt making four slits in the bottom the width of the knife. Then I cut around the middle.