Winter sowing containers

12 years ago

Starting to work on my winter sowing for this year. The containers that have done the best for me are gallon milk jugs and 2.5 gallon kitty litter jugs.

This year they seem to be in short supply, so going to try some black 2 gallon landscape pots landed on a trip to the recycle center. Has any one used those with plastic bag on top?

What do you use for your winter sowing?

Things that dont work for me are salad packages, not deep enough or dry out to fast, 2 liter soda bottle just did not work out either.

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Comments (14)

t-bird
12 years ago
So glad I read your post! Was about to throw out some kitty litter containers!

Do you just keep the bottom, and plastic bag it?

I'm using 1 gal vinegar jugs for my 1st projects. They are whitish opaque so I think they will work. I use loads of vinegar as I clean the house with it.....
inchworminjersey
12 years ago
Why didn't the 2 liter bottles work...I saved quite a few from the Christmas Day Dinner. I was hoping to use them?
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You just need to remove the cap from the milk jug, and that will be enough ventiliation, IME. I usually sow my tomatoes a bit more thinly than other things, but that is because I don't grow as many (i.e. 15 tomato plants vs. 150 zinnia plants, lol). And I keep my tomatoes separated by variety. So, I may plant 4 to 6 tomato seeds of one variety in one jug, then another 4 to 6 of another variety in another jug, etc. But that is just for my ease of planting later, and again because I don't grow that many. (I plant at least 4 seeds for each variety to assure germination of at least one seed). I assume you can put as many seeds as you'd like in a jug - I've seen tomatoes self seed in very large numbers in one little spot, like where a tomato may have fallen and been left in the garden, and all those seeds in that little 2-3 square-inch area germinate! :) Dee
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PM2, I don't use gallon jugs, tried them in desperation my second year WS when I ran out of containers for the last few seeds to sow and found they just didn't work for me and the germination in them was not anywhere near as good as my other containers. I'm betting you remember the small containers that I use and have had all but near 100% germination every year, going on 8 now, using them. The need to be 3-4 inches deep, and though they may require more watering than the gallon jugs in the spring around us, they work perfectly and I have no complaints with them. I figure after all these years, no way will I start changing now. So here's what I use, and they may be ones you just haven't thought of before to try and lots of them have their own covers attached. containers that the following come in. pint containers of cherry and grape tomatoes. 16oz containers that greek yogurt comes in 16oz containers that cottage cheese comes in plastic containers that some of the salad mixes come in. plastic containers that strawberries can come in. containers that 10oz button mushrooms come in. the cottage cheese, yogurt, and mushroom containers get drainage holes punched in with the tip of a steak knife and then twist the knife. fill with miracle grow potting mix and slipped inside a ziplock store brand bag with slits in the top and bottom. I've reused these containers and bags for several years before they wear out. Some people only use 12-16oz plastic cups and put them in a plastic crate, those box kind cubes that you can buy in the store and some markets will give them to you for free. Then they cover them with heavy plastic and put drainage holes in them. I know people locally that do that and they have reused the plastic cups for several years before they wear out. I know I've seen postings on WS about people that have used ziplock bags to start seeds in. In the spring, well sort of spring, end of March, beginning of April on, I use lots of aluminum pans to sow seeds in. I've picked them up for very little cost at Building 19 !/2 and they have had them every year from now on through late spring. The have drainage holes in the bottom. I cover them with glad press and seal plastic wrap, then hold them down with some really cheap wooden clothes pins that I purchased a couple of years ago from the dollar store, and that works perfectly. I'm not sure how well it would work though, to go through the winter with heavy snow on the press and seal. Have you asked any relatives to save containers for you? Any kids living on their own that might have containers that you could use? Margarine containers, etc work well too. Good luck and if worst comes to worse, you just might have to going back to freecycle and your hubby picking some up for you. Depending on how many containers you want to do, it might not be as many times out for them as you think. then again, with a year...
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MLcom
Original Author
12 years ago
T- bird I use a dremel drill to cut open my jugs. It is a round blade with teeth it makes the bottom holes and I cut like 4 inches to the bottom or the line that goes around the milk jugs, still using the back hinge with the handle to carry them around with. It so fast with the dremel to do those heavy plastic containers.

Kitty litter jugs come with my use of kitty litter and last more then one year.

ML
gardenweed_z6a
12 years ago
Two-liter bottles work fine--lots of folks use them exclusively. The trick is to cut a vertical slit on the top half so you can push it down into the potting mix in the bottom.

The only reason I don't use them is I really like the handles on the milk jugs that let me lift them to peer down the opening checking for sprouts and also when I need to move them for any reason.
bakemom_gw
12 years ago
i love 2 liters. I just cut a hinge top and use a small piece of duct tape to secure the other side. that way i can pick them up and move them if I have to.

I assume the little horsey is saddled up for when the green wave rides north?
ssmdgardener
12 years ago
Gardenweed, what do you mean by this?:

"The trick is to cut a vertical slit on the top half so you can push it down into the potting mix in the bottom."
jaggudada
12 years ago
Pros of 2 G milk containers is you have bigger area compare to 2L bottle. So you can get more seeds or they are not as crammed in.

The cons of milk jug is they are not transparent, so you can see without lifting the handle.

I wish they made transparent milk containers, that would be perfect, you can more area and you will be able to readily see what's going on. Anyone know of any place where you can get transparent containers similar to milk jug please chime in.
melvalena
12 years ago
Lemonade from Chick-fil A comes in clear gallon containers.

I think their iced tea does too.
kqcrna
12 years ago
Gallon milk jugs are my favorite, cut the usual way with a hinge and closed with a vertical strip or 2 of duct tape.

Next favorite is 2 liters. I cut the top off completely, and cut 2 upside down "Vs" in the bottom of the top half. After sowing, push the top down over the bottom. As temps rise in spring, pull up on the top and the "Vs" form windows on the side for more ventilation.

Karen
gardenweed_z6a
12 years ago
ssmdgardener - I just hold the top half of the bottle by the spout and make a straight cut up towards the top about 2-3 inches. I make two cuts opposite each other. This allows the top to squeeze together enough that it'll go down the inside of the bottom half.
dieg01991
12 years ago
Hi everyone!
I posted this on another thread and thought I'd share it here too.

Over the years, I have found many types of containers that I love, and some I can even reuse for multiple years. They are also free. I know you might not have time to collect some of these for free this year, but maybe next year. I collect mine throughout the year and stash them in the garage. Anyway, here's a blog post I wrote last year with container ideas. Hope it helps...

Amy

Here is a link that might be useful: Containers for winter sowing
terrene
12 years ago
I have used many types of containers. Currently my favorites are the 2 LTR bottles (cut in a similar way as described by kcqrna) and assorted sizes of plastic cups. They are easy to use, AND re-use - they hold up for years. One of the problems with milk jugs is that the plastic gets brittle after a season or two or the container gets all cut up trying to remove the seedlings. I am not into collecting, cleaning, and cutting new containers every year.

I used to use a lot of the large clear plastic salad boxes that held the mesclun mix, and still use a couple. However I know use almost all of those for raising butterflies. They make a great rearing container for butterfly caterpillars.
liza070831
12 years ago
I drink spring water so I use the gal jugs for my ws. These jugs are more transparent than milk jugs.
dieg01991
12 years ago
terrene - it's great to know that 2 liter bottles hold up for more that on season! I am also not a fan of collecting and preparing new containers every year. It goes so much faster when I can reuse my containers. Thanks for pointing that out!! I think I will try a few 2 liters this year.

Amy

Winter sowing containers

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t-bird

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