Winter, Milk Jugs and Seeds, Oh My!
I finally tried this “winter sowing milk jug thing” I’ve seen for so long but have never got around to trying. I don’t know why I haven’t ever tried it. I guess, part of the hesitancy is that I don’t buy gallons of milk so I don’t ever have the containers. Excuses, excuses, I know.
I wanted to do a little research before I went all willy nilly, scattering milk jugs all about the snow banks. There are so many “great ideas” and ingenious DIY’s floating around social media, many of which are a bunch of BS or just turn out to be a total flop. I will say, seeing all of the Pinterest fail memes kinda does give me a chuckle though.
If it’s so simple, why do so many people have difficulties sowing seeds when apparently all you need to do is throw them in a milk jug with some soil and forget about it? Well, there’s a few reasons. First off, winter sowing in Zone 8 is no where near the same as winter sowing in Zone 5. Important rule number 1. Check to see what zone the person who posted that nifty little idea lives in.
OK, after some research, it turns out that winter sowing (technically Spring sowing in colder climates like where I am in zone 5) can actually be done with recycled water or milk jugs. It is totally doable, providing you sow seeds that can handle a freeze. The seeds will stay dormant while it’s cold outside. As the weather warms up, so does the soil. When the soil temp is just right, germination begins. Hot damn! Now I need to get me some jugs! Thanks to a generous member of our local “Buy Nothing - Hilltowns” Facebook Group who heard my plea and gifted me 10 empty distilled water jugs!! Whoop Whoop!
You’re definitely not going to get any tender perennials or annuals to sprout with a milk jug buried in 3 feet of snow. For zone 5, think perennials that will self seed. In the garden, delphinium, milkweed, columbine, primrose, yarrow, lupine, coreopsis, echinacea, mallow, cosmos, poppies, false indigo, borage, dill, feverfew, chamomile, and many wildflowers are all self seeding plants. In other words, if you live in zone 5 and you have perennial plants that will pop up in places you didn’t plant them or just multiply, well, chances are you’ve got a self seeder that can take the cold.
Alrighty then, so how is this milk jug thing done? With a little modification, the bottom of the jug holds the soil and the top acts as a little greenhouse, keeping in the heat and moisture. Leaving the cap off allows for water to enter, so you can let Mother Nature take care of that. Pretty nifty, huh? You’ll need a jug, utility knife, duct tape, potting soil, and seeds. If you’re using a jug that contained anything but distilled water, be sure to wash it out thoroughly before using it as a seed sowing vessel.
You can also use other plastic containers as long as they allow for at least 2 inches of soil and a few inches for growth. Think rotisserie chicken containers, juice jugs, strawberry containers, or any other container that has a clear to semi transparent lid. Again, seems like a great idea and I love the reduce, reuse, recycle part of it!
Now, let’s get down to it, shall we? Here’s what I did:
Cut holes in bottom of the jug for drainage. You can get all fancy pants and drill pretty little holes. I just used my utility knife and mad a few small slits. Pre-mark them with a sharpie if you choose or just go to town and cut!
Cut the jug horizontally around middle just below handle (approximately 4 inches from the bottom). You want the lower part as a basin (planter) and the top with the handle fully in tact. Now, ideally up you wouldn’t cut all the way around and cut the top completely off. I was a little over zealous and cut it all the way off which made taping it shut a two person job.
Add 4-inches of moistened (water only) potting mix to base of milk jug. It should be damp like a wrung out rag, not soaked.
Sow your seeds - just follow the depth instructions on packet.
Use a sharpie to label the jug with the plant name or any other info from the seed packet that will be helpful.
Duct tape the jug shut around middle where you cut.
Remove the cap.
Place jugs in a sunny location outdoors. Avoid areas that puddle or get blasted by wind.
Check jugs periodically as the weather warms and water as needed if you haven’t had any precipitation.
Once they sprout, transplant seedlings according to the seed packet. Note: this will take a while. The weather needs to warm up and the soil will need to come up to proper germinating temp. They will not germinate in freezing temps. Now… we wait and pray for spring weather!
My jugs are sitting outside by my chicken coop. Makes it easier to check on them when we are out tending to the girls or collecting eggs. I’m eager to see how this goes. Hoping it works! Would be pretty cool to finally nail a Pinterest idea, right? I’ll keep you posted on the progress. In the meantime, drop a comment to let me know if you tried this and how it worked for you.
Until next time…
Dream Big, Plant Love, and Grow Where You’re Planted
XOXO - Laurie