JACKSON, Mo. – One of your best gardening tools may be in your recycling bin, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Donna Aufdenberg.

Use specially prepared milk jugs to jump-start your garden by winter sowing, a method of starting seeds in late winter for spring transplanting.

The dome of the milk jug acts like a mini-greenhouse to provide a protected environment for seeds to germinate, Aufdenberg says. Seed options include perennials, natives, cool-season annuals, cool-season vegetables and herbs. Warm-season vegetables can be started in April.

Milk jug gardening is a good option for gardeners and offers a fun winter activity for children with adult supervision, she says.

You’ll need a milk jug, scissors, a nail or scratch awl, good potting mix, seeds, duct tape, pots or cell packs, labels and pencils or grease pencils.

To begin, clean the milk jug thoroughly and discard the cap. Use a sharp object to punch drain holes in the bottom of the jug.

Cut almost all the way around the middle of the jug, leaving a hinge of sorts. Fill the bottom 3 inches of the jug with a good-quality potting soil that drains well. Moisten the soil and let excess moisture drain. Sow seeds following depth instructions on the seed packet.

Then reattach the top of the hinged milk jug and secure with duct tape. Write the planting date and the seed type on a label and put inside the jug.

Put the jug outside where it will receive sunlight, rain and snow and be protected from the wind.

Monitor often once seedlings emerge. Even during cold weather, the inside of the milk jug can heat up quickly and cause seedlings to wilt, says Aufdenberg. You can open the jug during the day, but close it before sunset. Once the weather is warmer, you can remove the lid during the day.

Monitor soil moisture and water as needed. Transplant seedlings when they are about 2-3 inches tall and have true leaves.

Aufdenberg offers other gardening activities geared toward children in MU Extension’s Youth Gardening Activities series, which includes one-page publications on designing a butterfly garden, seed tapes, growing sunflowers, cut flower gardens and taking plant cuttings. Visit http://muext.us/YGA.

Photo

https://extension.missouri.edu/sites/default/files/legacy_media/wysiwyg/News/photos/20250217-jug-greenhouse-1.jpg
Cleaned plastic jugs can be prepared for starting seeds. Discard the cap and punch drain holes in the bottom of the jug before filling with a good-quality potting soil and planting seeds. Photo courtesy of Donna Aufdenberg.