The weekend before last I was walking around outside enjoying the break from the cold spell. I happened to walk by my garden where we temporarily put my flowers during the move and noticed that some of the spring flowers were starting to poke through the ground! This got me thinking about spring and garden preparation. So I guess it's time to start saving my milk jugs.Milk jugs make great green houses for tomatoes and other touchy spring transplants. Just cut off the bottom and place it over your plant. It keeps moisture and heat in and wind burn off.
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9 comments:
How did you secure yours in the ground? Last year I did this because I thought it was such a neat idea, but ended up having a yard full of them. Any tricks to share?
Tracy-
I usually just pushed and wiggled them into the ground after a good watering, however, that is not going to work here as we get quite a bit more wind than in town - they would end up on the other side of the county!
I think I am going to just get some twigs/sticks and poke them down into the ground around the milk jug, maybe 3 or so, to create a little cage. It has also crossed my mind to tie the handle to one of the sticks. I'll have to see how secure they seem as I go. It seems like a bit of work, but if it helps get my plants out sooner and keep them strong, it might be worth it. I'm open to other suggestions as well though!
I am collecting my milk jugs too. By the way, not sure if you would like to participate or not but I just tagged you and your blog in the Nightstand Tag. Go here to check it out if you are interested: http://awitchesway.blogspot.com/2009/02/i-have-been-nightstand-taggedand-i.html
Dessa-
Thanks for thinking of me. I probably won't take a picture (our internet is slow and it is a painful process for me to load pictures), but on my nightstand today is an alarm clock, lamp, flower arrangement, and my Bible.
Great idea. I'll start saving milk jugs too.
Cathy
We do this too for our tomatoes and peppers - make sure you take the caps off when you put them around the plant. If we have time, we cut a bigger hole in the top, so there is more room to get the watering can in.
ok.. so this makes it so you can get your plants in a little earlier than before the last supposed frost?
McKrola Family-
I have just used them after frost since I am pokey with getting my garden going - something I have to work on. It helps them acclimate though so they don't take a step backward when you put them out. You might be able to get them out sooner with the jugs, but I wouldn't know how much sooner. Maybe someone else here can help answer that question . . .
I have used this trick for a few years now and when its time to remove the jugs I turn them over and plant them right next to the plant. Mulch heavy around both plant and jug. Then when the plant needs a good watering I fill the jug up two or three times and the water gets to the root system where its needed.
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