Seed Starting - Milk Jugs

As part of a program with the Strathcona County Library Bookmobile, we did a session on starting seeds in milk jugs.  If you've seen it on social media and haven't had a chance to try it yet, we highly recommend it.  I've used this method often for the farm and have found it's a great way to get a head start in the spring.

Here are few reasons that this might be the project for you...

• Extend the season - you can take full advantage of the lengthening days, moisture and increased warmth as soon as spring arrives.
• Easy to move - its an easy method to move many plants when you're ready to get them in the garden or if there is a surprise snow storm in the spring and you need to bring them in for a day or two.
• Germinates many plants in a small area -  per square inch you can germinate many seeds which are then easily transplanted out once the spring is in full swing.
• Helps to manage your time during the busy planting time - in spring there is always so much to do.  This method can be done when things are slower in the middle of the winter and then have a good supply of plants to get in the garden when you're ready to transplant.  It saves time with hardening off your plants as much of the hardening off is already done (with the exception of exposing them to a little wind).  
• Great to do with kids - it is a really simple system so you can get the whole family helping.
• Inexpensive -  I really enjoy projects that let you use readily available materials (or adapt to other materials as needed.  It's an easy project for a beginner or an advanced gardener.

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Why does this method work?
Using this method replicates many of the natural processes that happen in the spring.  You get to use temperature, light and moisture to your advantage, while keeping these little plants contained.  Here is a little of what is going on inside your milk jug ecosystem.

Temperature - Cold can help with the germination of some seeds.  Often those cold tolerant plants have a little tougher seed coat that is designed by nature to withstand cold temperatures but also need the cold to break its tough shell.  

Moisture - The first thing that happens when a seed begins to germinate is that it takes in (imbibes) water and swells.  The milk jug works like a greenhouse but it also is a self watering (for the most part) as the design of the milk jug traps water.
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Light - If you set these outside, you get to maximize the light that your seedlings are getting while our days are getting longer.

Seeds that like a cold treatment...

If you're seed packet says something to the effect "plant as soon as the soil is workable" then it is probably a good candidate for this method for setting out in the winter and early spring.  You can still do this method with warm season crops like tomatoes and peppers but you will need to find a warmer place to have them germinate inside (and possibly a place to put them when you transplant them.

However the following vegetables and flowers are great candidates to start seeds this way, without a concern for the temperatures.
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Popular Vegetables

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Carrots
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Onion
• Radish
• Spinach
• Swiss Chard

Popular Herbs

• Chives
• Cilantro
• Lavender
• Lemon Balm
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme

Resources

There are many great tutorials across the internet on how to do this process.

Winter Sowing - The Reid Homestead
How to Use Milk Jugs to Sow Seeds in the Winter - Finch and Folly
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