The terms reduce, reuse and recycle mean more than ever today, especially with the vast amount of materials that get wasted on a daily basis that could be reused. Milk jugs are one of these items for many reasons. More than 200 million pounds of milk are produced each year in the U.S. and it is the fourth most popularly consumed beverage. Milk jugs are made of plastic and about 600 billion pounds of plastics are made and consumed by the world. Recycling that plastic can go a long way. Items such as plastic barrels, plastic drums, and other plastic containers can be used as storage units in homes, or as tools needed, especially in gardens. Read below to see three unique ways milk jugs for sale can be beneficial to your garden.
Seedlings
Starting seedlings indoors is usually recommended. This is especially true if the night weather differs drastically from the daytime weather. Finding old milk jugs for sale or simply using empty milk jugs can help. Drill holes in the bottom of the container, so water drains out. Cut around the milk just where the bottom of the handle meets the jug. Use masking tape to tape both ends together to make a hinge. Now fill with soil, add your seedlings and water. The tops can be closed to protect delicate new seedlings that sprout from colder weather at night and to stop the rain from drowning them. The containers are flexible enough to be squished together to add as many seedlings as you would like.
Garden Watering
An inground garden irrigation system can be quite expensive, but they work well to water deep into the soil where plant roots are usually located. Instead of spending tons of money use some milk jugs for sale or empty milk jugs around the house. Simply fill the jug with water and freeze. Poke holes around the jug starting about half way down. Allow ice to melt then empty jug. This will allow the water to slowly trickle into the soil surrounding it and water it over time. Bury the jugs randomly around the garden where plants will get the most benefit. Use a funnel to fill the jugs then replace the lid. This can help lessen time spent watering and help make sure that the most important part of the plant gets the water that it needs.
Covers
Despite our best efforts we sometimes still find ourselves needing to cover plants for one or two night of the last frost of the season. This can be incredibly time consuming and nerve wracking. Instead of fretting over this, take some old milk jugs and simply cut the bottom off. Place the milk jugs over the top of your plants to protect them from the weather. Scoop a little dirt around the edges to hold the jugs in place so that they don’t blow away. Use the bottoms that you cut off as seed starters for indoor plants so that they don’t go to waste. You can re-use the milk jugs, save your plants and plant new ones without having to spend money on pricey tools.
Upside Down Planters
Have you ever seen the baskets that grow things upside down? The ones for strawberries and tomatoes? Ever wonder how much they cost? Instead of investing in those invest in some old milk jugs for sale and use them. Simply turn upside down and plant the plants so that the growth comes out of the milk sprout. Use fishing wire and holes in the sides to hang it. Hang it outside so that it gets sunlight and water it regularly. Any excess water will run out down the milk spout so you don’t have to worry about watering it too much. Continue and watch and wait until your plant produces mounds of mouth watering food for you and your family.
Explore your creativity and see how plastic milk jugs for sale can benefit you and your household. While they can be beneficial to your garden that’s not the only benefit. Reusing plastic containers such as milk jugs saves trash, energy and money which benefits everyone.
