My mini greenhouse trick gives you a head start on spring gardening – don’t toss your recyclables, it’s great for greens
A GARDENING guru doesn’t play games when it comes to growing her favorite greens.
Her mini greenhouse method saves money while making seeds sprout in time for spring, regardless of your climate.
“Here’s a gardening hack that will give you a head start on your spring planting,” said Jessica (@fromdreamtoseed).
She advised grabbing a clean gallon jug that was also recyclable.
“I’m reusing one from last year,” she said.
She poked several holes in the bottom of the jug and then cut around the center until she had left a one to two-inch hinge in the back.
Jessica, whose method was a friendly reminder not to throw out old recycling items, added three to four inches of pre-moistened potting mix and gently pressed down.
Adding seeds came next, and for Jessica, that meant spinach.
“I like to sow my greens a little bit heavier. I can go back and thin seedlings if I need to add more potting mix and again, gently press down,” she said.
She closed the container and used a few layers of packing tape to ensure everything was extra secure.
After all, she had precious planting cargo in there.
It was also important to label each jug and keep the top open so that rain or snow could get in, or to add water if necessary.
Lastly, she placed the jug outside in the sun.
“This is a form of winter sowing, and these containers will act like mini greenhouses, helping to trap heat.
“The seeds will germinate when temperatures inside the container are high enough,” she said.
It seemed to have done the trick as she showed off her first victory – some sprouted Santo cilantro.
The timeline of the planting process also depends on whether you live in a warm or cold climate.
Either way, you are guaranteed to get earlier germination.
“And because these were grown outdoors, they are often very hardy seedlings that don’t need to be hardened off before planting.”
Jessica preferred growing seasonal vegetables and perennial flowers, but her method works the same magic for any type of seed.
“Leafy greens and brassicas like broccoli, cauliflower and kale, do really well in these containers,” she said.
Her own varieties seemed to have sprouted up to standard.
Her fans even shared some of their own tips.
“Rotisserie chicken containers work well also!” said one follower.
“Oh. That a great idea!” she replied.
Her technique was also ideal for cold-stratifying perennial seeds as many of them require cold weather to properly germinate.
Gardening shop Eden Brothers describes cold-stratification as exposing seeds to a period of cold temperatures without any moisture.
The cold temperature breaks down the seed coat and allows water to enter the seed, which will then germinate when planted.
Some of her additional tips include experimenting with different seeds each year, adding water if the potting mix appears to look dry, and transplanting seedlings when they are two to four inches tall.
If you are expecting heavy snow or ice, you can temporarily move the containers to a sheltered area.
Others were also loving the garden-growing guru’s advice.
“Doing this for my third year! I grow tons of native flowers and shrubs. Very cost effective!” said one follower.
“I agree! It’s been a great space saver for seed starting too,” Jessica replied.
