Do Milk Jugs Save Plants From Frost?

Protecting Garden Plants From Frost

• Although hardier plants like apple trees can tolerate temperatures below freezing for brief periods, most plants grown in the home vegetable garden are relatively tender and susceptible to damage from temperature drops. Tomatoes, for example, can sustain damage at temperatures as warm as 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes some form of protection absolutely necessary until frost danger is completely past. Most frost coverings work by trapping the heat radiated off from the ground in the air surrounding the plant, creating a localized greenhouse effect. Plants are traditionally protected from low temperatures with cold frames, greenhouses or row covers, but recycled containers such as milk jugs can also be used. Plants should be covered before temperature drops, if possible, with enough space to ensure the cover does not damage the plant. Plants can easily overheat when covered, even in cold conditions, so the coverings should be removed as soon as the sun comes out.

Recycling Plastic Mlik Jugs for Garden Use

• Recycled plastic milk jugs have a number of uses in the garden. To use a milk jug as a plant cloche, first rinse it out and cut off a few inches from the bottom, using scissors or a sharp knife. Replace the cap and place the jug over the plant, taking care not to damage tender young shoots or leaves. The bottoms of the milk jugs can be used as as makeshift saucers for potted plants, or as seedbeds if filled with soil. Old milk jugs can also be used as scoops for soil or fertilizer; simply cut the top half of the milk jug at an angle slightly below the handle, leaving the cap in place. They can also be used as watering cans or liquid fertilizer distributors, simply by punching in a few holes with a nail.

Recycling Plastic Containers in the Garden

• A number of other plastic containers can easily be recycled for use in the garden. Old yogurt or butter containers can be filled with soil and used for starting seeds, and clear plastic soda containers can be used as impromptu greenhouses. Small dairy containers with the bottoms removed can be placed around plants to form pest barriers. Plastic bags work well as miniature greenhouses when stretched over seedlings, and old plastic trash cans can be repurposed as compost bins. Plastic grocery bags can be used as plant ties to secure vining plants to trellises or stakes, although they should be recycled as soon as they begin to deteriorate.

Other Easily Recyclable Household Items

• Recycling items for garden use doesn't have to be limited to plastic containers: old pillow cases or burlap sacks work well as plant cloches, and can even be stretched over hoop frames to form row covers. Old tuna or sardine cans make excellent traps for slugs and earwigs. Simply fill them with beer or a similar attractant, and bury them flush with the soil. Paper products, such as newspapers or junk mail, can be wetted down and spread over soil as mulch, or composted. They can also be combined with alternating layers of organic material to form new raised planting beds. The paper will block weeds and other growth as it deteriorates naturally over time, decomposing into rich, easily plantable garden soil. Cardboard boxes and toilet paper rolls can be used as pots to start new seedlings, added to compost, or used as mulch. Even old miniblinds can be repurposed for garden use: simply cut them into small rectangular portions and use them as tags for plants.