Drip Irrigation With Milk Jugs

Milk Jugs

• Before using the empty milk jug in the garden, rinse it thoroughly to remove all milk residue. When the irrigation project calls for poking holes in the jug, don’t make the holes too large, as the object is to allow the water to slowly flow from the container. When left in the dirt for an extended time, you may need to clean the jugs periodically to unclog the holes. You will know when it is time to do this when the water is still in the jug after a couple hours. Using the jugs for irrigation can save you time and water.

Individual Plants

• When temperatures are high, a slow, deep irrigation is often better for the plant than flooding the area with water. If you don’t have a drip irrigation system, improvise. Water an individual plant using a milk jug, to provide a slow, steady stream of water to the plant’s roots. Punch several pinholes along the side of the jug, near its bottom. Set the jug next to the plant and fill it with water. Don’t put the lid back on the container. Over the next hour, the water slowly leaks from the container, watering the soil around plant.

Vegetable Gardens

• Milk jugs can help conserve water in the vegetable garden, while providing drip irrigation. Begin by cutting off the top part of gallon milk jugs, and poke several tiny holes on the bottom of each container. Bury the milk jugs in the garden, positioning each one between two plants. Allow the top part of the jugs to poke out of the ground. Fill the milk jugs with water. When it is time to fertilize the plants, you can add the fertilizer to the water in the milk jugs.

Other Uses

• Recycled milk jugs have other uses in the garden, aside from providing drip irrigation. Cut off the bottom half of the jug and turn it into a scoop with a handle, to shovel up compost. Don’t toss the bottom half that you cut off when making a scoop, use that as a container to start seedlings. Cut just the very bottom of a milk jug off, and use the bottom-less jug as protection for a young plant. Set the jug atop the seedling, like a tent, opening the cap to vent your makeshift cloche.