Find it difficult to get seeds started? This Redditor shared a recycling tip to make germinating seeds cheap and easy.
A Redditor sought advice on how to deal with having excess seeds and not enough containers to sow them in.
"[I] have nowhere near enough jugs for [the seeds] I collected. Anyone have any cheap strategies to cover the difference?" they wrote in the subreddit r/NativePlantGardening
The top response recommended that the OP reach out to local coffee shops, such as Starbucks, and ask for their leftover milk cartons.
"Starbucks will 100% give you their milk jugs. This year I called a Starbucks near me and picked up about 3 dozen milk jugs … They've always been very helpful," they advised.
The OP followed through with varying success. They explained that they called three Starbucks locations, and only one agreed to hand over their leftover milk jugs.
They updated Reddit with their results, saying in a comment: "I ended up getting 8 jugs from Starbucks, although I did have to pester them for a few days before they followed through. Still a really good method but you need to have patience."
Using milk jugs to sow seeds is a common practice, especially in the winter. It provides a controlled environment for seeds to sprout, protecting them from harsh weather, pests, and other unfavorable conditions. Utilizing recycled jugs from coffee shops is not only a cost-effective strategy but also contributes to environmental sustainability through recycling.
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The comments were positive and filled with other recommendations on how to best sow seeds.
One user said, "I drill holes in the bottom & reuse the big plastic containers that salads come in [and] big yogurt containers."
"I've seen people use the foil lasagna pans with plastic lids. Do you have neighbors with kids? They likely go through plenty of milk and probably will be happy to give away their recycling," another person suggested.
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