Plastic Milk Crates for Container Gardening?greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread |
Just something to think about. The thread on using concrete blocks got me to thinking. Those plastic milk crates which are about 12"x12"x12" aren't that hard to find, and I believe something similar to them is even sold retail. Why couldn't they be used for container gardening.Say each was lined with two strips of fiberglass screening running in an X shape to retain the soil, let allow drainage. Filled with an soil/compost mix they could basically be used in a square foot gardening concept. (Or if you want roots to grow through the bottom for garden soil contact, just line the sides.)
Several seemingly nice aspects. They come with handles. So you can set them outside to harden young plants, yet bring them indoors if the weather will turn too cold. As you no longer needed them, the wilted plants, roots, and soil could be put on the compost pile for reuse next year. Due to their size, you could arrange them in say 3'x3' squares so you have access to all of them for trimming or weeding. They would be suitable for patio, deck or balcony use.
Call it 'portable square foot gardening'.
-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), March 04, 2001
Great idea, Ken. We have a few around already that we use for keeping goat brushes, horse brushes etc. together. Dh installed some large hooks on the outside of the barn, so we can grab a container of brushes, hang it on the hooks while in use, and then set the container back inside when we're finished. I can get them around here in the thrift stores for .50 to $1. I was trying to think of some other uses for the containers besides storage. I'll have to give the portable square foot gardening idea a try this spring.
-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), March 04, 2001.
OK, lets open this topic up. What other novel uses have others found for these plastic crates. Seem about the right size for chicken nest boxes. Would be easier to disinfect than metal or wood ones.
-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), March 04, 2001.
I haven't done this yet, but I still have the plans to make flower pots. Got it from the Family Handyman - Cover outside of crate with chicken wire. Mix up Quik-Crete with peat moss added and cover the chicken wire with it. Kind of free form to look like a rock. Then paint the pot with yoghurt to encourage moss to grow on the outside. Fill with soil and plants. I was thinking of stacking five of them up - three on bottom - two on top (pyramid style) and connecting them together for a mini-wall beside my back patio. May not work, but I'm going to try it as soon as the weather clears up a little.
-- Linda Al-Sangar (alsangal@brentwood-tn.org), March 04, 2001.
When I let the hens have chicks, I turn these plastic crates upside down, and put the chick-starter inside with small water dish. That way, hens don't eat it all. I have one neat old metal crate left. Good idea on the gardening boxes.
-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), March 04, 2001.
Great idea, Ken! I also like the idea of using them for protecting the chick starter for the little ones! Have to file that one away for this spring! Jan
-- Jan in Co (Janice12@aol.com), March 04, 2001.
We strapped a boat cushion to the bottom on a milk crate, and turned it upside down for a seat. Little low for milking the goats, unless you're a youngster, but just the right height for me when I'm running the log splitter vertically. (which is MOST of the time.)
-- Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), March 04, 2001.
I think it's an interesting idea, Ken, but I wonder if it might not be TOO much air exposure for the soil -- i.e., it wouldn't retain moisture well enough. Possibly some kind of plastic lining? That wouldn't be very UV resistant though. Have to think a bit.
-- Joy F (So.Central Wisconsin) (CatFlunky@excite.com), March 05, 2001.
I do have 3 or 4 wired together and attached to the back wall in one barn for nest boxes. (Been there so long I forgot about them, LOL.) I had to cut heavy cardboard to size and line each side of the crates, guess the hens didn't like looking at each other. I also put a board on the top to keep the hens from messing on the crates, and to make it darker inside. I use one upside down for a chair for my little granddaughter to use while we milk the goats. Also have used them on occasion for a temporary hay feeder when I have to separate a sick goat into a small pen. Not very fancy, but works fine for a short time, and they're easy to disinfect. I like the chick "creep feeder" idea. Hope to see more ideas coming in.
-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), March 05, 2001.
YOU BET!!! But.... why would you want to pay for boxes (assuming that's what you would do)????I have in front of me a copy of an article clipped from Organic Gardening, May 1988.
Some of the offbeat containers for gardening they list:
Used egg cartons (for starting seeds) Used milk cartons (My grandma used to make me save the ones from school for seed starting, and the larger ones will house even peas!) Cardboard boxes lined with plastic Old shoes Used gallon jugs Ice cream containers (the big round ones from 31 flavors are great - and FREE!!!) Tires
The only plant they didn't list as being grown in the various containers was corn. I'll be you could do that, too... but you'd need a lot of - say - five-gallon buckets... Too much work.....
See if your library has a copy on microfilm or something - its a really great article!!!
-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 05, 2001.
3 years ago I planted cherry tomatoes in gallon milk jugs. I left the handle on them so I could hang them. I wanted them to grow all over the top of the chicken pen wire so the tomatoes would fall off down into their pen. Good eatin and shade too. I also put Morning Glorys like this. But I had such a time with the jugs drying out, I couldn't keep them moist. The dirt inside just made a hard ball and the water drained out around and out the bottom. One of these days I will figure it out. I always have millions of cherry tomatoes and it takes forever to pick them.
-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), March 06, 2001.
I've been using milk crates as planters for a few years now. I line them with the cheapest black plastic bags I can find, then fill with a mix of screened compost and coarse sand. Cut some small slits along the bottom edge for drainage. The black plastic seems to stretch the season, both early and late. Straightest carrots I've ever grown...everything seems to do well. In the peak of summer be sure to mulch or otherwise shade the South facing side, or they will overheat.
-- Karl Keller (portlypaddler@yahoo.com), March 10, 2001.
Karl, Thanks for the tip, I can use ideas for better carrots. We'll try it soon. A.D.
-- The Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), March 10, 2001.