It is late April and the weather is still pretty erratic here in North Central Ohio. Last week, we had about 3 inches of snow fall in the morning and by the afternoon it was all melted. Then it hit 60 degrees the next day, and the day after we had crazy wind. If there is one thing that stable, it is that the weather and temperature here are very unstable!
With wild weather like this, many gardeners like to start their gardens before outside planting can actually happen so that the tender sprouts will not get ruined with an unexpected late April or early May frost. We were doing a little Pinterest browsing and came across the idea of using clear plastic totes as greenhouses for those small seedlings, so we are going to give you a how-to on getting your garden started using the not-so-crazy idea of making a plastic storage tote into a greenhouse.
Here is what you will need:
First, the plastic tote is easy to carry, so if a little soil spills in there, it is easy clean up because it is contained (contained in the container, get it?). Second, the fact that the storage tote is clear allows you to close the container, keeping the plants protected from the chill outside, but allowing them to get all the necessary sunlight, and keeping too much moisture from evaporating away. The process is really easy. Just put the totes outside during the day and bringing them in at night when the temperatures get too cold.
So to get started, assemble your materials. Divide the soil into the containers as you normally would. Plant the seeds. Then place the little containers into the clear totes. If you want you can get those little trays to help stabilize the containers inside the tote. Give the seeds a little water, and you are pretty much done except for the growing! Water as needed and keep those baby plants in the sun and out of the cold, and you'll have great seedlings ready for transplanting in your garden when the weather finally cooperates.
When you are looking for totes of all sizes and colors, check out Edge Plastics. This woman-owned, made-in-America company offers private labeling on all products and a unique color palette for customers to choose from. Their products can be found at large retailers throughout the United States and Canada.
With wild weather like this, many gardeners like to start their gardens before outside planting can actually happen so that the tender sprouts will not get ruined with an unexpected late April or early May frost. We were doing a little Pinterest browsing and came across the idea of using clear plastic totes as greenhouses for those small seedlings, so we are going to give you a how-to on getting your garden started using the not-so-crazy idea of making a plastic storage tote into a greenhouse.
Here is what you will need:
- Small seedling containers
- Soil
- Seeds
- Clear plastic storage totes with clear lids
First, the plastic tote is easy to carry, so if a little soil spills in there, it is easy clean up because it is contained (contained in the container, get it?). Second, the fact that the storage tote is clear allows you to close the container, keeping the plants protected from the chill outside, but allowing them to get all the necessary sunlight, and keeping too much moisture from evaporating away. The process is really easy. Just put the totes outside during the day and bringing them in at night when the temperatures get too cold.
So to get started, assemble your materials. Divide the soil into the containers as you normally would. Plant the seeds. Then place the little containers into the clear totes. If you want you can get those little trays to help stabilize the containers inside the tote. Give the seeds a little water, and you are pretty much done except for the growing! Water as needed and keep those baby plants in the sun and out of the cold, and you'll have great seedlings ready for transplanting in your garden when the weather finally cooperates.
When you are looking for totes of all sizes and colors, check out Edge Plastics. This woman-owned, made-in-America company offers private labeling on all products and a unique color palette for customers to choose from. Their products can be found at large retailers throughout the United States and Canada.
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