I've been saving the plastic tubs that "Bachelor Chicken" comes in from the supermarket: whole pre-roasted chickens. I usually don't buy tomatoes.

The black bottoms may be a little shallow, but the clear plastic dome is fairly tall and easily pops off.

I start most of my seeds in propagation trays or plastic 6-pack "inserts" or "cells", indoors under lights, but then I need to move them outside as soon as possible to make room for the next batch. And they'll need warmth, outdoors, for around 8 more weeks.

The plastic "humidity domes" large enough to fit over a whole 11"x21" tray are too expensive, so I'm planning on using plastic film draped over bent sections of garden fencing. That seems stiff enough to support plastic film despite wind, and I'll weigh down the film all the way around to keep slugs out.

When I vent it, I hope I can vent only the top, not the bottom, so slugs will have a hard time climbing the plastic to get at the seeedlings. And I'll sprinkle bait around the trays, under the plastic!

Rick,

"Bachelor Chicken"?! Did they get the chicken from 'The Bachelor' tv show?

Sounds like a good plan Rick.

>> "Bachelor Chicken"?! Did they get the chicken from 'The Bachelor' tv show?

Oh, I think they had my skill level in a kitchen clearly in mind when they decided to market pre-cooked chicken still warm.

LOL @ Rick
Excellent tip, flaflwrgrl!

Not just "Bachelor" chicken, Rick! "Too Lazy to Cook" chicken is what I call it! THANK YOU, Safeway!

Rick,

I was just having a little fun. Hope you know that.

I save all those type containers, the ones donuts are in are good because they are larger, besides being good to start with.

Yes, There are all kinds of shapes & sizes & they all work. Better than throwing them in the garbage.

>> just having a little fun.

Of course!

kareoke said:I save all those type containers, the ones donuts are in are good because they are larger, besides being good to start with.

Doris,

YUM!

RickCorey said:>> just having a little fun.

Of course!

Hmm, I was eyeing a big container like that of donuts the other day....good excuse to indulge!

I'm partial to the large clear tubs that usually come with spring mix greens in them - they're like 5" or so tall, and of a really good size. By using strips of cardboard as dividers, several different types of seeds can be started in one box. Holes for drainage and excess heat have to be added, but if gently handled they're reusable the following year, or for the next batch of sprouts. Milk jugs are great too, but since we don't use a lot of cow's milk I'd always have to be rounding up more of them.

Good idea with the dividers chelle. I use those spring mix greens containers too.

I replayed my last post (to myself) and to me it sounded like I was saying that I don't use all of the other containers....I do!



I simply forgot to add that part when I was talking about the other one.

I just readied another re-purposed container, so I'm headed out to sow some more seeds...

.....luv it! I was feeling draggy and dreary, to match our weather, I guess....

.....now I'm feeling quite a bit perkier!

chelle, you're over thinking your post. It didn't sound like those are the ONLY containers you use. Seems we all have a problem over thinking things sometimes. Trying to come up with a "native plants" micro badge & seems we're stumped. Seems a bare footprint would offend indigenous people???? When did everything become so complicated?

I know. I'm stumped on that one, too. Eventually, something will work out for it.

The hand hold on my cheap scissors snapped off while I was out planting those seeds and making dividers, so I didn't get as much done as I would have liked to.....no more $1.00 scissors!

$1 scissors? Now I know not to buy them.

One thing I tried for dividers in a big plastic tub ("sweater box"?) was to line up 3" square plastic pots inside the tub.

That was for my one attempt to winer sow. Eventually, months later, some Penstemon sprouted, but other than that it was 0.0% germination.