very inventive with the bamboo! I just did something similar with the bamboo and my roses. We call it the "Braveheart" method.

Nice ideas.

Karen

Braveheart, ha ha. I've had to learn to improvise and be resourceful, but I still spend way more on some things than I really should. I just ordered 3 Brave Heart Daylilies yesterday and some iris and not done yet.

Even if you save by recycling things, it still adds up fast, all the garden tools I've bought and all the supplies. The 2 bags of weed 'n feed blew my mind. Over $70. Sent the kids for it, and they used too much, and it's going to need another application.

I keep the tops of my jugs open by putting a rock in the top. I just pluck one out of the river rocked area by the drive & toss it in. It's worked so far...

Here is a link that might be useful: Tales of a Transplanted Gardener

While I love good ideas, I do all my sowing on my screened porch (to avoid the critters), but that sure is helpful if I decide to put some containers outside. Thanks

Carrie

greenbean, I don't have any river rocks, think I used them all in a French drain. Sure have enough other smaller rocks I collect from digging and put on my geranium pots. I have a nice supply of bamboo, was breaking them into smaller pieces for markers and saved them when done, come in handy.

carrie630, I wish I had a screened porch but don't. That is great. I have started some in the sunroom especially when I can open the windows, but it works much better outside.

Either way, you and I are going to have to gradually have to introduce them to more sun B4 transplanting into the garden. Better than hardening off, dragging plants in and out. Also mine sheltered from rain, it could beat them down if I'm not careful. The others can take it.

More rain and more sprouts in the jugs.

And more problems with other things. The rain was welcome and think that and cool and cloudy saved most of the alyssum (huge clump from self seeding and never got around to saving the seeds last fall). Best to transplant those with a spoon before they get too big. Good thing I let the mulch get skimpy or they wouldn't have self sown. It wouldn't be such a big deal, seeds are cheap, but these are a little different variety, nice spreading habit if they have enough room, and the best one last year got huge where it's part shade. I transplanted slipshod yesterday, cuz I hurt and wanted to get it over with.

Love your setup. Now this is something I could try to maybe deter the stupid squirrels I have here.

Chicken wire is a nuisance and hard for me to cut, but it sure comes in handy. The worst is breaking out a new roll. What a tangled mess until you find and cut the right wires.

I also use Liquid Fence and did spray some on the opened tops just for good measure, but it doesn't last, and I've never been sure if it does any good or not.

I'm sure thankful for this forum because I never would have thought of the milk jugs and some of the other ideas and remedies I've picked up here. Then I adapted to my own needs and things I've learned the hard way or just thought up.

The beauty of the jugs is if they root solidly enough, you can cut them into pieces or just dig a hole and plop the whole contents there. I don't mind transplanting some special ones singly if they're large enough to handle, but the jugs are so much easier for me to work with even if they do take more soil than the trays.