Wanting to plant some seeds on the window Sill, but do not have much room
there.

Is there any reason as to why I cannot cut down and put compost in 1 pint
plastic milk cartons, since their rectangular shape means I can get more on.
But the fact that they are semi transparent would that be a problem?
Thanks.

On Sat, 5 Apr 2014 09:26:58 +0100, "T Bentley"
wrote:

Wanting to plant some seeds on the window Sill, but do not have much room
there.

Is there any reason as to why I cannot cut down and put compost in 1 pint
plastic milk cartons, since their rectangular shape means I can get more on.
But the fact that they are semi transparent would that be a problem?
Thanks.

No problem at all but you might need to arrange some drainage.

"T Bentley" wrote:

Is there any reason as to why I cannot cut down and put compost in 1 pint
plastic milk cartons, since their rectangular shape means I can get more on.

No problem at all; on this side of the pond milk cartons are cardboard with
some sort of plastic coating. I nip off the 4 bottom corners and the top
with a serrated knife, fill with potting mix and have at it.
I use SWMBO's half-pint cream cartons for small plants, and half-gallon
milk cartons for nice big tomato plants.

--
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

On 05/04/2014 13:19, Gary Woods wrote:
"T Bentley" wrote:

Is there any reason as to why I cannot cut down and put compost in 1 pint
plastic milk cartons, since their rectangular shape means I can get more on.

No problem at all; on this side of the pond milk cartons are cardboard with
some sort of plastic coating. I nip off the 4 bottom corners and the top
with a serrated knife, fill with potting mix and have at it.
I use SWMBO's half-pint cream cartons for small plants, and half-gallon
milk cartons for nice big tomato plants.

Or you could just buy Square pots, and you can get trays to fit them.
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Square+p...revid=45644910

Strictly speaking, you won't get more on, you'll just fill up the "corners" between pots. Or to put it another way, 8 2in dia round pots will take up the same space as 8 2in dia square pots. If you're planting lots of seeds per pot, the square ones will give you extra seed-space in the corners. But if you're planting one seed a pot, you won't have saved anything.

No problem with the transparency (eventually you may get algae growing on the soil where it's getting light through but it won't upset the plants. You'll need drainage holes, so you'll want to stand them on a plastic tray to avoid damaging the windowsill. If the windowsill is wide enough, consider cutting the cartons lengthwise and letting the "spout" end overhang a bit.

David Hill wrote:

Or you could just buy Square pots

Buy..BUY????
At least over here, pots whether square or round are vastly more expensive
than growing in plug flats. And I have a long history of
being...erm..economical.
I'm guessing most of us have a large and motly collection of pots,
containers, etc, stashed away, to the dismay of loved ones.

--
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

On 05/04/2014 17:04, Gary Woods wrote:
David Hill wrote:

Or you could just buy Square pots

Buy..BUY????
At least over here, pots whether square or round are vastly more expensive
than growing in plug flats. And I have a long history of
being...erm..economical.
I'm guessing most of us have a large and motly collection of pots,
containers, etc, stashed away, to the dismay of loved ones.




..... and some of us have far too many of them and give them away to
needy gardeners ;~). So the OP could ask around for small square pots
but, certainly, well-rinsed milk cartons would work.

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 05/04/2014 19:08, Spider wrote:
On 05/04/2014 17:04, Gary Woods wrote:
David Hill wrote:

Or you could just buy Square pots

Buy..BUY????
At least over here, pots whether square or round are vastly more
expensive
than growing in plug flats. And I have a long history of
being...erm..economical.
I'm guessing most of us have a large and motly collection of pots,
containers, etc, stashed away, to the dismay of loved ones.




.... and some of us have far too many of them and give them away to
needy gardeners ;~). So the OP could ask around for small square pots
but, certainly, well-rinsed milk cartons would work.

BUT remember to rinse out the container with cold or cool water, hot
water can cook the fat in the milk to the container.

On 05/04/2014 19:50, David Hill wrote:
On 05/04/2014 19:08, Spider wrote:
On 05/04/2014 17:04, Gary Woods wrote:
David Hill wrote:

Or you could just buy Square pots

Buy..BUY????
At least over here, pots whether square or round are vastly more
expensive
than growing in plug flats. And I have a long history of
being...erm..economical.
I'm guessing most of us have a large and motly collection of pots,
containers, etc, stashed away, to the dismay of loved ones.




.... and some of us have far too many of them and give them away to
needy gardeners ;~). So the OP could ask around for small square pots
but, certainly, well-rinsed milk cartons would work.

BUT remember to rinse out the container with cold or cool water, hot
water can cook the fat in the milk to the container.



Urrghh! I never knew that. Just as well I've got lots of square pots!
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay