How to Make a Milk Jug Planter

Plastic milk jugs can be reused as plant containers.

Plastic and cardboard jugs thrown out from the kitchen create a lot of waste, which quickly fills up landfills. Instead of buying new containers from a gardening center, you can reuse your 1-gallon jugs as planters. Plastic used for milk or juice does not contain toxins, so it's safe to use for planting.

Things You'll Need

• Milk jug
• Scissors
• Gravel
• Potting soil
• Plant seedling

Instructions

1. Punch holes in the underside of the plastic jug for drainage, using a pair of scissors.

2. Cut the milk jug in half, to open up the top.

3. Fill the milk jug with 1 to 2 inches of gravel, to aid in drainage.

4. Fill the remainder of the jug with potting soil.

5. Plant your seedling in the milk jug, at the same depth as it was planted in the original, garden center container. Wet the soil so that it is moist.

References

• Concord Management Limit; Earth Day: Recycled Jug Planter; Amanda Formaro; April 21, 2011
• Re-Nest; Creative Reuse 2008: Milk Jug as Kid-Friendly Planter Project; Stephanie Kinnear; October 8, 2008