How to Make a Mini Greenhouse From Recycled Materials

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By Jeanne Grunert
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Protect Seedlings From Frost With a Mini Greenhouse

Starting seeds is one of the great joys of spring, but Mother Nature is unpredictable. Although the calendar may show the frost free date for your area, frosts can still happen, and this can ruin your precious plants started from seeds. If you love seed starting but don't want to lose all your hard work, then make mini greenhouses or cloches from recycled materials. Hot caps, cloches, or mini greenhouses are covers that you put over seedlings in the evening to keep the frost over them. While you can buy them from garden catalogs, you can make your own from recycled materials.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Plastic half gallon or one gallon milk containers, juice containers, etc.
Sharp scissors

Step 1

Save your plastic milk and juice containers. One gallon or half gallon containers are fine.
Step 2

When you're finishing with the contents, wash the containers thoroughly using dish liquid soap and lots of hot water. Rinse clean - make sure all traces of the milk or juice are gone!
Step 3

Let dry. Once the container is dry, mark a spot about halfway down the side of the container. Using very sharp scissors, carefully cut into the container, cutting around it so that it is cut in half.
Step 4

You now have two halves. Each can be used to cover seedlings at night if a frost is predicted. Make sure you put them on only in the evening and take them off the next morning.
Step 5

You can also use the bottom of the container for a seed starting container. Simply fill with soil and plant with seeds. Use your recycled plant markers to note the variety.