I built a cold frame but quickly ran out of space. Now I've run out of milkjugs. I'm looking around my house and shed, and what I do have is an abudance of used 1, 2, and 3 gallon nursery containers. My thought is to cluster them all together, with the tallest pots in the center and the smaller ones on the outside so excessive water slopes off them, fill them with 4-5" of soil, sow my seeds, then cover with row cover fabric that I have on hand. It should work like milk jugs, right? The pots are 7-1/4", 8-1/2", and 9-1/8" tall respectively. I have all kind of hardy woody plants and perennials to sow.

It seems it should work (and you've probably already implemented the plan). I've used nursery pots the few times I've sown tree seeds (oak and horse chestnut) and had no complaints. Do you have critters that might dig in your pots? I've seen people cover their pots with hardware cloth for that reason.

Best of luck!

When I used pots, enclosed them in plastic bins with covers which would allow light to pass through. Some seeds need light to germinate.

Karen

I did one pot yesterday and loosly taped a piece of greenhouse plastic over it. I'm going to have a lot more pots, and maybe will put one large piece of plastic over all of them. I have critters around the yard. I don't imagine the squirrels will be too interested in whats under the plastic but you never know. I tried direct planting acorns and hickories, and the squirrels dug them up almost immediately.

So Skip, its been almost a month since you posted this. I am curious if the squirrels have left pots alone. I have lots of seeds now to ws and also have lots of big nursery pots. I could put them in plastic tubs if needed or cover with greenhouse plastic like you mentioned. How's it working for you? Any suggestions for me? Thanks, Mary Jo

I have WS in pots. And have used plastic colanders and micro wave covers to keep critters out.

No, but because of your post I'm going to try it!

Caroline, you're so creative!

I have 6 or 7 or 12 14" pots I plant up every year. Has anyone sowed directly in them? I think I can still get to 4 of them, the rest are buried under 3" of snow.

Do you think if I add an inch of seed starting mix to the pots then plant the seeds it would be enough? Hmmm, I think I need to try this.