Reuse Empty Milk Jugs As Must-Have Garden Tools

You don't need a lot of expensive tools and equipment to start gardening; you can absolutely get by on a budget, using items you already have. Take, for example, coffee grounds, which can be reused three different ways to liven up your garden, or that five-gallon bucket you've got lying around your garage; repurpose it to grow hassle-free cucumbers. Another great item that many people have in their homes is an empty plastic milk jug, which, according to Megan Brame, gardening writer, host of "The History of Plants" podcast, and the creator of the Plantrums YouTube channel, is more versatile than you might think.

For example, they can be used as germination containers. "The semi-opaque material of a gallon milk container is excellent for diffusing the light [that] fragile seedlings need," Brame explained to Food Republic, "so that they're less prone to scorching." At the same time, it also allows for sunlight to penetrate, unlike coffee canisters and other completely opaque household items, and then traps the heat from the light, like a greenhouse.

They're also handy once your seedlings have been planted by using them as cloches against chillier temperatures. "Cutting a gallon milk jug in half makes an excellent makeshift cloche for vulnerable seedlings or plants that need some cold protection during the night, like peppers," Brame said. You can also carefully cut off the bottom to use nearly the entire jug, so there's more room for larger plants, too.

Milk jugs aren't just for germinating and protecting plants. They can also be incredibly handy when it comes to watering them. In fact, according to Megan Brame, they're ideal for using as precision watering cans. She explained that most gardens require up to two inches of water per square foot. "When you're using just a hose, hitting that ideal number can be hard to reach." But, she explained, when you use a milk jug, it's easier to hit that target.

Milk jugs are also inexpensive vessels for collecting rainwater to later disperse in your garden. Using a utility knife or sharp scissors, you can cut the top off, just above the handle, and then set it outside in the rain. However, you will want to use the water ASAP because the longer it sits, the more likely it is to breed mosquitoes.

You might have seen fancy garden drip irrigation and thought that was out of your budget (like this $200 smart sprinkler system from Costco). Well, you can use old milk jugs instead – and you don't even have to cut anything. Just poke holes in the sides and bury them near your plant rows. You can top them up with water as needed through the exposed mouth of the gallon jug (so you'll probably want to use a slim-spouted watering can), and leave the twist-on lid in place when not refilling.