Creating Mini Greenhouses

As soon as the new year begins, passionate hobby gardeners get an itch in their fingers again. However, in January, the days are actually still too short to start forcing plants. The lack of daylight would only lead to the seedlings dying off. Nevertheless, there are two ways to prepare for the upcoming gardening season right at the start of the year: Besides creating germination tests, you can also build planters and mini-greenhouses for indoor pre-cultivation from a variety of packaging materials.

Many packaging materials are wonderfully suited for crafting mini greenhouses. Especially transparent plastic containers, like those used for fruits and vegetables in supermarkets, are ideal for such a second use. This is particularly true if they come with a lid. Otherwise, two equally sized containers can be combined to serve as both the bottom and the lid. To ensure the lid stays securely in place, parcel clips or wire ties can be helpful. The latter can even be attached like a hinge between the base and the lid.

Empty and cleanly rinsed juice and milk cartons made of Tetra Pak are also perfectly suited as bases for mini greenhouses, especially due to their waterproof aluminum coating. It's recommended to cut them open lengthwise so that several small plant pots (tips on this below) can fit inside. A freezer or produce bag slipped over the top will create the greenhouse effect.

Additionally, deposit-free PET bottles can be transformed into seedling houses. To do this, cut the bottles in half horizontally with a utility knife. To use the top part as a lid, simply make a few lengthwise cuts in it.

You can transform plastic or wooden vegetable or fruit crates into a propagation box with some parcel tape, bubble wrap, and aluminum foil. To do this, wrap the bubble wrap around the crate, leaving the top open. Connect the open side parts with tape. The top opening can be closed with clothespins. Line the inside of the propagation box with aluminum foil. Done!

To prevent young plants from getting "wet feet" later on, good drainage is crucial. To ensure this, you can collect, for example, yogurt cups or disposable drinking cups and poke holes in them. These small plant pots fit well into the mini greenhouses described above.

Egg cartons are also perfect as seed-starting containers due to their porous and compostable material. When initially watering, it's important to use a spray bottle instead of a watering can. This prevents the soil and seeds from being washed away.

The plastic cases of electronic data carriers are perfectly suited for observing fast-germinating seeds as they sprout. It's especially fascinating for children to watch roots and cotyledons emerge from a tiny seed.

To do this, you'll need a DVD case, a few seeds from fast-germinating crops, and some blotting paper or a piece of thick non-woven fabric. Cut the paper or fabric to the size of the case with sharp kitchen scissors. Moisten it (it should be damp, not wet), place it in the case, lay a few (pre-soaked) seeds on top, and close the case. The seeds should always be kept moist. Thanks to the transparent lid, you can watch the seeds grow.

The robust material of DVD/CD cases can also be used to build somewhat more voluminous mini-greenhouses. While this takes a bit more time and effort, if properly constructed and glued together, it results in a propagation box that can serve you well for several years.