MILK JUG SEED STARTING WORKS!

In December, 2024, Pollinator President Virginia Levie trialed a native seed starting workshop at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.  The goal was to determine if native, pollinator friendly perennials could be effectively grown by amateurs -- outdoors, over winter and in recycled milk jugs. 

The answer is a resounding YES!

One milk jug can yield 50 plugs for spring or fall planting

Greenbelt Nursery generously donated seeds of species deemed appropriate for NYC street tree pits that were also supportive of wildlife – that is, vigorous growers who can tolerate partial shade and some dry conditions.  Species planted included Blue Wood Aster, Swan’s Sedge, Bluestemmed Goldenrod and Foxglove Beardtongue.

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden hosted and supplied soil, supplies and support for the sold out workshop as part of their free fall education lineup.  Every attendee successfully created a planted milk jug.

Firming soil after planting seeds.

Interested participants joined a What’s App group to track progress and share tips.

As many participants were community gardeners, some went on to plant many more milk jugs, testing out different strategies and locations.

Large community garden planting

As weather warms, tops come off

While germination rates differed, successful propagation by so many different gardeners, in so many different contexts shows that milk jug seed starting can enable city dwellers to grow pollinator friendly plants at low cost and without expensive light or greenhouse facilities.

Here, 250 healthy native plant plugs are ready for fall planting in South Midwood, all from just 6 milk jugs seeded in February.

Many thanks to Nina Browne, Kira Louzon and Jibreel Cooper at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for offering and facilitating this opportunity and to Patrick Over at Parks for seeds and his ever thoughtful advice.