[nitiram]

I know it is a daft question but it is important to me.....when the 'sperts in gardening suggest putting plastic bottles over the top of vulnerable plants or seedlings etc do you leave the top on or not? and can i use large jam jars instead as we don't drink pop or anything so rarely have a large plastic bottle in the house.

[kooringa]

I use plastic milk bottles.  Top cut off but with handle remaining (with a hole in it so you push the stick down the handle (now tube) to fix it to the soil to stop it blowing away.  

Bottom cut off to let the rain in but keep out the birds and rabbits that might attachk the plant

Logically I would think that if you used jam jars

(a) they would stop water getting near a tiny seedling
(b) they would maginify the heat so frying it alive
(c) on the other hand if no sun then you migh get humidity from the damp earth and cause rotting
(d) they are much nicer filled with home made whisky marmalade - I have just done some.

I think that some people use pop bottles with the tops on as a mini greenhouse for a very short time - but I do not drink pop so use milk bottles for when the seedling is a little bigger - they too protect it from the wind and frost and they are below the rim of the bottle

Someone will come up with other solutions I am sure

[mark]

wow what a good tip i never thought about milk container .thanks for that.

[kooringa]

wow what a good tip i never thought about milk container .thanks for that.

You are very welcome - plenty more where that came from!

[noshed]

which size are you talking about?

[kooringa]

which size are you talking about?

Are you talking  milk containers?

All sizes.  The small ones for seedlings and the large ones are brilliant for cabbages etc.  They can stay on until the plants are quite big.

[nitiram]

Does it matter that they are opaque and not clear plastic?