Empty Milk Carton for Watering Plants

By

richardpeeej

I've used an old plastic milk bottle and a few odds and ends,superglue, tube, old drawer knob to make an indoor watering can - thrifty eh? and definitely some fun lol!
PS I made a little air hole near the top by the handle to stop the water 'glugging out.

By

mpfickling

I don't know about the milky part, but I use an old syrup bottle to water the small plants I have. It reduces the spillage onto leaves I have encountered more than once while watering indoor plants, and it helps the environment, too!

By

dragonsue

Apparently the bacteria that grows in 'off' milk is (forgive the pun) like nectar to plants, so when the milk carton is empty, just fill it with water and pour the manky stuff over plants liberally.
I have used it, with great success on everything from Cacti to spider plants, from herbs to potatoes, and tomatoes literally thrive!
There are only two types of plants I wouldn't use it on, air plants (they get everything they need from the mist you spray on them and the milk could clog their pores) and carnivorous plants like the Pitcher and the Venus Flytrap, they really need meat, not milk.
I don't know if it is the milk, but since I have been using this method of fertilization, I have noticed a marked reduction in pests too, so now I don't even have to worry about buying or using pesticides!

Oh and one little thing for those who might be wondering, for some strange reason, my house plants DO NOT smell 'cheesey'! lol

By

kimhis

I remember reading that dairy farmers use the rinse water for fertilizer after they clean up the milking system, sounds like a good idea. OBTW - it's milky water they were talking about, throwing sour milk on your plants is NOT a benefit to them, far too acid.

By

Beth - MA

I have another question: What kind of plants like to have diluted milk as fertilizer?

By Kelly W. from Kalamazoo (Guest Post)

Do the plants like the diluted milk or should the old milk be washed out completely first so it's just fresh water?

I have used a gallon milk jug to mix and store insecticides, miticides, and the like for my plants. I just made sure that I labeled it really well and put words like POISON, YUCK, and the skull and cross-bones figures on it so children if they happened across it wouldn't think of drinking it. I kept it up high on a shelf in a locked garage.

Have a great day!

Kelly W. from Kalamazoo

Editor's Note: The tip is suggesting to use the diluted milk on the plants as fertilizer.