Trying something new – sky lettuce

I recently came across this video about using plastic bottles to grow plants.  And I thought it was great, but I didn’t have any place to hang such bottles.  Then I remembered we have a fence around our main garden to hopefully keep the deer out, as well as around the tires we use as raised beds.  And I figured I could cut out the side of a milk jug, and tie the handle to a fence post. 

I made one and planted some lettuce in it because, well, it was starting to get to the point where I needed to plant something.  But I only got one plant that came up.  I don’t think the seed is that old, but we did have a few cold nights shortly after I planted it.  I planted a few more seeds, but so far, nothing else has grown.  A few days ago, I made the first harvest, which was not quite enough for half a sandwich. 

I’ve made two more, one has some marigolds in it, and I made a second one for lettuce.  These are a little deeper, and have more of the top cut away so they get more rain.  I do think one problem I’ll have with them is that they’ll dry out pretty quick.  So far, it’s been a rainy spring, so I haven’t really had to water them much, but we usually have dry summers, so that’s one thing I’ll have to keep an eye on. 

I have plenty of jugs to make more.  I just have to think of what best to plant in them.  One idea is to plant some perennials.  That way, in the fall I could just untie the handles, and set them somewhere they won’t have to deal with the snow, and put them back out the next spring.