Mt. Prospect Food Pantry Do you wonder what to do with all the food your garden produces? Donate your extra garden produce to the Mt. Prospect pantry, located on the second floor of the Village Hall. Donations are accepted Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Seed Starting with Egg Cartons 1. Cut the top off a styrofoam egg carton. 2. Cut off closure tab from the top. 3. Put tape over the closure holes. The top is now your drain tray. 4. Take a sharp knife and make a hole in the bottom of each egg shape for drainage. Remove any styrofoam that obstructs the hole. 5. Fill the "eggs" with seed starting soil. Water in. 6. Place a seed in each egg. 7. Cover with a product called "No Damp Off". 8. Gently press in. 9. Cover with clear plastic wrap. Place carton on a heat source, such as a heating pad.
Milk Jug Seed Starting In late winter seeds can be started outdoors in milk jugs to to get an early start on your garden. The milk jug acts like a miniature greenhouse and allows the seeds to germinate during cycles of thawing and freezing. Use milk jugs that are semi-transparent, to let in the light. Discard the lid! Punch drainage holes in the bottom. Cut the jug in a line four inches from the bottom, all the way around, except for an inch or two just underneath the handle, which will serve as a hinge. Fill the jug with two to four inches of slightly damp seed-starting mix. Plant seeds according to package directions.
Plant cool weather crops in mid-February to March (kale, spinach, lettuce, beets, zinnia, marigold, parsley, oregano). Plant summer crops in March to April (tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, melon, sunflower). Close the top and seal the seam with tape. Once the seedlings are up, open the top when days are above 40 degrees, then close at night. Make sure the soil remains moist. Rain will come in the opening at the top. On sunny days the interior of the jug may get ten degrees or more warmer than it is outside. If temperatures drop below freezing, cover jugs overnight with a blanket.
Insects Websites that will help you identify host plants for butterflies.