I love my garden. I would spend my entire day out there if I could. It's my sanctuary, and a place where I can release aggravations and annoyances in a very physical and creative way. Every gardener has a wishlist of "next-plant" items; I really want some milkweed in my garden for the butterflies. My sister recently gave me several seed packs of different milkweed varieties—who knew there were so many? Since it's too early to sow the seeds outdoors, I decided to start them inside. I thought you might like to see how I've planted them in my tiny, homemade greenhouse.

To start my project, I foraged for materials in my recycling bin. I reused a rectangular plastic container from store-bought baked goods and a paper egg carton. I removed the top of the egg carton and put the bottom half inside the plastic container; then I filled each cup with soil and seeds. On the top of the plastic container I used a Sharpie to label which type of milkweed I planted in each section. I watered the seeds, closed the lid of the container and now I have a terrarium—a tiny greenhouse. Once the seeds sprout and the shoots are sturdy enough, I’ll divide the egg carton, then plant the sprouts (egg cup and all) in the ground. The paper will decompose in the soil, and that will allow the roots to spread. Here are some pictures to show you how I constructed my homemade terrarium.