seed umbrellas

Why do seeds need umbrellas, you say?  Seeds that are just getting started can get burned by too much sun.  I kept getting fried seedlings from planting things in the window and then underestimating the heat they were experiencing.


Here are some simple seed umbrellas you can make to help them make it past those crucial first weeks.

Step 1: Materials and tools

some cardboard - an old pizza box works well
some straws rescued from the trash
a means of cutting (scissors, or a craft cutter)
hot melt glue gun
tape

optional: 
small plastic lid
hot knife for cutting plastic

krylon spray paint

Step 2: Cut out the umbrella pattern

I've attached two different patterns below.  One very simple, for cutting out with scissors.  Another very complex if you have a craft cutter.

Cut the umbrella shape out of the cardboard.

For the simple shape, just cut around the outside edge.  Then score along the inside lines to help with folding.

Step 3: Glue umbrella together

Tape or glue together the split end of the umbrella

Invert it and add some hot melt glue in the center. 

For the ornate umbrella pattern, it helps to have a little cap on the top to keep the glue from going all over.

Position the straw in the center and hold it there, or lean it up against something till the glue hardens.

Step 4: Paint it and plant it

Shake up the Krylon and paint it to taste.

I like the blue and green metal finish mixed together..

Step 5: Does it help?

Here's some photographic evidence that the seeds seem to be happier under the umbrella...

Comments

[Adennick]

This will probably also help keep birds from eating my seeds! I only had one carrot and one lettuce last year because of birds. I tried putting spin wheels around but it didn't deter them. So these might just be the ticket for me.

[chihuahualover112]

ooh, thank you so much for this instructable! my strawberry plants were getting fried in the texas sun, and i've been searching for something like this for the longest time! i will most definitely be making these on a larger scale to save them. (:

[foobear]

yay cool!

[Totysheep]

Definitely going to do this next season! I had pigeons trample and eat allot of my seedlings this year, but not anymore!!! Awesome ible!

[foobear]

oh cool! thx!

[LabMama]

Very pretty, and practical, too.

[foobear]

oh thank you!

[sunshiine]

I love this ible!

[foobear]

yay cool!

[CatTrampoline]

These are much prettier than the burlap-over-wire mesh I have been using!

[foobear]

Cool, thx! Love the handle, my cat treats me like furniture too! =)

[porcupinemamma]

I'll give it a whirl (but they won't have the pretty lacey effect that yours do.)

[porcupinemamma]

You put a lot of love and thought into this. The umbrellas are very pretty too. I just had a thought-would a paper cocktail umbrella work for those of us who are lazy?

[foobear]

Those coctail umbrellas are so cute aren't they? I think they would work great too.

cheers -J

[ChrysN]

Clever, and pretty too!

[foobear]

thank you!