Have an old computer case lying around? Turn it into a winter box for veggies.

Just line it line it with some plastic, poke holes for drainage, add soil, and then plant your winter crops. If you're feeling industrious, you could also add some flat pieces of styrofoam to help insulate the cases on the sides. I spotted some discarded pieces in a neighbor's recycling bin that I used. Then, cover the top with some clear acrylic or plexi-glass. You can even use the plastic insert that is inside the Mac Pro case. It will leave a few inches uncovered, however, so be sure to find something to cover the rest.

The cases are fairly shallow when laid on their sides, at only eight inches wide, so be cognizant of how tall your plants will grow when choosing which ones to plant. I chose an assortment of broccoli, cheddar cauliflower, graffiti cauliflower, candid charm cauliflower, which should grow from 4 to 7 inches in height, plus two heads of freckles heirloom lettuce.

Now that fall is bringing in the cooler temps and the occasional rain, it's also time to turn the soil in the wine box containers (see the Wine Box post) and prepare the winter crops. For the taller plants that wouldn't fit in the shallower  cases, I used a wine box for an assortment of leafy greens and then covered in clear plastic to keep warm and also keep the neighborhood critters from munching them.