Turning egg cartons into seed starters is an excellent way to save money and recycle the cartons, avoiding use of new plastic containers. The beauty of egg cartons is that they can be planted into the ground along with the seedling, and the egg carton will disintegrate into the earth as the seedling grows. It is less of a shock for the transplanted seedling as well. Best of all, kids will find this approach a lot of fun.
Preparing the egg carton[edit | edit source]
Choose an egg carton. It can be a full length (12 holes) or a half length (6 holes) one, depending on how many seeds you'd like to plant. If you have a larger carton of the type use for catering, you'll need two of the same type, as you need a "lid" for the carton as well. Leave the lid in place; it is going to form part of the growing process.
Use a toothpick to pierce small holes into the base of each hole of the egg carton. These will serve as drainage holes.
Fill each hole of the egg carton with seed-starting mix or suitable soil. When done, add the seeds (see next).
Planting and caring for the seeds[edit | edit source]
Push in a finger to the depth that is required for a seed of the plant type being planted. Add around 5 to 6 seeds per hole. Gently spread soil back into the hole to cover the seeds.
Place the whole egg carton on a surface that is okay to water; for example, an old baking or serving tray, a large ceramic plate, etc.
Spray with a gentle mist of water to moisten the soil. Push down the lid and place in a warm spot.
Note: In warmer weather, the lid may not be necessary. In this case, the lid can be used as an additional place the put the seeds (see image).
Open the lid at least once a day to check for the seeds' growth. Once the seeds begin to sprout, keep the lid off from this time onward. Keep within a good source of light, either sunlight or artificial light. Keep the growing temperature warm––don't put outside unless the temperature is warm.
If needed, thin out the seedlings as they grow, or wait until you shift them to the garden bed; this will depend on the type of plant you're growing.
Transferring to the garden bed[edit | edit source]
When the seedlings are strong enough to transfer to their permanent site in the garden, cut or pull away each egg carton hole to form a separate seedling holder reading for planting. Then plant the whole carton portion, soil and seedling in the ground together. Stick to the recommended placement and distances required for the plant type.
Tips[edit | edit source]
- You can label the lid for each seedling if using different seeds in the same carton.
- This is a great way to encourage children to grow plants. Sunflower seeds are a great starter plant.
- Start saving up egg cartons from autumn/fall for the coming spring season. If you don't eat eggs, ask your neighbours for their egg cartons. They'll often be happy to pass on unwanted containers to you.
