starting seeds in plastic egg cartons

Fill each egg cup with potting soil and place seeds in to the appropriate depth. Water the container to get the soil moist but not soaking. To keep it warm as the seeds germinate, simply put the carton in a plastic vegetable bag form the grocery store—another good way to reuse materials.

Can I use plastic egg cartons to start seeds?

You can use any plastic egg carton to make this planter. The best would be one with a clear top and individual egg holding spaces on the bottom. After finding your carton, gather a sterile, light weight, fine particle soil mix to improve your chances of success. I use a pre-mixed seed starting mix to make things easy.

Do seedlings need to be covered with plastic?

To speed germination, cover the pots with plastic wrap or a plastic dome that fits over the seed-starting tray. This helps keep the seeds moist before they germinate. When you see the first signs of green, remove the cover.

How long can seedlings stay in egg cartons?

Place the egg carton lid under the bottom to create a drainage tray. Fill the egg cells one-half to three-quarters full with potting mixture. A standard commercial potting mixture works well. A potting mixture containing fertilizer contains nutrients to sustain the plants for three to four weeks.

What can I do with empty plastic egg cartons?

20 Recycled Egg Carton Crafts for Kids

Make an Egg Carton Ocean Craft.
DIY Egg Carton Ladybug Craft.
Egg Carton Daffodil Craft.
Egg Carton Chalkboard Wreath.
Recycled Egg Carton Flower Craft.
Use Egg Cartons to make Mermaids.
Egg Carton Penguins.
Egg Carton Mushroom Craft.

What is the cheapest way to start seeds indoors?

Use Yoplait Kids Plastic Cups/ or any other item in your kitchen to start your seeds indoors. Use Plastic wrap over each of your homemade containers until your seed sprouts to keep in the warmth. Use Seed Starting Soil Mix– it's lighter. The other stuff may work or it may not.

Should you soak seeds before planting?

Soaking seeds before planting helps you to break down the seed's natural defenses against what it expects from Mother Nature, which then allows it to germinate faster. Another reason is that while Mother Nature actively assaults seeds, she also gave those seeds an internal gauge to help them know when they should grow.

What helps seeds germinate faster?

One easy way to make seeds germinate faster is to presoak them for 24 hours in a shallow container filled with hot tap water. Water will penetrate the seed coat and cause the embryos inside to plump up. Don't soak them for longer than 24 hours because they could rot. Plant the seeds immediately in moist soil.

How long should seedlings be covered?

Place the trays of seedlings in a brightly lit location or add a fluorescent fixture 3 to 4 inches above the plants. Turn off the light after 16 hours, so the seedlings "rest" at night.

Do seeds need air to germinate?

All seeds need water, oxygen and the right temperature to germinate. Dormancy is a state of suspended animation in which seeds delay germination until conditions are right for survival and growth. Some Australian plants need fire or smoke to germinate, while others rely on insects and animals.

How many seeds does it take to grow in one hole?

Don't exceed three seeds per hole. If more than one germinates, snip off extras at the soil line also. This prevents disturbance of the seedling roots on the one you'll continue growing out when thinning. Don't add more than one large seed to a hole.

What is the best way to start seeds indoors?

How to Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors

Purchase your seeds from a trusted source. ...
Pot with seed-starting mix. ...
Make sure your containers have drainage holes. ...
Plant seeds at the proper depth. ...
After sowing, set the containers in a warm location. ...
Keep seed-starting mix moist. ...
As soon as seedlings emerge, place pots in a bright location.

Can you start seeds in eggshells?

Growing seeds directly in eggshells has countless benefits. Since the eggshell will naturally decompose once transplanted to your garden or a larger pot, it's a great way to compost without much effort at all. ... Everything from flowers to vegetables can be started in eggshells, but our favorite thing to grow is herbs.

Can I reuse egg cartons?

Few members of the egg-consuming public understand that, once used, an egg carton should not be reused and should be discarded. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, egg cartons are considered one-time-use packaging, similar to foam meat trays and plastic wrap.

Can you recycle clear plastic egg cartons?

Clear plastic egg containers are almost always safe to recycle along with your other curbside items. To be safe, look for a recyclable symbol on your packaging, and also make sure your local recycling company doesn't reject all egg cartons, regardless of material.

How do you recycle egg trays?

Paper egg cartons are made from molded pulp which is a mix of recycled papers, cardboard and other materials.
...
Egg Cartons - Recycle or Reuse or Trash

Paper cartons go in the Recycling cart.
Styrofoam cartons go in the Trash Cart.
Clear plastic cartons go in the Recycling cart.

How do you start seeds indoors with paper towels?

How to germinate seeds in coffee filters (or paper towels)

Step 1: Gather your supplies. ...
Step 2: Moisten the coffee filters. ...
Step 3: Place your seeds on the coffee filter. ...
Step 4: Place a coffee filter inside each baggie. ...
Step 5: Wait for the magic of germination to happen. ...
Step 6: Transplant the germinated seed.

Can you use regular potting soil to start seeds?

Although potting soils may be used to start seeds, they tend to have a more coarse texture and may contain field soil, compost or composted manure along with vermiculite, peat moss or perlite. ... When potting soil ingredients include field soil, compost or manure, they may also contain some weed seeds.

How often should you water seeds indoors?

Yes, seeds normally need to be watered at least once per day to keep the soil moist, not permitting it to dry out. In especially warm climates (or depending on your soil or garden setup), you may need to water more than once per day. Check on your seeds or seedlings frequently to make sure they have plenty of water.

Do good seeds float or sink?

One method to check for seed viability is the water test. Take the seeds and place them in a container of water. Let the seeds sit for 15 minutes. If the seeds sink, they are still viable; if they float, discard, because they probably will not sprout.

How do you separate good seeds from bad seeds?

To find out if the seeds are still able to grow, pour the seeds into a container full of water and allow them to sit overnight. The seeds that are still able to germinate will sink to the bottom of the container while the bad seeds will remain floating on top.