Table of Contents
How you do it: Collect seed. Research germination times. Cut the egg carton lengthways across the hinge. Fill the little pockets with soil. Poke small holes in the soil with your fingers. Plant the seeds in the holes. Cover the seeds gently over with a little more soil, taking care not to cover too thickly.
How do you start seeds in egg cartons?
Fill each egg cup with potting soil and place seeds into 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 from the grocery store—another good way to reuse materials.
Can you grow seedlings in an egg carton?
Cardboard egg cartons are biodegradable so will break down in the soil when they are planted along with the seedlings. They are even the perfect size to fit on a warm windowsill. A section of egg carton is too small and shallow to hold enough seed raising mix to support the growth of a seedling with a big root ball.
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.
How many seeds do you plant per 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.
Is it best to soak seeds before planting?
It is recommended that you only soak most seeds for 12 to 24 hours and no more than 48 hours. After soaking your seeds, they can be planted as directed. The benefit of soaking seeds before planting is that your germination time will be reduced, which means you can have happy, growing plants faster.
How often should I water seedlings?
Seedlings aren’t able to store water for very long, so they need soil that is constantly moist. This means watering them a few times a day, depending on how quickly they dry out. Test your seedling’s soil with the end of a finger to about an inch deep. If the soil is dry, your seedling needs water.
How do you use egg cartons in the garden?
Instructions: Cut the lid from an egg carton off with scissors. Poke a small drainage hole in the bottom of each egg cell, using the tip of a pencil. Place the egg carton lid under the bottom to create a drainage tray. Fill the individual egg cups about half full of the planting soil. Add the seeds.
What are the benefits in using egg tray carton?
You can give that paper yet another life by reusing the cartons in these resourceful ways. Start seedlings. Cut off the lid, fill each cup with potting soil, and plant some seeds. Muffle the band. Feed birds. Fire the grill. Cushion ornaments. Organize fasteners. Round up tiny spare lights. Ship cheaply.
Can you start tomato seeds in egg cartons?
You can take those seeds or try some other vegetable or fruit seeds to start in an egg carton seed starter. I like to use tomatoes because they’re easy to grow and don’t take up too much space in the garden. Let’s fill that egg carton with soil and gently pack it down. You can use any gardening or potting soil.
Do I plant the whole packet of seeds?
In general, the larger the seed, the smaller amount of seeds should be planted in the same hole or cell. These types of seeds take up more space and grow roots very quickly once germinated. Multiple seeds can still be planted together, but I recommend not planting more than two seeds per hole with these larger seeds.
What happens if seeds are planted too close together?
Overcrowded plants must compete with each other for soil nutrients, which can result in increased fertilizer needs. Plants suffering from nutrient deficiencies may develop weak or yellow foliage, grow poorly, or they may fail to fruit or flower well.
What happens if you put too many seeds in a hole?
You should perform a germination test to what percent of the seeds sprout. If half of the ones you sow sprout. Then you plant multiple seeds into a hole. Generally if you plant multiple seeds into a hole, if both plants grow out you will have to cut, kill or transplant the secondary (usually weaker) plant.
What seeds should not be soaked before planting?
Avoid soaking small seeds such as lettuce, radish, and so on. Germination of these species often doesn’t need a lot of help, and wet seeds are much more difficult to handle, leading to over-sowing and waste. Lastly, tropical native plants like chillies need a long growing season to ripen their fruit.
How much should I water seeds after planting?
You want seedlings to be kept moist but not wet and never allowed to dry out completely. This most often translates to watering the soil for your seedlings at least once per day, if not more often. A spray bottle is a good way to water your seedlings and keep the soil moist without letting it get too wet.
