What to Recycle for Seed Pots

There are a number of things you can use to start your seeds. Keurig cups, yogurt cups, small ice cream cups can all be used. Be sure to put at least one hole in the bottom of cups (Keurig cups already have a hole) for drainage. (We don’t want to drown the plants.) Just use a hammer and a nail to make the hole.

Toilet paper/paper towel rolls can be used and planted in the garden without removing the plant. The paper will disintegrate in the ground. Cut the toilet paper tube in half. Place an x of masking tape on the bottom of the tube to keep the soil in the tube. Cut a paper towel tube in two-inch sections and place masking tape on each section as above.

Plastic trays that fruit and vegetables come in are great to use under the pots. If your tray has holes in it, line it with foil to catch the water runoff. If your container/tray has a lid, place your seeds in the pots, place the pots in the container, close the lid and you have a mini greenhouse.

Egg cartons can be used to start seeds. Place your potting mix in each egg space. When it’s time to put your plants in the ground, just cut the egg carton apart between the egg spaces. If the carton is cardboard, plant the cardboard with the plant. If the carton is foam, just slide the plant out of the egg space and plant. You can plant in eggshells the same way—plant the eggshell together with the plant.

If you are starting plants in larger pots that you are using from last year, be sure to clean them out with soapy water or a bleach water solution. Rinse well. Be sure to put a coffee filter in the bottom of the pot so that your soil or potting mix will not fall out. The coffee filters can be found at most stores or a dollar store for around one dollar for 100 filters.

There are many things you can recycle for your plantings this spring. Let your imagination run wild.