Planting time is quickly approaching and if you have a sunny window, you can start planting seeds at home now. The sooner you start planting, the larger the plants will be when it's time to put them in the ground and the quicker you can start harvesting your garden. Most garden centers sell plastic trays and pots, soil blocks, or peat pots that you can use. But if you want to sow your seeds without having to buy a bunch of new materials, you can make your own seed tray from materials you probably have in your trash can.
Make your own seed tray – newspaper and egg cartons are ideal for this
Newspaper: You can make small planting trays for seedlings by rolling double sheets of newspaper around a small container and gluing the bottom together with wheat glue, or by folding the paper into a square pot and stapling the edges together. You can plant the entire pot in the ground once the soil is warm and the seedling is mature enough to be placed in the ground.
Egg cartons:Cardboard egg cartons can be used for a dozen seedlings, which can then be cut apart when it's time to plant them in the garden. As with newspaper propagation trays, you do not need to remove the plants from the trays before planting as the cardboard will decompose into the soil as the plant grows.
Eggshells can also be used as a plant bowl
If you have egg cartons, you probably also have eggshells. You can chop them up to add to the soil or compost. But you can also use the egg shell halves as planters, and of course they fit perfectly into an egg carton. A small hole must be punched in the bottom of each bowl for drainage.
Here's how you can make your own seed trays out of paper tubes
Not everyone uses paper towels, but pretty much everyone buys toilet paper, and the cardboard tubes in the middle of both of these items can be cut into small growing trays. There are two different methods to make bowls out of these paper tubes. One is to leave the bottom open and place the tubes close together in a tray (easiest). The other is to cut several vertical slits in the bottoms of the tubes and fold the resulting flaps to form the bottom of the trays (which takes more time, but the soil won't leak out the bottom when you put the trays in lift).
Also read:Growing in PET bottles works as if by itself!
Make your own seed tray out of yoghurt cups or paper coffee cups
Yoghurt cup: If you already use packaged foods like yogurt cups, then you can at least give them a second life by making your own seed tray out of them. The larger yogurt cups also work, but they take up a lot more space, so in this case the smaller yogurt cups are more versatile. Cut a series of small holes at the bottom for drainage. After planting the seedlings in the garden, wash and dry the cups so you can use them again and again.
Paper coffee cups: If you regularly get coffee or tea in a paper cup to go (because you forgot your reusable cup), or if you can find these cups at the office, these also make great planters. Be sure to punch a few small drainage holes in the bottom. When you want to plant the plants in the garden, you can peel off the bottom of the cup and plant the rest, or remove it entirely and add the old cup to your compost pile.
When to sow which seeds for seedlings? A Guide for Beginnersyou can find here!
DIY mini greenhouse made from take-home containers
Containers, especially those with a clear lid, make perfect planting trays for seedlings. Simply poke a few holes in the bottom for drainage, fill in the soil, plant the seeds, and use the clear lid as a mini greenhouse until the seedlings sprout. Planting seeds in such trays is best for growing many plants, which you can then repot into individual pots once they have their first true leaves. You can also grow microgreens for the kitchen, such as sunflower sprouts, buckwheat “salad” or wheatgrass.
Conclusion: Making your own seed tray is a great way to reuse common home remedies and get a head start on the gardening season without having to spend a bunch of money at the garden center on new pots and trays.
How to make your own indoor greenhouse cheaply? 3 DIY ideas with instructions for growing plants on the windowsillcan be found here!
