DIY Container For Starting Seeds Indoors

Use these typical household items for your DIY containers seed starting indoors that also biodegradable, compostable as well as recyclable.

Repurpose Common Household Items For Seed Starting Pots

When there are so many seeds to plant and not enough containers to use, you have to look around the house for what you can use for seed starting. Any things that can hold a few tablespoons of seed starting mix are work for the purpose.

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I have this habit that I always bought too many seeds than what I planned. That’s because every time I pass the plant seeds tower when I do grocery shopping, I will end up grabbing more seeds.

Even though I use seed starting plugs and trays for planting seed indoors, I also use anything I found around the house for the purpose. Those recyclable and biodegradable items from the kitchen are perfect for seed starting.

Biodegradable Seed Starting Pots

There are several biodegradable things from around the house that you can use for seed starting. Anything made of paper is biodegradable.

It might take a while to decompose, but eventually, these items will degrade over time. Paper-based items is a brown material for the compost bin.

Newspaper Pots

Have you ever wonder about the amount of newspaper and flyers you find on the front porch? What to do with these newspapers that keep accumulating by the front door?

I use some of these papers for composting once I shred it into pieces. In the spring, I also use it for the garden before laying the mulch on top.

If you are making DIY newspaper pots, make sure that the paper’s ink is safe to use for the garden. You can read more details of newspaper ink in this article.

Egg Carton For Seed Starting

Egg cartons made of paper board, plastic, or styrofoam. You can use all kinds of egg cartons for seed starting.

The cardboard egg carton is the biodegradable one. It has similar material to the ready-made biodegradable plant pots.

Cut off each cardboard egg carton cup individually for transplanting the seedling into the bigger container. The paper cup will keep the root undisturbed so that it reduces the plant shocks.

The plastic egg carton is excellent to use for seedling plugs and germination dome. The flat-top lid is perfect for the seed starting tray.

If you use the plastic one, you have to make sure there is a hole on each egg carton cup for drainage. When it is ready to transplant the seedlings, remove the seedling without disturbing the root too much.

If you use the styrofoam egg carton, you must do it the same way as the plastic one. Both materials are not biodegradable.

Eggshells Seed Pods

Extend the life of the eggshell into seed starting pots. Rinse the eggshell, and dry it.

Add seed starting soil and plant seed on the pod. Use the egg carton as the seed starting tray.

The eggshell is entirely compostable, so you don’t have to remove the seedling once it ready to transplant it into bigger pots. Just crush the bottom part so the root can grow through. The eggshell is an excellent source of calcium for the plant.

Upcycle Citrus Rind For Seed Starting

Once you squeeze the juice out, you will end up with a hollow citrus rind. Use these rinds for seed starting.

Just add soil and seed, then put the rind on the egg carton cups so that the rind won’t topple over. Once the seedling ready to transplant, move all the rind and all to the bigger container or garden plot.

Keep the seedling on the rind. The citrus rind will decompose eventually and nourish the soil.

Tissue Paper Rolls Seed Pots

Surprisingly, you can extend the useful life of the tissue paper rolls. From easy crafts for kids, school projects, tool for making a tassel, and seed starting pot before throwing these paper rolls into the recycling bin or compost bin.

It is as simple as folding one end of the paper roll as the bottom of the pot.

You don’t have to remove the paper roll once the seedling is ready to transplant. The paper roll will degrade eventually.

Paper Muffin Liner For Seed Pots

Do you have too many muffin tins sitting in the cabinet? Then upcycle it for your next seed starting season.

Use the paper muffin liner for the seed pot and muffin tin for the seeding tray. Once the seedling ready to transplant, take the whole muffin liner and all to the bigger container or garden.

Recyclable Seed Starting Pots

Got too many coffee cups from your favorite coffee shop? Or too many tin can from cooking pasta or chili?

Reuse these items for a better purpose, and then you can toss them into the bin once all done. These items are perfect little containers for seed starting.

Plastic Cups For Seed Starting

You can use any clean plastic cups. Those cups that we use for a birthday party or camping trip are perfect to use.

The plastic cup from the coffee shop or fast-food restaurants can have the other purpose once the coffee is finish.

Rinse these cups first if used before, then make one or two holes for drainage. Add seed starting mix and few seeds on the cup. Keep it in the germination dome or use the upside down plastic cup.

Styrofoam Cups For Seed Starting

Same way with the plastic cup, make sure the styrofoam cup is clean before use it.

You can use the plastic cup or saran wrap for the dome. Just put the cups upside down on top of the styrofoam cup. Here a sample of how I use a styrofoam cup to grow chili pepper from seed.

Juice Box For Starting Seeds

Cut the top part of the juice box, then make a drainage hole in the bottom.

Rinse the juice box first, then add the growing medium and seeds in to it.

Plastic Water Bottle For Seed Starting

The package water bottles is a must list to have for camping or road trip. Before tossing it to the recycle bin, use it for seed starting instead.

The small bottle is suitable for planting seeds. The big 2 liters bottle one is great for DIY hanging planter.

Upcycle Ice Cubed Tray For Seed Starting

Ice cube tray is a perfect size for seeding plugs. It is big enough for the first stage of seedling until ready to transplant it to the bigger container.

Drill the hole on the bottom of each ice cube cell. It will help the plant for drainage and help you to remove the seedling later on.

Upcycle Yogurt Cups

Use these little yogurt cups for seed starting.

Also, use the larger yogurt cups to transplant the seedling once it has few true leaves.

Tin Can Seedling Pots

Another way to use up tin cans is to turn them into seed starting containers. Be careful when using this one, as the top of the can usually have a sharp edge.

You can cover the sharp edge with the hot glue gun.

Useful Tips For Upcycling Containers For Seed Starting

Before you add growing medium to these containers, wash them first and disinfect them as necessary. Cleaning them is to prevent fungus or anything that can ruin the little seedlings.

Use a scissor, knife, or drill bit to make a drainage hole on it. Without the drainage hole on the container, the seedling might rot from fungus or damping off.

Saran wrap, ziplock bag, the plastic egg carton top lid, milk jug, plastic tote box, chicken rotisserie container, salad container, or plastic cake container are perfect to use for germination dome. Make sure that you cut some holes for air circulation.

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Useful Tips For Starting Seed

Use the growing medium specifically for seed starting as it is light, airy, and well-drained soil.

Mist the planted seeds. Don’t overwater it as it can cause damping off.

Put the seeding tray in the warm and sunny area around the house. Some seeds also require a dark and cold place, depending on what plant you grow. It usually says on the seed package.

Most vegetable seeds need a warm place to germinate. On top of the fridge, windowsill, or the heating pad will help plants for germination.

Once the seedling has few true leaves and ready to transplant, remove the seedling carefully from the container without disturbing the root too much. Transplant it to a larger container or their final space in the garden.

If you are transplanting them straight to the garden outside, make sure you harden them off first to prevent plant shocks.

What To Do With The Recyclable Items After Seed Starting Finish

Rinse it clean first to get rid of the dirt stuck on the container before you toss them into the recycling bin.

Use the styrofoam cup, yogurt cups, plastic bottle, or juice box for the filler on the large container or those tall planters. This way, you don’t have to put too much soil on the container and provide drainage in the bottom.

DIY Container For Starting Seeds Indoors

Repurpose Common Household Items For Seed Starting Pots