Have you ever wondered what are the best seedling containers for starting seeds indoors? Growing your own plants from seed is a great way to enjoy the beauty of nature, not to mention keeping your shelves stocked with delicious and healthy food, all without leaving the comfort of your home.
It’s also an economical and eco-friendly option, as you don’t need to buy expensive starter plants or use valuable resources such as water and soil.
However, starting seeds indoors requires more than just planting them in dirt – you’ll need proper seedling containers for optimal growth.
In this article, we’ll discuss 7 DIY seedling containers from common household items for starting seeds indoors.
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What Makes a Good Seed Starting Container?
Have you ever wondered what makes a good seed starting container? There is more to starting seeds than just throwing your future plants in a pile of dirt. But what exactly is required?
So what exactly makes a good seed starting container?
The simplest seedling containers are nothing more than pots or containers that hold at least 2 inches of dirt and allow for good drainage. Even better seedling containers are compostable so you don’t have to transplant young seedlings and instead can stick the entire container in the ground.
Don’t waste your money on expensive seed trays or seed starting pots. Instead, let’s take a look at some of the best DIY seedling containers you can make yourself!
Starting Seeds in Egg Cartons
One container that pretty much every household has on hand at some point or another is an empty egg carton.
And if you don’t have enough empty egg cartons on hand now, go ahead and ask around your neighborhood or your local church and see if others would be willing to save theirs for you rather than throwing them in the recycling bin.
Egg cartons make a great seed starting container and can easily be customized to fit your needs. Add drainage holes in the bottom or write labels on the side with a permanent marker so you know which seeds go where. Then just fill each slot with potting mix and a seed and you’re good to go!
Note – if you use cardboard egg cartons, you can even place the entire setup straight into the ground when it’s time to move your seedlings outdoors. What could be easier than that?
Newspaper Seedling Pots
Do you still get the newspaper? If so, save your older issues! You can easily make newspaper pots for starting seeds and growing plants! It’s an easy, eco-friendly way to start your seeds indoors.
All you need are some scissors and water, and you’re all set for success!
Simply cut strips of newspaper, dip them in water, then wrap them around a cup or jar to create a pot shape until they dry.
Once the newspaper dries, gently peel it off the cup or jar and add your dirt or potting mix. Add your seeds, water them regularly, and watch the seedlings take off.
Plants love it and you’ll love how easy it is to go green! Plus, your seedlings will be ready for planting in no time.
The best part is, when your seedlings are ready to plant, you can stick this entire setup inside your garden or gardening box. No need to transplant – what could be better?
Who knew the newspaper could be so helpful? Not only is this an eco-friendly option, it’s much cheaper than buying those seedling containers at the store.
You can start seeds indoors or in your backyard while keeping the cost low. So don’t throw out those newspapers – use them to make seedling pots instead!
Tips for Planting in Eggshells
Have you ever planted seeds inside old eggshells? Farmers and homesteaders have been enjoying the benefits of holding onto and recycling old eggshells for years. From fertilizing the soil to adding extra calcium in our backyard chickens’ diets, there’s not much an empty eggshell cannot do.
And that includes starting seedlings.
To use eggshells as a seed starting container, you will first need to start with a good-sized shell. Try to keep at least 60% of the shells intact next time you are cracking eggs. Set the empty shells in a bowl or container to dry. (This way they don’t go moldy on you.)
Once they’re dry (usually a day or two), you can add your potting soil and your seeds! Try to add 1-2 seeds per eggshell. Place them in a sunny spot until the seedlings are ready to move outside.
When moving your seedlings to the garden, place the entire thing in the garden row or box and cover it with a little more dirt.
And that’s it! Your growing season has just been extended with recycled materials you already have on hand!
Use Food Scraps as Seed Starting Containers
Starting seedlings indoors can be really fun, but seedling containers can get expensive. That’s why I think reusing food scraps as seed starting containers is such a great idea! You can easily find small enough containers out of things like bell pepper bottoms, watermelon or cantaloupe rinds, and even old banana peels.
You might not get as much of an extended growing season indoors by using this method (just because it will be harder to keep a good amount of soil in your food scraps for seedling support) but you can rest assured knowing your seedlings will start their lives with even more delicious nutrients.
Not only does this help the environment by cutting down on waste, but it also allows you to save money on seedling supplies.
Plus, once your seedlings are big enough, you can just plant the whole container outside and let them start growing in their new home – no transferring necessary! It’s a great way to bring a sustainable element into your gardening journey.
Paper Towel Rolls or Toilet Paper Tubes
Using paper towel rolls and toilet paper tubes as seed starting containers is a great way to recycle materials and help the environment. These containers are lightweight and inexpensive, making them perfect for starting seeds indoors.
To use them, simply fill the container (either your paper towell rolls or your toilet paper rolls) with potting soil, add your chosen seeds, water it, and place the container in a warm spot. Be sure to place your tubes in a bowl or on a baking sheet that will catch drips so all that dirt and water doesn’t spill out the bottom!
You’ll have to keep an eye on the moisture level in the container, but once the seedlings have sprouted they can then be transplanted into larger containers or placed directly in your garden plot outside. With just a few easy steps you can upcycle old materials while also getting a head start on your garden!
Reused Party Cups
Did you host a party recently? Save all those used paper cups and turn them into recycled seedling trays! All you need to do is poke a few drainage holes into the bottom of each cup, then fill them with potting soil and your chosen seeds.
Keep in mind that cups are much shallower than seedling tubes and don’t contain as much dirt so be sure to water them frequently!
Recycled Food and Drink Containers
Did you know you can recycle empty food and drink containers for your young seeds? This is a very economical way to get your seeds started without having to spend a bunch of money on seed trays or seed starting pots.
Here are just a few ideas of recycled containers you can use to start seeds indoors.
- Yogurt containers
- Cottage cheese containers
- Plastic pastry containers
- Paper coffee cups
- Empty to-go containers
- Yogurt cups
- Milk jugs
- Juice cartons
- Sour cream containers
- Empty water bottles
Save money by reusing what you already have!
How to Transplant Seedlings
Some seeds take a few weeks before they are ready to plant outside and others take just a couple of days. Just remember not to plant anything outside before your last frost date! (Unless you plan on keeping your seedlings protected with a greenhouse or by covering them with empty milk jugs or juice containers.)
You’ll know your plants are ready to transplant when the green part (the part from the soil on up) is about as tall as the amount of dirt or soil you have.
For example, a seed starting container with 2 inches of dirt will be ready to transplant outside when the seedling is 2 inches tall.
Transplanting seedlings is an important part of gardening that requires a little bit of care. S
tart by preparing a hole in the soil with a trowel, making sure it is big enough for the roots. Then, gently remove the seedling from its container and place it in the hole, avoiding any damage to its fragile stem. Or if your seed starting containers were compostable, you can just dig a hole big enough and stick the whole thing inside.
After that, fill the soil back into the hole and water around the plant – don’t forget to make sure there are no air pockets near the base! With these steps, your seedling will be ready to take off!
Charlene has been dabbling in and learning about the homesteading lifestyle for almost 20 years. She recently started a real-world homestead with her extended family and is excited to share 20+ years of knowledge and experience with the world!
While she certainly doesn't know everything about homesteading and is learning more every day, she is excited to learn and grow along with YOU!
Charlene blogs about about homesteading at https://secretlifeofhomesteaders.com/.