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I ‘ve got Spring on the brain so I thought I might share some of the stuff I am doing to get ready for planting season.
There are actually many things around the house that can be used to get seedlings started and it makes use of garbage you have around the house, effectively recycling things to give them another use.
First off…to start seedlings you need some little pots. There is no need to buy them…you may already have them. You can make little planters from toilet paper rolls, newspaper, and eggshells.
To make planters from toilet paper rolls:
- Cut each roll in half and press it flat.
- Make four, half-inch to three-quarter-inch slices on one end of the roll to create four equal-sized flaps.
- Open up the roll and fold in the four little flaps like a box bottom.
- Fill with soil and plant your seeds!
You can grow these indoors next to windows (for light) or under grow lights and then when it comes time to plant them in the garden just unwrap the bottom and stick it in the ground. The paperboard of the toilet paper roll will disintegrate over time.
Egg shells can also be used for smallish seedlings and be put directly in the ground for planting. It is easier to manage them if you keep them in an egg container so if you get egg containers from the grocery make sure to save them AND the egg shells. If you get fresh eggs (like I do part of the year) then ask a friend to save their egg containers for you. Freecycle is also a good place to ask people for their garbage, LOL. 
Newspaper is another super easy planter. Just take a piece of newspaper and fold it in half once or twice lengthwise. Then roll it around a can or a glass to make the basic “tube” shape. Pull the can or glass out and then fold one half in to make a bottom. Now you are ready to add soil and seeds and these planters can also go directly in the ground and you don’t need to unravel the bottom as newspaper will disintegrate pretty fast.
If you want to get a jump on your outdoor planting but worry about an unexpected frost I have a solution
for that too. Save your plastic juice or milk jugs … or ask neighbors for theirs if you don’t use them… and then cut the bottom 2-3 inches off so that you have the perfect cloche to put over your seedlings in the garden. You need transparent milk jugs though not the white or yellow ones that won’t let light through. Also, the 2-3 inch section you cut off can now be used as a tray to start more seeds.
This cloche will protect your seeds from cold, frost, and bugs while allowing them to grow still. Using cloches for bug management also helps you keep to your organic intentions too.
I hope these ideas help you get motivated to start that dream garden this year. For more inspiration you may want to check out Mother Earth News.
Technorati Tags: garden, organic, cloche, milk jug, recycled, pot, seedlings
Gina said,
February 6, 2008 at 11:18 am:
great tips thanks
Gina’s last blog post..One of my older photos
Dawn said,
February 6, 2008 at 12:32 pm:
I can’t wait to start gardening. Thanks for the great ideas. I’m going to have to start saving milk jugs.
Dawn’s last blog post..Bye, Bye Microwave
Anna Hackman said,
February 6, 2008 at 12:45 pm:
Love your ideas. I keep my straws and use them to mark where I plant my blulbs to see if they actually come up. My neighbor thought my tulips had already come up since she saw something sticking up from the ground! I also use them for planting seeds right into the ground for the same reason.
I also keep my torn screens since I have raised beds. Last year I used them to cover what was between the raised beds to give the plants some shade. I can’t wait for Spring! Anna http://www.green-talk.com
Anna Hackman’s last blog post..Do You Have the Energy Bill Blues?
Chrissy at Toddlebits said,
February 6, 2008 at 1:48 pm:
Those little eggshells look so delicate. I never would have thought to use them for planters.
Thanks for all of the great ideas!
sk-rt.com said,
February 6, 2008 at 2:17 pm:
Recycling “Stuff” for Your Garden…
There are actually many things around the house that can be used to get seedlings started and it makes use of garbage you have around the house, effectively recycling things to give them another use….
evolvedmom said,
February 6, 2008 at 7:36 pm:
Wow, those are great ideas! I never would have thought of the egg shells or paper towel tubes for seedlings. But since I buy recycled, unbleached paper towel and toilet tissue, I guess it *would* be good to break down in the soil with my little sprouts. Thanks!
Rebecca said,
February 7, 2008 at 2:31 am:
Great ideas! I don’t have a green thumb and can get discouraged with my failed gardening attempts . . . but you may have inspired me to plant a few seeds this spring.
http://www.greenbabyguide.com
Rebecca’s last blog post..My Adventures in Organic Baby Food
Jenny at Green Mommy said,
February 7, 2008 at 11:47 pm:
I’m just beginning to plan our garden this year, and I really like your use of the toilet paper rolls for starters. It’s brilliant.
Jenny at Green Mommy’s last blog post..Creating a Happy Place
Summer said,
February 8, 2008 at 12:30 am:
Great tips for recyling! Thanks.
I’m going to try the egg shells for my seeds this year.
Summer’s last blog post..Being Frugal
Creative Mom Cafe » Blog Archive » Get Creative With Your Trash said,
February 8, 2008 at 7:25 am:
[...] you want to be eco-friendly and creative you can look to your own garbage for interesting planting ideas. You might just be surprised at what you are tossing out that could be used again as a nice home [...]
Leza said,
February 8, 2008 at 10:31 am:
Thanks, Tiffany! We do this, too. The nice thing about using eggshells to start seedlings is that some plants require calcium, and this helps supply it. Tomato plants, for one, need it. If previous crops have yielded cracked fruit, it’s an indicator your soil needs calcium added to it., so this gives them a head start!
We usually start at least our tomato plants in early to mid February. As the plants grow, we plant them deeper into larger recyclable containers, like plastic or paper milk, creamer, or juice containers.
As tomatoes get planted deeper, they produce more roots along the stem. By the time they are planted in your garden, they have a long, healthy, deep root system which makes them ready for any dry spells!
Yes, yes, yes–Think Spring!!!
Leza’s last blog post..XLII Reflections
Gruppie Girl said,
February 9, 2008 at 9:37 pm:
I never knew!
You have me peering through the snow looking for spring.
Leza said,
February 9, 2008 at 9:47 pm:
I really like the straw idea, too! I use sticks, and the dog either runs off with them, they blend in with the woodchips/mulch, or the kids and I trip over and break them! I’m going to use straws, from now on! Thanks for the tip!
I’ll say again, Think Spring! We’re possibly supposed to be having windchills down to –45F tonight/tomorrow AM… .
Leza’s last blog post..XLII Reflections
heather h said,
February 11, 2008 at 3:12 pm:
We’re planting our first veggie garden this year, so thank you for the wonderful tips! I’m also interested in composting. Do you have any tips on this? I love your blog!
heather h’s last blog post..Oooh la la, I want to win this beauty!
Diane at mothers day offers said,
February 20, 2008 at 7:29 pm:
We used to use eggshells stuffed with cotton wool, sprinkled with cress seeds and watered. Painted faces made a cress head which was then given as a gift to mum!
I throw them in the compost heap these days where they get really well recycled!
I’ve used the cardboard tube idea a few years ago and it worked quite well and loads cheaper than those peat pots too.
Lyra said,
February 20, 2008 at 9:56 pm:
Great thoughts, thank you!!
Lyra’s last blog post..Southwest Walnut “Scramble” (raw)
Anthony said,
March 11, 2008 at 12:16 am:
Wow, great idea to use eggs shells for starting seeds. I would have never thought of that because i compost my shells. Hmm, I’m going to have to start saving some. Who wants an omelet?
Frugal Recycling Ideas For Gardening » TipNut.com said,
March 11, 2008 at 3:19 pm:
[...] feature is from Nature Moms with some neat tips for Recycling “Stuff” for Your Garden : There are actually many things around the house that can be used to get seedlings started and it [...]
Frugal Wench said,
March 14, 2008 at 7:53 pm:
You can also use the styrofoam egg cartons, just fill with dirt, and plant. When they seedlings are large enough, pop them out and plant them.
Richard Farrar said,
March 19, 2008 at 1:58 pm:
Some nice tips on recycling stuff in the garden, I particularly like the use of old egg shells, truly organic recycling, although drainage could be a problem if you were to over water them by mistake.
Leza said,
March 19, 2008 at 2:15 pm:
I’ll take an omelet, Anthony!
To water, simply mist them with a mister or spray bottle. If you don’t have those, use an eye dropper (think you can get them @ a pharmacy…), or flick them with water with your fingers.
Happy gardening, and Think Spring!!!
Leza’s last blog post..XLII Reflections
Jenny said,
March 25, 2008 at 7:19 pm:
Thanks for the great ideas! This will be my first year to plant a garden. I am so excited to get started. I too would like some tips on composting.
Jenny’s last blog post..Something Besides Bills in the Mail
Starting Seeds for Your Garden Indoors said,
March 31, 2008 at 10:52 am:
[...] more seed starting methods and ideas see Tifaffany's blog at [...]
Demeter’s Garden » Earth Day 2008! said,
April 24, 2008 at 3:58 pm:
[...] using stuff from my recycling bin as planters. I took a suggestion from naturemoms.com and used toilet paper rolls as biodegradable seedling “pots”. I used some cardboard boxes, also from the [...]