me&thegals
A Major Squash & Pumpkin Lover
I posted this on TEG but couldn't find anything about it here. Hope this is the right place for it...
Just thought I would share my method for starting seedlings indoors. It uses things you probably all have at home already--Styrofoam egg cartons, eggshells and potting soil.
I save 18-count egg cartons throughout the year. When I use eggs in the kitchen, I crack off only the top third of the egg shell, throw that part away and save the empty 2/3s. Then, I nearly fill the empty shell with potting soil or a germination mix, plant the seeds, water very thoroughly and cover wtih Saran wrap. The trays then go under plant growing lights until they sprout, at which time I remove the Saran wrap.
Some of the plants do so well in the deep shells that I never even transplant them, just stick them right into the garden. When planting directly to the garden (or transplanting), I just crack up the bottom of the shell to allow the roots to work their way through. Works great and is very cheap! I also like to think about the nutrients added directly to the plant's growing space by the decomposing egg shells.
This method works great for tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, herbs. Probably would not work great (at least without transplanting) for squash, cukes, or other vining things.
Just thought I would share my method for starting seedlings indoors. It uses things you probably all have at home already--Styrofoam egg cartons, eggshells and potting soil.
I save 18-count egg cartons throughout the year. When I use eggs in the kitchen, I crack off only the top third of the egg shell, throw that part away and save the empty 2/3s. Then, I nearly fill the empty shell with potting soil or a germination mix, plant the seeds, water very thoroughly and cover wtih Saran wrap. The trays then go under plant growing lights until they sprout, at which time I remove the Saran wrap.
Some of the plants do so well in the deep shells that I never even transplant them, just stick them right into the garden. When planting directly to the garden (or transplanting), I just crack up the bottom of the shell to allow the roots to work their way through. Works great and is very cheap! I also like to think about the nutrients added directly to the plant's growing space by the decomposing egg shells.
This method works great for tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, herbs. Probably would not work great (at least without transplanting) for squash, cukes, or other vining things.
