Today I am going to share with you some of my favorite recyclables to start a garden by sowing seeds. You will find images of my favorite recyclables I use to sow seeds. I hope you get a few ideas on just how easy it really is to grow an edible and flower garden.
Recyclables For Seed Starting
I’ve been collecting many different containers to use over the years for seed starting. Most of which I’ve been able to start seeds successfully. If it can be saved and hold water I have most likely tried it in my garden endeavors. Below are a few that are worth mentioning.
Yup… that is a toilet paper roll. In years past I’ve collect toilet paper rolls as a fun project with my toddler Niece to teach her about recycling and starting a garden. The toilet paper rolls are not recommended unless you are growing something FAST! The tubes get soggy and fall apart really quickly unless you are starting lettuce or something that grows in 40 days or less. It was a fun experiment so give it a try!
Recyclables K-Cups and Produce Containers
This is my 2nd year I’ve using K-cups for seed starters. Fill the K-cup with soil after punching a hole in the bottom for drainage. Set the K-cup in a recycled lettuce container that has a lid. Using the lid in the first few weeks of seed starting works great to keep the moisture in creating a micro-climate.
The starter plant is easy to remove from the K-Cup as long as you give it a little squeeze. In this collection, I grew cardinal climber vine. These are all recyclables I use a few years in a row.
WHAT IS A MICROCLIMATE
A microclimate is the climate of a small area that is different from the area around it. It may be warmer or colder, wetter or drier, or more or less prone to frosts. Microclimates may be quite small – a protected courtyard next to a building, for example, that is warmer than an exposed field nearby – from From Cornell University
Example: My Geodesic Bio Dome is a microclimate we use to grow year-round.
Jiffy Pellets and Recyclable Container
This product I’ve been using since 2007 and have had amazing success each growing season. I believe I started using this exact container in 2007 when I first blogged about the pellets and mini-greenhouse by Jiffy. The lid is funny… but it works great to start seeds in each year. You get the same mini-greenhouse effect that I get with my larger lettuce containers I recycled to start seeds in.
Recycled Lettuce Boxes
We started buying the larger boxes of lettuce from the grocery store after a year of growing our own during the spring and summer. Once you start eating healthy varieties you just can’t stop! I keep the containers and use them to make mini-greenhouse ( microclimates) to start my seeds in and house the new plants for the first few weeks of growth.
The fiber seed starter featured above is very cool and fits perfectly in my recycled lettuce containers. I use the recycled container to create a micro-climate kind of effect by putting the lid on after watering the seeds.
If for some reason you lose the lid to the lettuce container or have a nice size plastic container that allows the seed to grow to last east 1″ tall you can always use a plastic wrap over the top to hold in moisture.
Be sure to keep the container moist. If traveling you can add extra water to the bottom of the container/tray, apply the lid and keep it in a low light area for up to a week. The lid or plastic wrap on the container will help keep the moisture in so the seeds and new plants do not dry out. If you using LED lights in a grow tent be sure to set a timer so you don’t fry those plants!
Let’s Connect
What are you excited to grow this year for your home garden? I’d love to connect with you so please connect with me on Twitter by clicking the tweet below or visit my contact page to write a detailed comment.
Happy Seed Starting Friends,
This post was updated on 12/2020
3 Responses
Great ideas! Thank you.
Some new ideas for me. Thank you.
Check out my latest post using recyclable trays you get when purchasing basic produce at the grocery store and a really neat cloth bag: http://brenhaas.com/pepper-plants-seed-indoors/. I know it says for starting peppers but you can do the same process with many other seeds you would start indoors. Let me know if you have any questions!