3 minute read
Gardeners, Start Your Seeds
Andi Sedlacek
Andi Sedlacek is a publications supervisor in the DNR’s Office of Communications.
Are you excited to plant a garden this summer? Guess what — you can start your garden now!
You can plant seeds for vegetables and other plants inside during the spring and get them ready to transfer outside as soon as it’s warm enough. Using a cardboard egg carton, you’re recycling, too, and that’s a win-win!
Just think of how much more fun it’ll be to eat your veggies this summer when you and your family have grown them yourselves.
SUPPLIES
cardboard egg carton
scissors
small knife
potting soil
seeds
water
plastic bag (a bread bag works well)
twist tie
DIRECTIONS
Cut the egg carton in half using the scissors, separating the top lid from the bottom where the eggs go.
On the bottom part, ask a grown-up to help you use the small knife to poke two or three little holes in each egg section.
Fill each egg section with a small amount of potting soil.
Plant two or three seeds in each egg section, according to the directions on the seed packets.
Place the bottom part of the egg carton on the top lid so it acts like a tray to catch any extra water.
Water the egg sections just a little bit.
Place the egg carton in the plastic bag and close it with the twist tie.
Set the carton in a sunny window and water it when the soil looks dry.
When you start to see tiny green plants poking up out of the soil, remove the plastic bag.
PREP YOUR PLANTS
When the seedlings are big enough, usually four to six weeks after planting them based on the type of plant, you can get them ready to plant in the garden by taking them outside daily. This is called hardening and takes about one week.
On the first day, place the carton in the shade for one to two hours, protected from wind, and then bring it inside overnight. On Day 2, set the carton in the shade for up to four hours, then bring it inside.
On Day 3, place the carton in the sun for one to two hours, then bring it inside in the shade for the rest of the day. For the next four days, increase the amount of time the carton spends in the sun.
After Day 7, the seedlings should be strong enough to plant in your garden!
Be sure to pick a cloudy day to plant your seedlings outside so they do not get scorched by the sun. Use scissors to cut each egg section out and either remove the seedling and soil from the egg section to plant or put the whole section — including the cardboard — in the garden.
WHAT SHOULD YOU PLANT?
Here are some ideas that should work well for your seed starter.
tomatoes
squash
beans
kale
lettuce
sunflowers
