01 Apr Try at Home: Eggshell Seedlings
Spring is just around the corner, and many of us are ready to spend time outside! Gardening is a fun family activity packed with multiple opportunities to learn about science and nature.
While it’s still too early to plant Spring seeds outside, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about starting your garden. One way to ensure a more successful garden is to start your seedlings
inside, where they are safe from those late winter frosts.
Eggshells are an environmentally friendly and safe way to start your seedlings inside. Eggshells naturally decompose once they are transplanted into soil, so this is a great way to combine gardening and composting. The eggshells provide your growing plant with valuable nutrients, and leave the soil healthier for the roots of your plant to grow big and strong. You can plant any kind of small seeds in your eggshells, so small flowers and herbs are best.
To start your own egg carton seedling garden, you will need:
- 1 empty egg carton
- Empty eggshell halves, rinsed
- Pre-moistened seed starter soil mix
- Seeds of your preference
Using a small spoon, fill each eggshell most of the way to the top.
Create a small hole in the middle of the soil with your finger to make room for the seeds.
Drop 2 seeds in each hole and then cover them loosely with soil.
Place the shells in the egg carton, and put the egg carton close to a window or on a window ledge where they will get lots of sun!
Gently spray each seedling with a spray bottle of water.
Every 2-3 days, gently spray seedlings.
In a few weeks, your seedlings will begin to sprout!
For further information on caring for your seedlings and how to transplant them once they are ready, visit https://www.peteandgerrys.com/blogs/field-notes/start-seeds-in-eggshells
For other fun adventures in gardening, check out these books!
Gardening lab for kids: 52 fun experiments to learn, grow, harvest, make, play, and enjoy your garden by Renata Fossen Brown
Gardening With Kids by Catherine Woram
Creative Gardening: Growing Plants Upside Down, in Water and More by Lisa J Amstutz
Gardening has many benefits for us, both physically and emotionally, and can be a fantastic way to help manage stress for kids and grownups alike! Starting a garden together as a family can create lasting connections, and gardening is a beneficial life skill for everyone! Start your seedlings soon so they will be ready for the Springtime sun!
Written by Adrian C., Youth Services Library Assistant
