by Arlene Wright-Correll

Created on: April 19, 2008   Last Updated: May 27, 2008

Gardening tips: How to start bedding plants

Using empty egg shells as a seed starting container is a frugal way to start your garden.

For a month or so prior to planting I break eggs close to the narrow top when I am cooking, wash them out and save them until I have 2 or 3 dozen empty egg shells saving the containers the eggs come in so I can set my egg shell back into them.

In mid-February I fill the empty egg shells with a mixture of vermiculite and organic potting soil to the top. Taking a pencil I poke a small hole into the dirt and deposit 2 or 3 seeds, cover them up and then put the egg back into the egg carton. I do this until all the empty eggs are filled gently watering them and put the egg crate on my window ledge so they get sun each day.

Do not allow the soil to dry out. When the sprouts are about 1 or 2 inches high I take out the weaker of them leaving 1 strong plant. This plant I nurture in each egg cup until they are large plants and that is about the end of March or the beginning of April.

Prior to putting them into the ground I move my egg crates out into outside to "harden" them up for a week or so and I continue to water them if no rain.

When they are ready to go into the ground or containers I gently take the egg shell that contains the plant squeezing just hard enough to break the shell and put the whole thing into the dirt. This crushed egg shell will allow the roots to spread and act as part of the fertilizer in the ground.

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