Looking for an easy indoor project for the family? Gather some egg cartons and get growing!

Creating an egg-carton garden is an enjoyable and rewarding way to learn about seeds and how they grow and teach lessons about sustainability.

Gardening also fosters children’s interest in nature, encourages making healthy food choices, and provides a great opportunity for experiential learning.

Supplies You’ll Need:

• A paper egg carton
• Scissors
• Potting soil
• Coffee grounds
• Seeds

What type of egg carton should I use?

Egg cartons are typically made of paper or styrofoam. We recommend using paper egg cartons for the following reasons:

• Styrofoam is not biodegradable and will not break down in the environment.
• Styrofoam is not water-absorbent and will not soak up and retain moisture for your seedlings.

Instructions:

Step 1
Cut the lid from an egg carton off with scissors.

Step 2
Poke a small drainage hole in the bottom of each egg cell, using the tip of a pencil.

Step 3
Place the egg carton lid under the bottom to create a drainage tray.

Step 4
Fill the individual egg cups about half full of the planting soil. Keep the recommended planting depth in mind. This information should be on the back of your seed packets. Some seeds will need to be planted deeper, so add more soil during this step for those seeds.

Step 5
Add the seeds. Be sure to not add too many seeds to each egg cell as overcrowded seedlings will often die off.

Step 6
Cover the seeds with a thin layer of potting soil.

Step 7
 Water the seeds lightly with a spray bottle. Mist as needed to keep the potting soil lightly moist. Don’t over-water, as soggy soil prevents germination and may kill emerging seedlings.

Step 8
Place the egg cartons in the sun. Different plants have different sunlight requirements – the seed packets should give you the particulars.

Step 9
Water the seedlings regularly and watch them grow!

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