Whole Story

With the season’s egg dyeing and deviled-egg eating, chances are you’re starting to collect a few extra egg cartons around the house. Don’t throw them away!

With a little help from ScrapKins and Whole Kids Foundation™, you can easily turn those cardboard pods into seed starters for your spring garden.

My son loves gardening, and pairing the importance of recycling with learning how seeds grow makes for a perfect afternoon project. Just make sure to supervise smaller kids during the cutting steps!

If you’re creating seed starters for gifts, grab this helpful PDF for instructions and printable labels.

What You’ll Need

• Cardboard egg carton
• 1-2 seed packets
• Potting soil
• Scissors

Got everything? Let’s go!

Step 1

Cut egg carton in half, then cut off the lid.

Step 2

Place a little potting soil in each cup.

Step 3

Sprinkle 2-3 seeds from your seed packet into each of the cups.

Step 4

Water your seeds every other day. For easy watering, place the carton in a shallow pan and pour the water directly into the pan. The water will soak up through the carton!

Step 5

When your seeds have sprouted with 2-3 leaves, they’re ready to plant! Plant the entire carton outside (if it’s not too cold) or cut apart the pods to plant them separately.

Now sit back and watch your garden grow!

For more hands-on recycled art projects from ScrapKins, visit Whole Kids Foundation's website.

Do you reuse everyday materials to help out in the garden? I’d love to hear about your favorite Earth-friendly DIY projects!