This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Green Works. All opinions are 100% mine.
April is Earth Month, and in our home, we celebrate by starting our seeds indoors. What better way to celebrate Mother Earth than by giving back to nature? I know what you’re thinking, “Shouldn’t you start your seeds sooner?” Probably, but with a cat, a dog and an active boy, the longer the seedlings sit in our home, the more likely we are to have messes. It also snows here into April, so we wait until after the last snow and frost to put our seedlings out. So, to celebrate this wonderful planet of ours, we’re bringing you 3 easy ways to start seeds.
And as any parent knows, starting seeds with kids can get a little, well, messy. No matter how many layers of paper I put down under the seed starting materials, dirt and seeds seem to make their way off the paper and onto my countertops. Yuck.
But that’s why I love Green Works — because no matter how big of a mess we make, I can clean it up in a pinch with their handy wipes and sprays. I get mine at Target, by the way, and right now you can use Cartwheel to save 20% at Target. Oh, and did I mention that the wipes are compostable? How cool is that?! I love finding new materials to add to the compost heap. And the spray smells so fresh and clean (without the strong scent of chemicals), so that’s a plus when your kid is super sensitive to smells. In my Target, the Green Works products are in the household cleaner aisle on the top shelf.
We start seeds a few different ways, but here are our top earth-friendly tips for starting seeds using biodegradable materials. You don’t even have to separate the seedlings out! Just drop them in the ground as they are, and you’re good to go.
3 Earth-Friendly Ways to Start Seeds
1. Start seeds in egg cartons.
We buy a lot of eggs in bulk, so we almost always have a spare egg tray around for crafting or gardening. To start your seeds in egg trays, use a needle or other small tool to poke holes in the bottom of each egg slot. Add your soil or seed starting mixture, spritz with water to moisten, and then add your seeds. After your seeds are inserted according to the package directions, lightly cover with a little more seed-starting mixture, spritz with water again, and you’re all set. We planted carrots in our egg trays! Put a pan or tray under the egg carton to allow for drainage.
2. Start seeds in eggshells.
Yes, even the eggshells are usable! As the eggshells break down, they provide valuable nutrients to the plants. Use a needle to poke holes in the bottom of each eggshell half before adding the soil and seeds. We planted snapdragon flower seeds in ours. Can’t wait to see how gorgeous they’ll look!
3. Start seeds in cardboard tubes.
Those toilet paper tubes are really useful, so if you’re not saving them, you should start. We cut ours in half because we transplant our seedlings once they’re a few inches tall, but if you want to wait until yours are taller, leave the tubes intact. Cut slits in the bottom of the tube (as shown in the picture), fold them in on each other, and then fill them with soil and seeds. Again, spray with water until both the soil and cardboard is moist. We planted onions in the cardboard tubes.
Of course, we do use seed-starting trays from time to time, especially for our tomatoes since we like a lot of tomatoes in the summer.
How do you and your family celebrate Earth month? Let us know in the comments!
Donella Crigger
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