10 Household Items You Can Use as Seed Starters

If you plan on starting seeds indoors this year, you will need some seed starters to get the job done. Seed starters help give your seeds a strong start, giving them a safe place to grow until they can be transplanted outdoors. You could buy seed starters, but so many other common household items can double as seed starters instead. Take a look below at 10 items you can use as seed starters, so you can get a great garden growing for less.

10 Household Items You Can Use as Seed Starters

1. Egg shells.
Egg shells provide the plant calcium and other nutrients while it grows. Plus, it can be planted directly into the ground when you are ready. Just save your shells, poke a tiny hole for drainage, and add your soil and seed. Here is tips for starting seeds in an eggshells.

2. Orange peels.
The next time you eat an orange, cut it in half and scoop the fruit out. You will then be able to use the orange halves as seed starters. Just save your peels, poke a few holes for drainage, and add your soil and seed.

3. Egg cartons.
Save your egg cartons when empty. This will work with both styrofoam and cardboard cartons. Then, just cut them apart by compartments so you have single cups. Poke a hole for drainage, and add your soil and seed.

4. Yogurt and pudding cups.
Yogurt cups make great seed starters and due to their size, you can often plant more than one seed in them. Simply clean the cup out, poke out a few holes for drainage, and add your soil and seed. Here are some tips for using yogurt cups to start seeds. Here are tips for starting seeds in yogurt cups.

5. Fruit cups.
Do your kids take fruit and applesauce cups to lunch? If so, have them save them. They are the perfect size for giving seeds a start. Simply clean the cup out, poke a hole for drainage, and add your soil and seed.

6. Butter dishes.
Butter dishes also make great seed starters due to their size. If you want to plant several seeds, they offer plenty of space. Simply clean the dish out, poke a few holes for drainage, and add your soil and seed.

7. K-Cups.
K-cups are everywhere these days! Take empty K-cups and add a hole for drainage. You don’t need to clean the cup out as the coffee grounds can actually help the plant. Then, just add your soil and seed.

8. Ice cube tray.
Ice cube trays have the perfect compartments for seeds to grow in. Just drill a hole at the bottom of the compartments, then add soil and seed. The best part about using an ice cube tray is you can reuse it year after year.

9. Toilet paper rolls.
Cut the toilet paper roll in half, giving you two seed starters per roll. Since the roll doesn’t have a bottom, place it upright on a tray. You can then add the soil and seed. When you are ready to plant, don’t worry about removing the roll. It will break down naturally when planted.

10. Cupcake liners.
Stack a few cupcake liners together and poke a hole in the bottom for drainage. You can keep the starters in an actual muffin tin for side support or just keep them on a tray. Add your soil and seed as usual.

How many of these seed starters do you have around your house? Chances are you have more than one! Consider these 10 items you can use as seed starters when you are ready to get your garden growing.