Root Garden Seeds in an Eggshell

Home gardening is fun and rewarding work for the entire family. Here's a creative way to get new seeds started. What's great about this growing method is that the entire "starter kit" goes right into the soil!

Steps

  1. Remove the lid of an empty, cardboard egg carton. Set the lid and the bottom (sectioned) part of the carton aside for later use.
    • Do not use a Styrofoam carton. This won't break down in the soil.
  2. Gently crack a fresh egg at the "pointy" end, creating an opening in the shell about the size of a dime.
  3. Insert a kitchen skewer through the shell's opening and pierce the yolk of the egg. Stir the skewer around a bit to ensure that the yolk is broken.
  4. Empty the egg's contents into a small bowl or other vessel. Immediately refrigerate the egg for cooking use. (See "Warnings" below.)
  5. With your fingers, carefully pinch the opening until you have removed about one third of the shell.
  6. Rinse the shell out with water.
  7. Between your thumb and forefinger, add a few pinches of sand into the eggshell to a a depth of about 1/8". Moisten the sand with a few drops of water, about a 1/2 teaspoon.
    • You may substitute the bits of crumbled eggshell (that you removed in Step #5) for sand when lining the bottom of the shell.
  8. Tear a small section of paper towel, paper napkin, or newspaper just large enough to cover the sand. With the skewer, position the paper over the sandy bottom and add a few more drops of water if needed.
  9. Using a spoon, fill the shell with potting soil to about 1/4" to 1/2" below the shell opening.
  10. Add water one teaspoon at a time to moisten the soil. Allow the water to saturate the soil before adding more water. Water should not be floating on the soil.
  11. Place the soil-filled shell into the sectioned part of the cardboard egg carton.
  12. Using the skewer, create a small indentation in the center of the soil. The indentation/hole should be no deeper than 1/4".
    • Place a seed into the indentation/hole and lightly cover the seed with soil.
    • Moisten the soil again with a few drops of water.
  13. Line the inside of the egg carton lid with aluminum foil.
  14. Place the "planted" part of the carton atop the aluminum foil.
  15. Find a sunny spot for your starter garden to rest and the seeds will begin to germinate.
  16. Check your starter garden daily. Add a teaspoon or two of water to keep the soil moist, but not wet.
  17. Depending on the type of seeds you have used, you should begin to see growth sprouts in 10 to 14 days.
  18. As the seedlings reach a height of about 2 inches (5cm), plant the entire carton (excluding the foil-lined lid) into the outdoor garden spot you've chosen for your new sprouts.
  19. Continue to check your seedlings daily for their growth and their water needs.

Tips

  • This seed starter project can be performed directly into the sectioned area of a cardboard egg carton, foregoing the "egg" part of the project altogether.
  • The washed eggshells can be saved in their cartons. Depending on how many eggs you use through the year you might have hundreds of mini pots ready for seed starts.
  • This project is suitable for all types of seeds; however, rapid growth seeds such as beans, sweet peas and nasturtiums will offer faster reward the the very young "gardener".
  • Read the seed preparation instructions on the seed packet. Some seeds require overnight soaking prior to germination.
  • Teachers: This is a wonderful learning tool - even for very young students. (With supervision, of course.)

Warnings

  • Remember "safe handling" procedures for handling raw egg. Eggs that have been removed from their shells should be used within 24 hours and must be refrigerated during this whole time. Bake a cake or other treat that includes eggs in the recipe, or prepare scrambled eggs when you've completed the assembly of your project.

Things You'll Need

  • An empty cardboard egg carton (do NOT use a Styrofoam carton)
  • A very small amount of fine grained sand
  • A section of paper toweling or newspaper
  • A measuring spoon set
  • Water
  • Potting soil
  • An egg (or a whole dozen!)
  • Aluminum foil
  • A kitchen skewer
  • A packet of garden seeds
  • A sunny spot where the seeds can germinate undisturbed
  • A bit of patience

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Sources and Citations

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