Growing plants from seeds is one of the most affordable ways to garden, especially if you start them in items from your recycling bin.
One option for a free mini greenhouse is the plastic packaging that fruit like strawberries and kiwi fruit comes in.
A gardener showed how easy they are to transform into seed started in a TikTok video.
Watch the video above.
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Use your strawberry container to grow plants. (TikTok/@plantingwithe)
“Mimic the Greenhouse effect with your store bought fruit containers. I chose to plant some thyme,” PlantingwithE captioned the post.
To start she takes a clean and empty fruit container and fills it with soil and then scatters seeds before adding more soil and watering.
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Then all you need to do is close the lid so that you get the “greenhouse effect” and place in your chosen location.
The process couldn’t be easier but your seeds will get an even better start if you use seed raising mix as it contains nutrients to help stimulate and support plants as they start growing.
Another good tip is to dampen the seed starting mix before putting it in the container so the seeds don’t shift during watering. Given the container has holes at the bottom, bottom watering by placing the container in a tray with water until the soil is damp also works well.
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Fruit containers work just as well as pots for starting seeds. (TikTok/@plantingwithe)
PlantingWithE’s fruit container greenhouse tip was a hit with those who watched her video.
“Wait WHUUT????? This is brilliant,” one said
“Let me go get into my recycling bin,” a woman wrote.
“Getting ready to make Strawberry Pie and now I know what to do with the container. Thank you!” a gardener commented.
“Oh my, i love this idea. gonna try it,” a TikToker posted.
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A few people confirmed this method successfully grows seedlings.
“This is how I start my basil and dill. They get placed in one of those stereo tins and I bottom water. Love repurposing these,” a woman said.
“I have probably 10 of those that I started many things out with already still have six waiting to see what pops up,” a man commented.
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Fruit container packaging isn’t the only item in your recycling bin that can be used to start seeds.
Plastic milk bottles are great seed starters and can be turned into a mini greenhouse by cutting the top section on three sides so that it can be lifted up.
Egg cartons also work well because you can put a couple of seeds in each section. This is more of a seed starting tray than a mini greenhouse but you can simply pop the egg carton in a greenhouse or a sheltered area like a windowsill until they get going.
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Egg cartons make good seed starting containers. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Toilet paper rolls are also brilliant for starting seeds. Simply cut four slits in the bottom to create four flaps that you can fold in to create a base and then add seed starting mix and your seeds.
For smaller toilet paper roll seed starting containers just cut the tube in half and follow the same process to create a base.
However, there are some seeds that you may prefer the full-size toilet paper tube for, such as sweet peas as they tend to grow better when their roots are trained downwards instead of around and around.
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