With things warming up outdoors right now, there’s lots to be potted up and planted out, so I’m always up for any time-saving hacks or cost-cutting ideas. And one of the easiest I’ve discovered just recently is reusing empty egg cartons in the garden.
Instead of chucking cardboard egg cartons out for the weekly recycling collection, I can just as easily recycle them myself, and they’ve come in handy in a few different ways while I’ve been sowing vegetables and planting out this March.
Planting seeds to go out in the garden can require a stash of empty seedling trays and pots, which often works out pricey to buy, but by using all the egg cartons that would normally get chucked out, I’m saving money and not over-cramming my recycling crates.
1. Chitting potatoes in cartons
Anyone growing potatoes, like me, will know that before the seed potatoes are planted into the ground they need chitting first.
How to chit potatoes involves exposing them to light and warmth which encourages the sprouts into growth (ready for planting out). And egg cartons make the perfect container to hold the potatoes, ensuring the eyes are facing up and there is plenty of ventilation space around each potato.
2. Starting off seedlings
Re-using cardboard egg cartons (rather than styrofoam) to plant seeds when growing vegetables is another money-saver and a good option for seedlings that don’t do well when being transplanted, such as cucumbers, carrots and beans.
By sowing seeds in individual compartments (making a hole at the bottom of each first), once the seedlings are ready for planting out you can cut away each cup and plant it in its entirety (the cardboard will break down over time). This saves handling the roots and causing transplant shock.
I also use the lids for planting flower seeds like marigolds, alyssum and pansies that do well in shallow trays.
3. Planting onion sets outdoors
When it comes to planting onion sets, they only need to be planted quite shallowly, so I’ve copied this idea I’ve seen on Tiktok lately using egg cartons for planting out onion sets.
With a bulb popped in each compartment, it saves time when spacing onion sets out (handy if you have a lot to do) and the whole carton can be placed in the ground with just the top lightly covered in soil. I also poked holes through the bottom of each compartment so that the roots can penetrate.
4. Spacing out holes for seed-planting
Measuring and making holes when you’re planting seeds in the ground can be fiddly and time consuming, although there are tools like this seed spacer, £16.99, Amazon that make things speedier.
Using an upturned carton (with the long pointed parts face down) makes a cheap alternative. All you need to do is push it firmly down into the soil and work your way along in rows.
5. Adding to the compost bin
How to make compost involves adding a combination of ‘greens’ and ‘browns’ like cardboard, straw and trimmings to the bin. So when I’ve finished with the egg cartons in the garden, tossing the scraps and smaller pieces of cardboard into the compost bin means I’ve made full use of every bit.
Shop these planting essentials
If you are short on space, this coco coir brick just needs hydrating with water to turn into compost for you to pot up your seedlings in.
This Amazon Mister is what our Garden Editor Sophie King swears by for watering seedlings; it gives them the perfect light mist.
To avoid a soggy windowsill, these reusable trays are ideal for holding any egg cartons you are using to start of seedlings.
I've saved money recycling my used egg cartons. Do you have any bright ideas for reusing yours outdoors or indoors?
