Gardener shares why she never throws away egg cartons: 'I do this all the time'

A gardening enthusiast shared her clever and eco-friendly method to repurpose empty containers for seed starters.

The scoop

Nita (@theloveforgardening) demonstrates in an Instagram reel how to repurpose empty egg cartons or produce containers to be used as plant starters.

To begin the process, make sure you have an empty egg carton or produce container as well as a pointy knife or scissors. Then, with the pointy object, cut holes in the center of each dimple of the carton. After completing those steps, fill each opening with soil, and plant your seeds.

"It was a fun little project to do with the kids," Nita wrote in the post's caption. "And recycling what you already have in the household could save some [money] instead of buying the seed trays."

How it's helping

As Nita noted, this trick will help you save money on gardening tools. The 2023 National Gardening Survey revealed that the average American household spent $616 on lawn and gardening activities. Reusing empty produce containers rather than immediately discarding them is a cost-effective way to reduce your spending on expensive garden maintenance products.

Utilizing this green method also allows you to contribute to environmental efforts. A report by the Environmental Protection Agency stated that containers and packaging made up 82.2 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2018, with 30.5 million tons ending up in landfills. By repurposing food containers and packaging, you can help prevent the buildup of waste and pollutants in your community.

Growing your own food also saves you money, promotes healthier eating, and reduces the demand for expensive, globally shipped produce. 

What everyone's saying

Gardening enthusiasts were happy to learn about Nita's nifty, eco-friendly hack; some even commented on the post to share more tips.

"I do this all the time. Milk jugs also work well," an Instagram user wrote.

"Yes, I do this too! When I can buy the paper egg cartons, they work great for transplanting- just cut them apart and plant in the ground, love it!" another said.

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