Gardener shares brilliant way to repurpose old food containers: 'This is awesome'

"We all have plastic food packaging in our house, but have you thought about giving it a second life?"

The scoop

TikToker Stef (@the_aplotmentshire), a self-described beginner gardener and nature lover, has certainly done so and is ready to show you how to make "free, simple, and sustainable" trays for starting seeds.

@the_aplotmentshire Who needs fancy seed trays when you can repurpose everyday packaging? These takeaway containers and food trays are perfect for starting seeds—free, simple, and sustainable! The lids act as mini propagators for seeds like chilies, tomatoes and onions, while open trays are ideal for crops like kale and cauliflower that don't need extra humidity. Giving packaging a second life not only reduces waste but also saves money and space in the garden. And you can reuse these again and again! What have you upcycled for your plants lately? #GardeningHacks #GardenIdeas #BeginnerGardener #UpcycledGardening #SustainableGardening #AllotmentGarden #GardeningOnABudget #SeedStarting #NoDigGardening #GardeningTips #PlasticReuse #GardeningHack #GardeningForBeginners #SmallGarden #FlexibleGardening #SowingSeeds #Allotment #ContainerGardening #EasyGardening #GardeningTipsForBeginners #GardeningIdeas #creatorsearchinsights ♬ Everything Changes (But I Won't) - Rose Gray

Plastic containers make "excellent propagators," and their lids are a "perfect humid environment," Stef explains in a video detailing the steps to repurpose single-use plastic packaging for planting seeds.

"The lids act as mini propagators for seeds like chilies, tomatoes, and onions, while open trays are ideal for crops like kale and cauliflower that don't need extra humidity," the video caption states.

How it's helping

Repurposing your old plastic containers not only allows you to save money on plant pots but also helps reduce waste, which often ends up crowding landfills and polluting oceans on the other side of the planet.

According to data from the United Nations, that's the case for around 70% of our plastic waste, which makes the smallest action to reduce our use of plastic — from food storage tricks to cosmetics tips to gardening hacks — worth taking. The organization also shows that about 36% of all the plastics produced are used in packaging, including single-use containers for food and beverage.

Just as alarming, marine conservation charity Surfers Against Sewage reveals that one in three fish caught for human consumption contains plastic.

It is therefore crucial to know your recycling options, be it for plastic containers or used clothes.

What everyone's saying

Online users are enthusiastic about this gardening tip, which has inspired some of them.

If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation? Making it look better Saving money on water and maintenance Helping pollinators No way I ever get rid of my lawn Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Omg never thought of this, I'll be using this to sow my sprout seeds," one TikToker commented.

"This is awesome," another wrote.

"This is a perfect way to reuse single-use packaging, saving your money and the planet, one seed at a time," Stef concludes, adding in the caption: "And you can reuse them again and again!"

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