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| © Can Stock Photo - glenkar |
Did you have any cascarones left over from your Easter weekend? Probably not, but just in case, I thought I would share this one activity that is perfect for celebrating Earth Day.
(If you're wondering what cascarones are, check out this post that talks about the history of this creative tradition.)
The directions are simple:
Happy Earth Day!
Either way, growing seedlings inside eggshells is a practical and organic way to garden and welcome spring. It's also fun! I have attached a video below from Miracle Grow (no paid promotion - I just looked up videos and liked this one best!) that gives the simple directions for growing seeds (herbs, perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, vines - you name it!) in an eggshell.
Our chickens lay a lot of eggs and we grow a LOT of seeds. So this is a perfect activity for our family.
Don't waste your money on expensive trays. Just use what you probably have available in your kitchen - eggs and egg trays.
Our chickens lay a lot of eggs and we grow a LOT of seeds. So this is a perfect activity for our family.
Don't waste your money on expensive trays. Just use what you probably have available in your kitchen - eggs and egg trays.
How to make eco-friendly planters from eggshells
The directions are simple:
- Save your eggshells from your normal meal schedule, being careful to crack the eggs on one end (the big end!) so that most of the egg remains intact.
- Wash the eggshell thoroughly.
- Use a pin, thumbtack, or small nail to poke a few drainage holes in the opposite end.
- Fill your eggshell 3/4ths of the way full with potting soil.
- Drop your seeds inside the egg. (You can do just one seed, but I think two(2) seeds is best so that you have a backup if one doesn't sprout!)
- Cover lightly with more potting soil being careful to leave a lip of eggshell around the top so that the soil/seed don't wash away when you water it.
- Place your egg tray full of planted eggs in a sunny windowsill where it will be warm and get plenty of light.
- Water every few days depending on how quickly the soil dries out. Those seeds love the moisture, but not a soggy environment!
Once your seeds sprout and are a good two or three inches with at least two leaves, you can transfer your seedlings to a bigger pot. Be sure to gently crack the eggshell apart so that the roots can grow and spread in the new soil and not become root bound in the eggshell.
The great thing, too, is that eggshells can benefit the new plant. They provide calcium carbonate, which the seedling uses to build healthy, strong cell walls.
Other Earth Day Activities
You may also enjoy these other Earth Day activities and printables.
Happy Earth Day!