10+ DIY Seedling Container Ideas

You don’t need to buy new pots and trays to grow seeds this year. Instead, make and recycle your own DIY seedling containers! You can use newspapers and paper cups to make recycled seedling pots, plant in eggshells, and use plastic bottles to make cloches. There are so many ideas that will save you money.

Though you can directly sow seeds in the garden, starting them in pots undercover can give you a head start in spring. I start the garden off this way every year because it not only helps me to get earlier crops, but it also helps grow seedlings while avoiding slug and pest damage. While I do have plenty of purpose-made seed trays and pots to grow them in, I also use a lot of recycled materials to make my own—toilet paper rolls, supermarket veg trays, egg cartons, and mushroom trays, to name a few.

When choosing recycled materials to use as seedling containers, there are just a few rules. Choose biodegradable items and/or durable materials that can hold plants in for at least as long as you need before planting them out. Newspaper lasts the least amount of time, and plastic yogurt pots can last years. Also, if the material is food grade or made with wood, metal, or non-glossy paper, it’s probably safe to use. Let’s look at some examples.

Toilet Paper Tubes as Seedling Containers

Toilet paper rolls are great for growing most plants, especially ones that like a deep root run or don’t like their roots disturbed. Beans, peas, and sweet peas, for example. That’s because you plant them directly into the soil outside without having to take the plant out. Tip: They may start molding and breaking down before then, but it’s nothing to worry about. Also, make sure to peel back the tops of the paper before you plant them. This is especially important if you’ve not filled them to the top with compost.

Recycled Seed Trays

Do you know those plastic trays that you buy mushrooms, strawberries, and other fruit and veg in? Pop some drainage holes into the bottom, and they’re great to use as seedling trays. They even stack well together, so if you have a bunch, use them one year, then clean them out and store them for the next year. I regularly use these plastic containers to hold newspaper plant pots in, too.

Newspaper Seedling Containers

I recently shared two ways to make newspaper plant pots, and both are fun and easy to make! They, too, can be planted directly in the ground along with the seedling. The paper starts breaking down after a few weeks, and completely disappears after planting out. In case you’re wondering, newspapers and the ink they’re made with are safe for the garden and break down over time.

Grow Seedlings in Eggshells

Not only do these eggshell planters look cute, but they can also be planted directly into the garden. Wash them and poke a hole in the bottom of each shell piece to create drainage. You could also consider popping them in a 130°F (54°C) oven for twenty minutes to kill any germs and bacteria. I don’t tend to do that, but some people worry.

When ready to use them, fill the eggshells with potting mix, sow a seed or three inside, and only lightly water. When planting, you can either crack the shell and remove it or crack it and plant it with the plant. Egg shells don’t break down easily, but over many years, they can degrade and add essential minerals to the soil.

Egg Cartons

Once you’ve eaten your eggs and planted the eggshells, you can use the egg carton to sow even more seeds! Each egg cup can be filled with soil, sown with seeds, and then ripped off and planted directly in the garden. Like toilet paper rolls, the paper breaks down, making this growing idea very useful when planting out.

Paper Cup Seedling Containers

Unwaxed paper cups are perfect seedling containers. They’re made to contain liquids, so they are a bit tougher than toilet paper rolls or newspaper, so plants can stay growing in them for longer. Make sure to poke a drainage hole in the bottom, and your plants will have a snazzy recycled home to live in. You could even stop by a local coffee shop to see if they’d mind you reclaiming some leftover from customers. While you’re there, ask if they have spent coffee grounds, too, since they’re great to use in the garden and to make compost.

Yogurt Cup Seedling Containers

Lots of food packaging can be reused for growing seedlings. Old margarine tubs, tin cans, and yogurt cups are all heavy-duty and easy enough to find and use! If it’s food safe, then it’s fine to use for growing seeds and plants. Just make sure to clean the containers thoroughly and poke a few drainage holes in the bottom of the pots. For plastic containers, heat a nail over a flame and use it to poke the holes. It helps to stop the plastic from breaking if you do it this way.

Water Dispenser Cloches

Cloches are clear glass or plastic containers that you fit over young plants in the garden. They’re like a clear dome that acts like a mini-greenhouse. They can also protect the plant inside from slugs and other garden pests. As long as there’s a hole at the top and the plant can fit in easily, you can use many recycled plastic items. One genius idea is to use large water bottles from water dispensers. If you can find them and cut off the bottoms, they’re very useful in the garden. The open neck gives enough airflow to keep the plant inside happy.

If you’re planting out seedlings and need to keep young plants protected from the cold, cloches are a great idea. Once the plant is strong enough and the temperatures are warm enough, you can remove the cloches and store them to use the following year.

Plastic Bottle Cloche

Large water dispenser bottles aren’t common, but plastic drink bottles are! A lot of people who garden on a budget use ideas like this to protect their plants without spending anything. If you try this, too, use clear bottles and avoid any that are colored. Brown, blue, and green plastic will shade out the plants inside and reduce the amount of light they can use for energy.

Pastry ‘Clamshell’ Propagator

If you’re starting seeds that need a bit more warmth, consider popping them into a pastry clamshell. This tutorial from the Empress of Dirt shows how she uses them to keep her African Violet cuttings warm and cozy. The clamshells essentially enclose the seedlings and help keep humidity and temperature up, much like a miniature greenhouse!

Upcycled Outdoor Planters

Now that it’s warming up, you can begin sowing seeds outdoors. I have several recycled and upcycled containers, including an old Belfast sink, where I grow leafy greens. Since it already has drainage through the drain, I’ve just filled the bottom with gravel and topped it up with soil, and it’s now a perfect planter. You could upsize this idea by planting in an old bathtub.

More Low-Cost Gardening Inspiration

• How to Build a Potting Bench out of Pallets
• DIY Herb Spiral Instructions (grows lots of herbs in a small space)
• Thrifty Ways to Get Plants for Free
• How to make a Bokashi Bin (a composter for ALL food scraps)

Save Tomato Seeds on Paper Towels

One of the easiest ways to save tomato seeds is to scrape them onto a paper towel, goo, and all. Let it dry completely before storing it away or sending the seeds to a friend. When you’re ready to sow them, you tear or cut off a piece of the paper towel and plant it with the seeds into the soil. This is the easiest way to save seeds from heirloom tomatoes!