10 DIY Seedling Starter Pot Ideas

You don’t need to buy fancy seed starter kits to get started on your seeds indoors. Use what you have. The old adage is true: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. 

Pay attention to what products routinely end up in your recycling bin or trash can. How could you bring new life into them? Do you blow through Keurig cups? Reuse them. Start with what you already have. 

Reuse, Reuse, Reuse

Our culture has developed habits that reduce waste and recycle it, while the “reuse” part of the slogan is often overlooked. Funnily enough, reusing materials is also one of the most affordable ways to live. 

Don’t be intimidated by the costs of gardening. Oftentimes, when we slow down and examine our resources, we already have everything we need. By the way, here’s everything you need to know about buying seeds.

Here are a few ideas to help you get started as you thumb through your trash to repurpose and begin your garden. Pro tip: start a timeline for when you’ll start your seeds. Our garden planner will keep you organized and your garden happy.

Some of Our Favorite Seedling Starter Pots

1. Applesauce Cups

If you’ve got extra applesauce cups lying around, don’t toss them just yet! After you’ve washed them, you’ll simply fill them about half full with seedling soil. Place them in a sunny windowsill in early spring to grow healthy plants. These seed starter pots can easily be saved and reused year after year. 

2. Newspaper

I don’t know about you, but we routinely get newspaper clippings full of ads and coupons in our mailbox. These usually goes straight to the recycling bin. So, we were ecstatic to try this creative idea for a biodegradable seed starter pot for seedlings. Here’s what you’ll need to do: 

1. Collect and cut newspaper into four strips that are 8 inches long and inches wide. 
2. Carefully wrap each around a small jar or can. (We used a small mason jar, but you could also use a shot glass, or a 6 oz. can.) 
3. Flip your jar over and fold the newspaper into a circle surrounding the base of the jar. Seal with biodegradable tape. 
4. Gently lift the jar out of the newspaper pot–voila! Simply fill with soil and get planting!

3. Toilet Paper Rolls

It sounds silly, but this one is so ingenius! Ask your friends and family to save their toilet paper rolls for you rather than tossing them out. Once you’ve saved a few up, just cut four 1-inch slits at one end of your toilet paper roll. Fold these on top of one another to form a base, and seal with biodegradable tape. This is such a simple trick and literally brings new life to what most of us consider garbage.

4. Tin Cans

If you go through canned goods constantly–crushed tomatoes and refried beans, this is the way to go. Just rinse them out and make a stockpile. Once it’s time for you to start planting seeds, you’ll fill them about two-thirds of the way full with soil and start your seedlings. Read more about the differences between seedlings vs. starter plants.

5. Plastic Takeout

The sky’s the limit with this option. Hold onto plastic sauce cups, your kid’s lunchables boxes, K cups, and any other takeout containers that will do the trick. Just rinse them out and start your seedlings! The great thing about this option is these can be used year after year. If you don’t purchase single-use plastics yourself, it’s a great way to encourage your loved ones to recycle. Ask them to hold onto those plastic containers they go through so that you can literally bring new life into them. 

6. Muffin Pans

If you’ve got muffin pans that have never seen the light of day—turn them into seed starter pots. Maybe you want to avoid bringing any plastic into your home. Run to the thrift store and snag a few muffin pans. Scoop your seed starter soil to fill each cup about halfway. Then, get planting! 

7. Citrus Fruit

Who would’ve thought? Instead of composting your orange rinds and lime peels, you’ll just dry them out and plant seeds in them. Simply cut them down the middle, and use a spoon to scoop the fruit out. Fill them with a bit of seedling soil, poke holes for your seeds, and plop your seeds in. Don’t forget to water!

8. Egg Cartons

What better way to repurpose your egg cartons than planting seedlings in them? Simply scoop a little soil into each indention, and start planting. This simple trick is a great way to start a lot of seedlings in a compact and efficient way.

9. Milk Cartons

Rather than recycling your cartons of milk, clean them out and fill them with soil. You can grow a number of seeds in each carton—maybe you’ll designate a carton for parsley, a carton for cilantro, and a carton for sage. Plus, having some milk carton plant pots is a fun look.

10. Eggshells

This one requires a steady hand! You’ll need to crack your eggs in an even line and preserve the shells. Then, just rinse them out and fill them with seedling starter. Once again, this is a great way to make your compost pile spread even further than you thought was possible.

Tips for DIY Seedling Starters

Do I need to have drainage in my pots? 

Yes! Add drainage to any of these seed starter pots by taking something sharp, like a skewer, and inserting a small hole into the base of your pot. It’s always a great idea to take this extra step to ensure happy seedlings and a healthy garden down the road.

How do I plant my seedlings once I have my pots? 

Once you are ready to plant your seedlings, you can learn how to germinate seeds. It’s a hands-on process, but once you’ve made your pots, you’re well on your way! Generally speaking, you’ll plant a few seeds in each container. Water the seedling generously, and cover it with moisture to allow for germination to take place. Keep in a sunny windowsill and water daily until planting season comes around.