starting tomato seeds in egg cartons

Poke the tip of your finger in the soil in each egg cup to make a hole—the hole doesn't need to be deep. You can put two or three seeds in each hole (make sure the seeds don't touch) and then cover them up loosely. Once all of your holes are filled in, you can gently sprinkle water over them until they're really wet.

Can egg cartons be used to start seeds?
How long can seedlings stay in egg cartons?
What is the best way to start tomato seeds?
What is the cheapest way to start seeds indoors?
Should tomato seeds be soaked before planting?
How many seeds does it take to grow in one hole?
What is the best way to start seeds indoors?
What kind of soil should I use to start seeds?
Is it too late to start tomato seeds?
How do I make tomato seeds germinate faster?
How long does it take tomatoes to grow from seed?
Should you soak seeds before planting?
How do you start seeds indoors with paper towels?
Can you use regular potting soil to start seeds?
Can I plant seeds straight from a tomato?
What three conditions do tomato seeds need for germination?
Can you grow tomatoes from store bought?
How many tomato seeds do you plant in one hole?
What happens if seeds are planted too close together?
How long does it take to grow spinach from seeds?

Can egg cartons be used to start seeds?

You can use egg cartons as a seed-starting tray! Depending on the type of carton you have, you can even cut apart the individual sections and plant them, as the carton will biodegrade. Be sure to poke small holes for drainage, and put the cartons on a tray or in a shallow pan to catch any residual water.

How long can seedlings stay in egg cartons?

Place the egg carton lid under the bottom to create a drainage tray. Fill the egg cells one-half to three-quarters full with potting mixture. A standard commercial potting mixture works well. A potting mixture containing fertilizer contains nutrients to sustain the plants for three to four weeks.

What is the best way to start tomato seeds?

Place two or three seeds into each small container or each cell of a seed starter. Cover the seed with about 1/4" of soil and gently firm it over the seeds. Water to ensure good seed-to-mix contact. You can use a plant mister or just dribble a stream of water over the top.

What is the cheapest way to start seeds indoors?

Use Yoplait Kids Plastic Cups/ or any other item in your kitchen to start your seeds indoors. Use Plastic wrap over each of your homemade containers until your seed sprouts to keep in the warmth. Use Seed Starting Soil Mix– it's lighter. The other stuff may work or it may not.

Should tomato seeds be soaked before planting?

Simply soak seeds in warm water the night before you'll be planting them to soften the hull of the seeds and help the sprout break the seal. ... To germinate tomato seeds on a paper towel, moisten a single paper towel so that it's damp but not soaked.

How many seeds does it take to grow in one hole?

Don't exceed three seeds per hole. If more than one germinates, snip off extras at the soil line also. This prevents disturbance of the seedling roots on the one you'll continue growing out when thinning. Don't add more than one large seed to a hole.

What is the best way to start seeds indoors?

How to Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors

Purchase your seeds from a trusted source. ...
Pot with seed-starting mix. ...
Make sure your containers have drainage holes. ...
Plant seeds at the proper depth. ...
After sowing, set the containers in a warm location. ...
Keep seed-starting mix moist. ...
As soon as seedlings emerge, place pots in a bright location.

What kind of soil should I use to start seeds?

Choose potting soil that's made for growing seedlings. Do not use soil from your garden or re-use potting soil from your houseplants. Start with a fresh, sterile mix that will ensure healthy, disease-free seedlings.

Is it too late to start tomato seeds?

In temperate climates, it may be midsummer before the soil gets that warm, and by then it's too late for tomatoes to grow and mature before the end of the growing season. Tomato seeds are typically started “six to eight weeks before the average date of last frost,” as the seed packets so ubiquitously state.

How do I make tomato seeds germinate faster?

Tomato seeds kept at warm room temperature and sprayed with water twice daily should sprout within a week. As soon as the seedlings break the surface, move them to bright light. A full-spectrum grow-light is ideal, but a sunny window will do provided the seedlings are watched closely to make sure they don't dry out.

How long does it take tomatoes to grow from seed?

Tomato seeds typically germinate in 5 to 10 days if given optimal conditions. You'll know seeds have germinated as soon as you see green plant emerging from the growing medium. That's a time to celebrate. The rate of germination for a particular packet of tomato seeds depends on the source and age of the seed.

Should you soak seeds before planting?

Soaking seeds before planting helps you to break down the seed's natural defenses against what it expects from Mother Nature, which then allows it to germinate faster. Another reason is that while Mother Nature actively assaults seeds, she also gave those seeds an internal gauge to help them know when they should grow.

How do you start seeds indoors with paper towels?

How to germinate seeds in coffee filters (or paper towels)

Step 1: Gather your supplies. ...
Step 2: Moisten the coffee filters. ...
Step 3: Place your seeds on the coffee filter. ...
Step 4: Place a coffee filter inside each baggie. ...
Step 5: Wait for the magic of germination to happen. ...
Step 6: Transplant the germinated seed.

Can you use regular potting soil to start seeds?

Although potting soils may be used to start seeds, they tend to have a more coarse texture and may contain field soil, compost or composted manure along with vermiculite, peat moss or perlite. ... When potting soil ingredients include field soil, compost or manure, they may also contain some weed seeds.

Can I plant seeds straight from a tomato?

Planting seeds from fresh tomatoes is no harder than planting store-bought seeds. Remove the seeds from a ripe tomato and soak them for 14 hours in tepid water. Dry them on a paper towel and plan to plant them within seven days.

What three conditions do tomato seeds need for germination?

Germination of Tomato Seeds

Seeds need water, oxygen and warmth to start growing.

Can you grow tomatoes from store bought?

Tomatoes are a relatively easy plant to care for, and can in fact be grown from the seeds of a store bought tomato. Ferment the seeds, plant them in the ground and place a cage or stake near the growing plant, and in only a few months you will have a wonderful, nutritious fruit.

How many tomato seeds do you plant in one hole?

How many tomato seeds should I plant per hole? It's ideal to plant two seeds per hole, the extra seed will work as an insurance when the other seeds fails to sprout.

What happens if seeds are planted too close together?

Plants also can affect how nearby companions grow, as roots tangle and compete for the same resources of water and nutrients in the soil. Planting too close together limits the growth potential and often threatens plant health.

How long does it take to grow spinach from seeds?

Sow them one half inch deep and two inches apart in beds or rows. If the weather isn't extremely cold, seeds will germinate in five to nine days. Spinach produces beautifully in cool fall conditions, but it's tricky to persuade the seed to germinate in the hot conditions of late summer.