Seed Starter Tray Hacks-Gardening

 I love Gardening! It's peaceful and something that quickly becomes an amazing, stress relieving, hobby. These are my seed starter trays. They're technically called Cell Trays and start at around $6 for disposable plastic ones at hardware stores. Throughout the year I save my cardboard egg cartons and they work perfectly. Not only are you re-using the materials instead of tossing them, but they actually compost down really well. Eggs from #Aldiusa are inexpensive enough but I feel these are a great way to recycle and save money. 

I cautiously tear the carton in half, place the lid underneath the bottom, and put all the ripped and ready cartons onto a baking sheet. The baking sheet keeps the cartons from leaking water wherever you place them in the house. You can also break apart (washed and dried) eggshells in the carton, as seen above, for a nice calcium boost.   

Next I evenly fill the trays with a good gardening soil. Then they are ready for your seeds. Make sure to pay attention to how deep the seeds need to be sown. Some seeds like to be on the surface barely covered while others like to be buried deeper. Here I planted seeds that need a longer transfer time (I'm still learning the process). I also planted Kale which does better in the chillier spring weather and can't survive the summer heat here in FL. I have started a gardening journal over the past year, I've heard it's extremely beneficial for planning for the future. Any step of the way, I try and remember to write it down. I don't pretend to know what I'm doing, I just keep trying. There are so many resources out there for gardening other gardeners being the main one. I follow a few gardening groups on Facebook that are pretty great!

*Another important tip is to keep your tray in a sunny area for a few weeks and then slowly harden your plants. It is such a crucial step, something I had to learn the hard way. #hardenyourplants