Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Easy spring gifts

Here's an easy and inexpensive gift you can make with the kiddos to give to teachers and friends to celebrate all the wonder of spring. My boys love to see their hard work and patience go from seeds, to sprouts, to fruiting plants.

Egg Shell Planters
Begin by cracking your eggs carefully with a butter knife along the top of the egg. remove the top portion of the egg and dump eggs into a bowl. It takes a few days of omelettes for breakfast and dinner to save up enough shells but it is well worth the wait. 

Make sure you wash your eggs well and allow them to dry out for a few days before planting in them.


Once you have enough shells saved up it's time to plant. I like to cut my egg cartons in half, but a full dozen would be great too!

Spoon sterile organic potting soil into your shells and sprinkle 4-5 seeds in each shell. Lightly cover the seeds with about 1/8 inch of soil and sprinkle with water. Make sure to mark the bottom of the egg shell with the initial of what was planted in it. I used Cherry tomato, Basil and parsley seeds for my gifts.

Place in a sunny window and wait 5-10 days for your sprouts to appear making sure to keep the soil moist.

In a few days you'll have these adorable little sprouts

Then all that's left to do is place markers in your plants and maybe even add a fun bunting!

Happy planting!


Peace don't forget to water the plants!







22 comments:

  1. This is too cute! I'm totally going to get my garden started this way :)

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  2. Adorable as always, Merrilee! What a fun, cute project!

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  3. Too too CUTE!!! I love this idea.

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  4. This looks like a lot of work - but worth it! So cute!
    I'm a new follower here!
    ~Bec

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  5. So, so cute!! I'm your newest follower... found you at Tatertots and Jello!
    xo,
    Laurie :)

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  6. Love this idea!! Yet another way to use my eggs : )) I'm going to start my herbs this week!

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  7. I'm totally loving this idea! So cute! I love those eggshell planters and that little bunting. I am featuring this at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com. Grab my "featured" button.

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  8. I saw egg shell planters on Martha Stewart's website...yours are WAY cuter!

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  9. I just found your blog and am your newest follower. This is a super fab idea! Thanks for sharing and creating such an inspiring blog!

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  10. I've seen this idea in like BHG or somewhere . . . And I love it. You banner makes it look so much for FABULOUS! Good job!

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  11. This is too cute!!! I am your newest follower...so glad I found you!!!

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  12. These are adorable! I think I want to make some as Easter gifts for the women in my life! My mom would love it!

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  13. What a fantastic creative idea!

    Can't wait to give it a go. :)

    Cheers,

    Sue

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  14. Thanks for sharing this amazing informative post.

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  15. Your facebook button isn't taking me to your page?? If you don't plan on fixing that, maybe email follow option?? I don't check google much but would love to follow.

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  16. I made this sweet garden and blogged about it. I linked back to your blog for the directions. Thanks! Kathy
    http://threepsandq.wordpress.com/

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  17. When the seedlings outgrow the shell, do you just crush it a little and put the whole thing in a larger pot? Fab cute!

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  18. Once the plant has four leaves (2 x 2) you gently crack the base of the egg shell, make a suitably sized hole in the ground, and then plant your egg.

    I have been planting my seeds like this since September 2011 (http://ecofootprintsa.blogspot.com/2011/08/eggcellent.html and http://ecofootprintsa.blogspot.com/2012/11/egged-on.html) and it works a teat. The added bonus is that when you plant the seedling in the egg shell into the ground you are simultaneously adding calcium to the soil.

    I found that the cardboard egg carton disintegrated way too quickly, but luckily a free range egg producer here started using plastic egg cartons. This allows me to use the plastic carton as a drip pan - so now I gently crack the base of the shell at the same time as I am sowing the seed - as the "drip pan" will ensure that the seedling gets water through the wicking effect. And I can use the plastic egg carton over and over again :)

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  19. this is the cutest and smartest idea!!! i can't wait to have a garden.

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  20. what a great idea - what a shame we've just ripped up some egg boxes lol

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