Stop Wasting Plastic Fruit Containers! Turn Them Into Simple Seed Starters

Raise your hand if you throw out plastic berry containers after you've eaten the berries. Now look around, because you're not alone. The EPA reports that in 2018, consumers discarded some 14.5 million tons of waste plastic containers, and that doesn't include trash bags or single-service plates and cups. If you think all the plastic you put in recycling bins actually gets recycled, think again. A little more than 10 million of those 14.5 million tons ended up in landfills, which means that's where your discarded berry containers are probably headed. If it makes good ecological sense to you to find a way to use these containers rather than throwing them out, here's an idea: Turn them into seed starters. 

Berry containers are ideal for starting seeds. They have lids that you can close to provide a humidity-controlled environment for germination, they're made of clear plastic, which lets the light in, and they're just the right size for storing on a shelf or windowsill. Some of them even have drainage holes, and if you have a container that doesn't, you can easily make holes yourself with a knife. This type of container is best for starts that don't need a lot of room, such as herbs, onions, and some types of flowers, which will later be transplanted to the garden. It also works well for growing beds of nutrient-rich microgreens, like broccoli, radish, sunflower, arugula, and many others.

If you're a beginner at germinating and planting vegetable seeds, the first thing you need is a growing medium. A seed-starting soil mix (sometimes called a "soiless" mix, because it consists of organic materials like peat and coconut coir) is recommended. Unlike soil from your garden, it's completely sterile with no fungi or pathogens to inhibit germination. Put a paper towel in the bottom of the container, fill the container almost to the top with the starting mix, then bring it to the sink, wet the mix, and let the excess water drain through the holes in the container. 

You can sow small seeds for microgreens by simply sprinkling them onto the substrate and covering them with more starting mix, but larger seeds, such as peas, need to be deeper, so it's better to poke holes for them in the soil with a pencil. Always check the seed package for planting instructions. Now close the cover and place the container in a sunny spot. When the sprouts emerge, you no longer need humidity control, so you can open the cover, but don't let the soil dry out. 

Timing is important when transplanting starts to the garden, because they won't be healthy if they get too big before it's warm enough for them to grow outside. The best time to plant vegetables depends on your climate zone and the type of vegetables, so check out this seasonal guide for when to plant vegetables.