Eggshell seed growing for kids. 

 Fun experiments for the family. 

Spring is the time to plant seeds for delicious fresh vegetables in the summer and fall.  Here's one easy way to give them a good start. 

The hole in the bottom of the empty eggshells is so water can drain. Place egg carton on a plastic tray.



Fill with a good all-purpose potting mix and place a seed in each eggshell starter.  Mark each shell with a label or write the seed choices on the carton lid.  Water well for the first few days and wait until the seeds sprout.

Water according to how dry the soil feels.  Don't overwater.  Different seeds have different germination times.   For example kale, peas and cucumbers sprout in a week or so while cabbages and beets take two weeks or more.

 When roots show through the hole or the seedling is big enough, carefully crush the eggshell and plant the seedling and the eggshell in a pot if it's still too cold to take it outside, or plant it in the garden if the weather has warmed.  Hardy plants like lettuce, peas, kale and cabbage can go outside quite early, but cold-sensitive plants like tomatoes, cucumbers and beans can't handle frost.




Sometimes it's fun to see the roots growing so, as an experiment, plant a seedling in a clear plastic container.  Make holes in the bottom.  Watch as the roots come up to the sides.  
The plants in this container (bean and corn) are for an experiment only.  Normally they would be planted out in the garden or in a large pot by the time they are this size.  Corn does not do well in a pot.  Good pot plants would be lettuce, green beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers and fruits such as strawberries.  Try this experiment and have fun eating the results.