I don’t know about you, but Pinterest has opened up my world. Many a winter evening was spent scanning through pin after colorful garden pin in search of inspiration for DIY ideas on garden beds, specific plants, pots, potting benches, fences, fertilizer, seed starting and more. The list goes on.  With “Piddling Season” quickly coming to an end and the garden beginning to emerge, I thought, what the heck, let’s give one or two of them a try.

I’ve always shied away from starting seed indoors. Mostly, I don’t have a lot of indoor space and second, I don’t really have any equipment, such as a grow light. But every year after my fourth or fifth visit to the garden nursery, I tell myself that I’m going to save some money by starting seeds. But I never do.

This year is different. I was given some seed packets…

And so it begins. A carton of eggshells fits my space limitations. My family room has lots of windows so I think I have plenty of light. By starting small, I may just get a taste of success.

While I have direct sewn lettuce, broccoli and spinach outside, I’m using eggshells indoors to start spinach, broccoli, basil and geranium seed. Apparently, you can plant the whole kit and caboodle; no need to discard the shell.  Using a Sharpee, I marked each shell with the type of seed planted. Doing this experiment takes me back in time to 4^th grade science experiments.  Clearly, I’ve matured because I didn’t hate doing this.

Here’s the recipe for success:

Boil the eggshells to clean and sterilize. This only take a few minue. Then, punch a small hole in the bottom of the shell for dranage.

Next, fill with seed starting material. I used potting soil.

Add seed and cover with more soil. Here, I’m planting basil.

Mist to thoroughly moisten the material. I mist daily.

Place in a sunny window.

My Pinterest experiments won’t stop at eggshell seed starting. There’s a plethora of pins on using Epsom salts to boost plant growth. I need to research which plants like magnesium and sulfate, which, apparently is what Epsom salts are.  And then there’s coffee grounds. My research on coffee grounds tells me not to put them directly into the garden as is sometimes extolled on Pinterest. They should be put into the compost pile because alone they are too acidic. And although I have seen lots and lots of pins extolling the virtues of burying banana peels in the garden by the roses, I’m not sure I’ll try that one either.

What Pinterest tricks have you tried in your garden?