Real Life Confession- I love the idea of gardening more than I love actual gardening. Can anyone else relate? BUT. But…I still enjoy having planted herbs around as the weather warms up! So, this year, I’ve decided to do a series of upcycling ideas for an herb garden. And today is Part 1: Repurposing a muffin pan as a seed starting tray or plant starting tray.
You can find old baking pans at thrift stores all the time. Rusty, crusty, and all together a little gross.
Which makes them PERFECT for upcycling as a growing tray for seeds.
Muffin pans are shallow and compartmentalized, just like a propagation tray. They seemed like a perfect fit for trying my hand at germinating seeds for an herb garden.
So, I gathered some organic seeds for kitchen herbs before getting started!
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Upcycling a Muffin Pan into a Seed Starting Tray
It should come as no surprise that I decided to spray paint the muffin pans before I did anything else.
Because, well, why not?
When the paint had dried, they were much nicer to touch.
Next, I filled them with my favorite natural muffin papers.
Then, I added some seedling potting soil into each cup of the muffin pan. I compacted it ever so slightly so that it didn’t collapse like a soufflé when watered.
Per the directions on my organic seeds, I soaked them overnight before planting in the muffin pans. I found that a cheap, plastic paint palette/mixing tray worked PERFECTLY for soaking the seeds.
It wasn’t too deep, it was easy to label, and all my seeds were separate but together, if that makes sense.
Then, I gathered everything together to do the actual planting.
And like clockwork, Cottonball decided to “help” by playing with my measuring cup of water!
But that was it! I planted the seeds in the muffin pan carefully, following the directions on each packet.
And since these were just germinating seeds, I broke coffee stirrers in half and made hasty plant markers to keep them straight.
Then the waiting game began. My worrier self took over- what if nothing sprouts? What if this is a complete waste of time?
Plant Starting Tray with a Muffin Pan
Silly me! I had little green shoots in just a few days!
After a few weeks, I had healthy little seedlings in the muffin tin.
Healthy little seedlings that had to travel with us when we went out of town because apparently, I’m an overprotective baby-plant Mom. Who knew?
The muffin pan or muffin tin worked absolutely PERFECTLY as a seedling tray. I actually really liked the fact that it was metal as opposed to the plant starting pots that are plastic.
It was much sturdier, which was a blessing while we were on vacation.
Make sure you check out Part 2 of my series of upcycling ideas for an herb garden, too. Once I transplanted them, they needed the perfect place to go!
Since I first published this blog post, I’ve come up with another seed starting idea! This time, I repurposed a vintage disk holder into a tabletop greenhouse.
And if enjoyed this upcycling idea for an herb garden, then you’ll also LOVE these hanging herb baskets that I upcycled from a thrift store find, too!
Craft on!
S
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Love this idea.. so easy and pretty too!
Thank you, always, for your sweet comments!!
this is such a great idea! It looks so much easier than peat pots. Love your photos.. And I can relate to your statement of loving the idea of gardening! Have a lovely day~
Thanks, Tamara!!
I would have never thought of using muffin papers to germinate seeds – they’re perfect! I’ve always enjoyed watching seeds sprout – once it starts you can almost watch them grow.
It’s been a lot of fun to watch them grow!! Here’s hoping I don’t screw it up now, LOL. 😉
Oh my…loving those little seedlings in the blue tins!!! 🙂
Thank you very much!!
Love this idea! I just might try it. Like you, I love the idea of gardening more than actually doing it, too! Thanks for sharing at Best of the Weekend!
Thank you so much, Amy!
Sarah, this is such a great idea! I really like the stirrer labels. Can’t wait to see part 2.
Thanks, Keri!
This is such a great idea! I wish I hadn’t thrown away my rusted muffin tin!
Argh! Don’t you hate it when that happens??
Let’s see if my brown thumb can become a green thumb. I like this idea and I will use grams old tins. I was going to put them on the wall( hubby said throw them out.) . No can do they were grams , so I think she would be pleased I’m still using them.
GREAT use for grams’ old tins!!!
This is such a good idea. I would have never thought of it!
Thanks, Cristina!
thankyou
I love this smart, upscycled idea. Thanks for sharing it at Craft Frenzy Friday on Mom Home Guide!
Thank you!!
Cute idea using a muffin pan! I’m thinking you can just plant those muffin cups and they will disintegrate! I’llbe waiting for part tow
Oops some how I posted this my comment while typing. I’ll be waiting for part two.Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Have a great week! Pinned.
Kim
Hahaha, no problem, Kim- thank you!!
What a great idea! I wish I’d seen this before I sent all of my old muffin tins to Goodwill!
Argh!!! Hate it when that happens!
Sarah I too like to plant them and watch them grow. It only gets scary when the part about watering them starts. Then I either add too much or too little and kill them. That’s ok I’ll be a gardener through your projects instead.
Haha! I completely understand! Since I’m a scientist “in real life”, I use pipettes to water them- it allows me to control the quantity perfectly! 😀
I think you are the only one that will ever have me desiring to plant seeds. This is adorable! 🙂
I’ve featured you this weekend on DIY Salvaged Junk Projects. Thanks for linking up! 🙂
Oh my gosh, Donna- it’s a lot of work! And I came home today to find Cottonball sleeping on top of the pans, LOL. In the bay window under direct sun. So I may be back to buying pre-sown plants from now on, hahahaha.
I like this ideas better than egg cartons.
Thanks, Sandra!
Wonderful recycle for old muffin tins. Good luck with the herb garden.Thank you for sharing at the Snickerdoodle Create~Bake~Make link party!
Great use of the muffin tins! (and beautifully colored, too!) Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Julie!!
That is such a good idea ! I really really looooooove it !. If you don’t mind I would love to link your post in one of my future Friday Favorites .
That’s fine, Sophie- thanks for asking!
What kind of light source did you use for sprouting?
We have a huge south-facing bay window in our kitchen which brings in a lot of light and warmth, so I set them up there.
I have no sunny windows that I can use for this purpose, as I have cats. I am currently in the process of creating a cold frame for winter growing and also sprouting purposes. This is the first time I have tried creating and using a cold frame.
Has anyone ever tried using ..old shoes for planters?
Ha! I actually did that (well, with wooden shoes): http://www.sadieseasongoods.com/what-a-kick-vintage-wooden-shoe-planters/
This is a project for me, my pans are 20 years old and never been used. I hate cooking so this is a great idea for me to do my succulents.
Perfect for succulents!
You are so cute and I just love how you think outside the box!