6 Diy Herb Seed Starting Trays That Cost Next to Nothing

Every spring, you walk into the garden center and see stacks of shiny plastic seed trays, and it’s tempting to grab a few. But then you look at the price, multiply it by the number of herbs you want to grow, and suddenly your "frugal" hobby feels a lot less so. The truth is, you don’t need to spend a dime on specialized containers to get your seeds started. Your recycling bin and junk drawer are full of everything you need to give your herbs a strong start.

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Getting Started with DIY Seed Starting Trays

Starting seeds doesn’t require fancy equipment. It requires three things: a container to hold soil, a way for excess water to drain out, and the right size for the seedling you’re growing. Anything else is just marketing. The most expensive, self-watering, professionally designed seed tray in the world will fail if you don’t get the fundamentals right.

Before you choose a container, think about the herb itself. A shallow-rooted basil plant has very different needs than a deep-rooted parsley. Likewise, a fast-growing cilantro will be ready for the garden long before a slow-growing rosemary, impacting how long your container needs to last. The container must match the plant’s needs, not the other way around.

Don’t forget that the container is only half the battle. You can’t just scoop dirt from the garden and expect good results. Invest in a quality, sterile seed-starting mix, or make your own. Garden soil is too dense, compacts easily, and can carry diseases that will wipe out your delicate seedlings before they even get going.

Cardboard Egg Cartons: A Biodegradable Option

Cardboard egg cartons are the classic go-to for DIY seed starting, and for good reason. They are readily available, free, and the individual cells are a decent size for small herb seeds. Because they’re made of paper pulp, you can plant the entire cell directly into the garden, which helps minimize transplant shock for sensitive seedlings.

The biggest drawback, however, is their lack of durability. Cardboard wicks moisture and breaks down quickly. If you overwater or your environment is too humid, you can end up with a soggy, collapsing mess well before your seedlings are sturdy enough to be planted out. They can literally fall apart in your hands when you try to move them.

Use egg cartons for herbs that germinate and grow quickly, like basil, dill, or cilantro. These are typically ready for the garden in just a few weeks, before the carton has a chance to disintegrate. Always place the carton in a waterproof tray to catch drips and provide stability, and be very gentle when watering.

Toilet Paper Tubes for Deep-Rooted Herbs

Don’t throw away those empty toilet paper or paper towel tubes. They are fantastic for starting herbs that develop a long taproot, such as parsley, dill, and fennel. Standard shallow seed trays can cause these taproots to become constricted or "J-rooted," which stunts the plant’s growth later on. The vertical shape of a cardboard tube encourages the root to grow straight down.

To prepare them, you can either leave them full-length or cut them in half. Stand them up snugly in a waterproof tray—an old baking dish or plastic container works perfectly. Packing them in tightly prevents them from tipping over and helps them retain moisture. Fill them with your seed starting mix, gently tamping it down to eliminate air pockets.

Just like egg cartons, these tubes are biodegradable but can have issues with moisture. They can dry out quickly from the sides, wicking water away from the soil. The best way to water them is from the bottom. Pour water directly into the tray and let the tubes soak it up for 15-20 minutes, then drain any excess. This ensures the soil is evenly moist without making the cardboard structure too fragile.

Folding Newspaper Pots That Plant Directly

Making your own pots from newspaper is a time-honored technique that costs absolutely nothing. The major advantage is that, like other biodegradable options, the entire pot goes into the ground. This avoids disturbing the delicate root system entirely, giving your herbs a seamless transition into the garden.

You don’t need any special origami skills. A quick search will show you dozens of simple methods using a can or a small jar as a form. You simply roll a strip of newspaper around the can, fold the bottom over to create a base, and slip it off. It takes a few minutes to get the hang of it, but soon you can make a dozen pots in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee.

A few key points make this method successful. Use only black-and-white newsprint, as colored inks can sometimes contain heavy metals you don’t want in your soil. Modern soy-based inks are perfectly safe. Also, recognize that these pots are fragile when wet. Handle them carefully and always support them from the bottom. When it’s time to plant, make sure to tear the bottom of the newspaper pot open to give the roots an easy escape path into the surrounding soil.

Reusing Yogurt Cups and K-Cups for Seedlings

Your kitchen is a goldmine of durable, reusable plastic containers perfect for starting seeds. Single-serving yogurt cups, sour cream containers, and even plastic beverage cups are ideal. For smaller seeds, you can even rinse out and reuse single-use coffee pods (K-Cups), which are the perfect size for starting one or two seeds.

There is one non-negotiable rule with plastic containers: you must add drainage holes. Without drainage, water will pool at the bottom, starving the roots of oxygen and leading to fatal root rot. Use a drill, a hot nail, or the tip of a sharp knife to poke at least three or four holes in the bottom of each container. No exceptions.

Unlike biodegradable pots, these will last for many seasons. This is both a pro and a con. They are sturdy and won’t fall apart, but they require cleaning and storage at the end of the season. You also have to gently remove the seedling from the pot before planting, which can cause some minor root disturbance if you aren’t careful.

Clamshell Containers as Mini-Greenhouses

Those clear plastic "clamshell" containers that hold everything from salad greens to strawberries are some of the best free seed-starting tools available. Their design makes them a self-contained mini-greenhouse. The clear lid traps humidity and warmth, creating the perfect environment for seed germination without any extra effort.

The setup is simple. First, poke several drainage holes in the bottom half of the container. Next, fill it with your seed-starting mix and sow your seeds as you normally would. After watering, just close the lid. You may also want to poke one or two small ventilation holes in the lid to prevent the air from becoming too stagnant, which can encourage mold.

This system is incredibly efficient. It keeps the soil consistently moist, reducing how often you need to water. Once your seedlings have sprouted and developed their first true leaves, you can prop the lid open to start acclimating them to drier air. After a few days, you can remove the lid entirely, and you’re left with a sturdy, open-air tray of seedlings.

Winter Sowing with Repurposed Milk Jugs

For the hobby farmer with more patience than indoor space, winter sowing is a revolutionary technique. It’s perfect for hardy perennial herbs that benefit from a period of cold stratification, like oregano, thyme, lavender, and chives. You are essentially creating a mini-greenhouse that lives outside through the snow and cold, allowing seeds to sprout when nature tells them it’s time.

Take a translucent plastic milk or water jug and, using a sharp utility knife, cut it horizontally all the way around, stopping just short of the handle to create a hinge. Poke several drainage holes in the bottom. Fill the bottom half with about four inches of moist potting soil, sow your seeds, and then securely tape the jug closed with duct tape. Leave the cap off the top for ventilation.

Place the jug outside in a spot where it will get sun and rain, and then forget about it. Seriously. The freeze-thaw cycles will break the seeds’ dormancy, and when the weather warms in spring, you’ll have a jug full of robust, healthy seedlings that are already hardened off and ready for the garden. This method requires zero indoor lights, zero shelf space, and almost zero effort.

From DIY Tray to Garden: Hardening Off Tips

Getting a seed to sprout in your DIY container is only the first step. The most critical phase, and where many new gardeners fail, is the transition from a sheltered indoor environment to the harsh realities of the garden. This process is called "hardening off," and it’s not optional.

Hardening off is the process of gradually acclimating your tender seedlings to sunlight, wind, and temperature fluctuations. A plant that has spent its life indoors will get sunburned and wind-whipped if you just stick it in the ground. Start by placing your trays in a shady, protected spot outdoors for just an hour on the first day. Over the next week to ten days, gradually increase the time outside and the amount of direct sunlight they receive.

Your DIY container choice affects this final step. For biodegradable pots like newspaper or cardboard tubes, ensure the pot is thoroughly saturated with water before you put it in the ground; a dry paper pot can wick moisture away from the roots. When planting, gently tear the bottom of the pot to help the roots find their way out. For seedlings in plastic cups, gently squeeze the sides of the container to loosen the root ball and tip it out into your hand, being careful not to pull it by the stem.

Ultimately, the best seed starting tray is the one you have on hand. Don’t let a lack of fancy equipment stop you from growing your own herbs. By looking at your recycling with a gardener’s eye, you can start a thriving herb garden for pennies, saving your money for the things that really matter, like quality soil and seeds.