Start Seeds With a Kitchen Sponge
A clean kitchen sponge can make an excellent seed starter, especially if you’re short on pots or seed trays. Its ability to hold moisture creates a perfect environment for many seeds to germinate. Simply dampen a new, unused sponge and make several small slits across the top using a knife. Place one or two seeds into each slit, then set the sponge on a shallow plate or tray in a warm, bright location. Keep the sponge consistently moist, but avoid letting it sit in standing water.
Within days, many seeds will begin to sprout. Because the roots stay moist and are easy to see, it’s simple to monitor their progress. Once the seedlings have developed a few true leaves and healthy roots, gently remove them from the sponge and transplant them into soil.
It’s an inexpensive gardening trick that gives seeds an excellent start while making it easy to watch the entire germination process unfold.