Gardener shares genius tip for reusing common household trash: 'I love doing this'

Spring has sprung in the northern hemisphere, and that means it's time to get out in the garden if you have one. One savvy home gardener shared how to upcycle common kitchen trash into a perfect way to start seeds. 

Anna Bynum (@annagbynum) is a beginner homesteader sharing their family's journey on TikTok. In one clip, they showed a money-saving way they start seeding using old egg cartons. 

In the short video, Anna can be seen gently placing seeds into several cartons that have been filled with dirt. They appear to have separated the top from the bottom to have even more space for seeds. The creator gently dumps seeds into their palm and then uses tweezers to carefully place each seed. 

This hack is a great way to turn your kitchen trash into gardening treasure. Homesteading has gained popularity in recent years as the cost of living has risen. 

Homesteading is a method of self-sufficiency that can range from simply having a small garden and a couple of chickens to creating a whole little farm. And while it won't be cheap to get everything up and running, producing your own food can lead to long-term cost savings. 

HGTV wrote on homesteading, reporting, "U.S. consumers spent over 11% of their disposable income on food. … Imagine how much money you could save by producing even a portion of your food at home."

In addition to saving money, gardening and homesteading can also reduce your environmental impact. 

The food production system creates a lot of pollution, as much of our mass-produced food has to travel thousands of miles to get to your plate. According to one study out of the U.K., "transporting food within and around the country produces 109 million tonnes of CO2e annually: that's 26% of our total greenhouse gas emissions."

Working to reduce how far your food has to travel helps your wallet and the planet. TikTokers were happy to see this hack, with many people doing something similar. 

One person commented, "This is such a good idea! I love any opportunity to upcycle for seedlings!"

How often will you be gardening this summer? Every day 🥗 At least once a week 🥕 At least once a month 🌱 I don't garden 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"I love doing this," added someone else.

Another person wrote, "I did this and also fruit containers; the plastic ones work as well!!"

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