Super Seed Starting Containers

After years of experimenting, I've found the perfect containers for starting seeds. Grapes, strawberries, and tomatoes are sometimes packaged in small plastic boxes. These are excellent homes for germinating seeds.

They have holes for drainage in the bottom.  I use a layer of broken clay flowerpot pieces, bits of styrofoam packing peanuts or little twigs first to prevent the potting mix from washing through the holes.

The lids can be closed to hold in moisture and offer a bit of protection from wind, and heavy rain, The lids have air holes providing some ventilation.

            Fancy sunflower seeds popping up. How is it that seedlings are so clean?

These containers can be easily stacked. Sometimes if garden - table space is limited, I put the newly planted containers  on the bottom, close the lids, and place the ones with sprouted seeds on the top of them. Water will trickle down through the drainage - holes in the upper containers into the bottom ones. This helps water them, but I still check them every day to be sure the potting soil is moist enough. Of course, once the seeds in the bottom containers sprout,they need more direct light.