This Empty Kitchen Staple Will Make The Perfect DIY Flower Pot

When it comes to being able to reuse kitchen containers, few things are as versatile as a cardboard egg carton. Not only can you use a leftover egg carton as a bird feeder or to light a charcoal grill, but egg cartons are also commonly used as seed trays when starting plants indoors in the spring. Despite popular belief, cardboard egg cartons are actually not recyclable even though they are biodegradable. Because of this, finding a way to reuse your cardboard egg cartons is a great way to help the environment. However, if you already have a bird feeder, don't have a charcoal grill, and don't want to start any plants from seeds this year, then what can you do with all your used egg cartons to prevent them from ending up in a landfill?

One unique option is to use them to make DIY flower pots which is not only fun but also super easy — and all you need is leftover egg cartons, glue, water, and a mold. For the mold, you can choose to use a large plastic bowl or a flower pot you already have. This activity is fun to do alone, but is also great for kids and can help keep them entertained while getting them interested in gardening and sustainability.

To make your DIY flower pot, the first thing you need to do is grab your used cardboard egg cartons and rip them up into small pieces. Next, go ahead and soak the pieces in a bowl of water until they are soft. This can take anywhere from a few hours to overnight. Once the egg carton pieces are ready, you can put them into a blender and then blend until smooth. If you don't want to use your blender, you can also knead the wet cardboard with your hands until it forms a paste. After you have a pulpy paste, you should strain or squeeze out any excess water.

Once this is done, go ahead and put the cardboard pulp to a separate bowl and then mix in around three to four tablespoons of glue. To make this project even more environmentally friendly, you can also make your own glue by cooking down a half cup of flour and two cups of water. Now that you have your paper clay, it's time to mold your pot. Using a bowl or flower pot of your desired shape and size, go ahead and cover it in an even layer of your paper mixture. Then, set it outside to dry for three to four days and you will have the perfect biodegradable flower pot. Now, all you have left to do is poke a few drainage holes in the bottom.