Why Are People Putting Soaked Egg Cartons In Their Planters & Should You Try It?

There are plenty of clever gardening hacks floating around TikTok, each one aiming to either solve a problem or make taking care of your plants easier. One such anecdotal hack is to put soaked egg cartons in planters. This not only helps you reuse waste that would end up in a landfill but can also solve a few common gardening issues. Some people soak the cartons in water and then place them on top of the dirt, helping drip water into the soil slowly. Others use it to line the bottom of their pots, blocking the dirt from spilling out of the drainage holes. But are these worthwhile to do? According to our expert, it depends on which hack you use. While cardboard egg cartons have their place in garden care, not all hacks are created equally.

For instance, using them as DIY seed starters is extremely helpful. "Using cardboard egg cartons to start seeds is a great idea. They are biodegradable, and the seedlings can be planted directly in the ground in the egg carton," Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, The Houseplant Guru, exclusively tells House Digest. "But I feel there could be problems using them in planters to retain moisture." Here is a closer look at why you shouldn't use them on top of your planters to retain moisture or to line your containers to keep dirt from spilling out. 

At first glance, it seems like a pretty solid idea to use a cardboard egg carton to water your plants. It acts like a slow-release sponge on top of your soil, retaining water and slowly releasing it over the course of a few hours after you water your garden bed or planter. But according to Lisa Eldred Steinkopf, it's not a good idea. Maybe the first time you soak the cartons and put them on the soil, it could be beneficial, but for the next watering, the carton would compete for moisture with the plant. "If the egg carton was not completely buried in the potting mix and any part of it was sticking out, it would act as a wick and draw water away from the potting mix, and the plant would dry out faster," she exclusively tells House Digest.

That's because you will water the carton along with the soil, which will soak up the water that was supposed to flow to the plant. It's an extra middle-man that isn't necessary. On top of that, it can make watering container plants confusing because you're not sure how much water they're getting or when to rewater them again. "I would not use egg cartons or ANY water-retaining substances in my houseplant potting mix. Inside, watering can already be confusing for some people. Adding egg cartons would completely change how watering would be done and how often," Steinkopf explains. Because of this, it's best to skip this hack.

We get it — moving around planters can become a messy business. Even though the plants are neatly contained, the drainage holes allow dirt and organic material to escape, littering soil all over your window ledges, display tables, and patios. Because of this, you might be tempted to line the bottom of your planter with some sort of material so the dirt can't escape. But since using non-porous material will trap the water in the pot and increase your chance of root rot (making it one of the biggest mistakes you can make with your container garden,) you might think using something breathable like a paper product can be a safer alternative — however, Lisa Eldred Steinkopf advises against it. "The egg cartons are too thick to allow water to drain freely," she exclusively tells House Digest. "The pot would eventually drain, but the water may have sat around the roots for too long, causing them to suffocate."

So what can you use instead? Don't worry; you don't have to put up with dirt-strewn ledges and patios. Instead, use a product specifically made to solve this issue. "Using a piece of window screen would be more helpful as it would allow the water to drain freely and keep the potting mix in," she suggests. If you have an old screen you don't know what to do with, cut it to size and pop it into the bottom of your planter. But if you don't have one handy, you can buy a pot screen, such as Uncle Daves Pot Screens.