This YouTube video tutorial by Home and Garden proves that building your very own garden isn’t a tough task to accomplish even if you are a novice gardener. The eggshell herb planting method makes everything much easier. What’s awesome about eggshells is that they’re compostable, letting you plant the entire shell once the herbs have sprouted.

Another great thing about growing herbs in eggshells is that you can closely monitor the amount of water and sunshine that your plants are getting. Eggshells work wonders as seed starters, and they naturally break down when transplanted into soil, providing adequate nourishment to your herbs.

The first thing you need to do is to choose the seeds that would be easy to grow even when you place your eggshells indoors – Home and Garden goes for large basil leaves. That egg tray looks quite a beautiful windowsill garden for your kitchen, making it easy to grab some fresh sprigs whenever you need.

To work up your DIY herb garden, you are going to need some eggs, some potting mix, a seed packet, a misting bottle, a thick needle or sharp tool, and some sunshine.

Build Your Very Own DIY Herb Garden

(Video and pictures via Home & Garden)

You begin by slicing off the top of eggs using a sharp knife and pouring the contents out, saving them for later use. The eggshells are rinsed properly, further air-dried in their carton. To allow for a proper drainage system in the eggshells, puncture a tiny hole in the base of each shell using a needle.

Once you thoroughly mist the eggshells with water, add potting soil into the shells using a small spoon. Next, grab the basil seeds and plant them in the soil according to the instructions mentioned on the package. Put a few seeds in each eggshell and rake the soil over them with your fingers, further gently misting with water.

Place the tiny egg planter carton on a bright and sunny windowsill, while making sure you regularly water them with a spray bottle, waiting for basil to sprout. Just in case, you didn’t make drainage holes in the eggshells, make sure you don’t overwater them to avoid the rotting of roots. Mist the soil only when it’s dry to the touch.

Once the seeds start developing tiny leaves, all you need to do is plant the complete eggshells into separate pots. Break the shells a little to speed up the process of decomposition and hide them inside the soil, with the leaves and stems popping out. The shells will gradually disintegrate in the soil and offer nutrients to your plants.

Place the new planters in a sunny spot, spritzing with water when dry. Head to the video to learn the easy steps of working up your tiny herb garden.