Okay, so I caved and my husband bought me a Keurig coffee maker for my birthday in October. I love it, but, being that I am big on recycling and not to mention... the Environmental Committee Chairperson for the school district PTA, I don't like the fact that the k-cups are one time use. Between the kids having iced tea, hot chocolate, and hot cider, and my husband and I using 3-4 k-cups a day, we have created alot of waste. NOT ANYMORE!! The K-cups are the perfect size for starting seeds for my garden!! I thought about it, Googled it, and found that I am not alone in my thinking. Gardeners everywhere are doing it. So I figured I might as well blog about it.
What you need are used K-cups, a pair of scissors, and pellet tray refills. The Keurig already punches a hole in the bottom of the k-cup so you have drainage. Use the scissor, or your fingers, to pull the foil off of the k-cup. Scoop out the coffee grounds, being careful not to tear the paper filter inside, and add them to your compost pile.
Place the peat pellet into the k-cup with the opening or depression side up. If you have many k-cups to use, open and clean them all out first for a more streamlined process.
Once you have all of your k-cups filled, place them into a container to hold them and add water. Let them set for about 20 minutes while the peat moss re hydrates.
Using a pencil, make a hole in the center of the pellet and place the seeds, I usually put 2 or 3 as not every seed germinates. You can also use a sharpie to write on the k-cup so that you know what is planted in it. Place the k-cups in a sunny area and be sure not to let them dry out. When the weather permits, and your seedlings are ready, transplant into your garden!!
