Egg carton cells as cheap seed starters?

OK, I might be nuts but... has anyone put soil in cardboard egg carton compartments to start plants? I was just putting one in to recycle and thought - Ahaaa! Is this an old practice that lots of people do or is an obviously stupid thing that nobody does. This is going to be my first year of serious "starting from seed" - and I'm trying to figure out the best solutions.

Can these be planted with the seedlings with tender roots (like nasturtiums)? Do dyes matter? I have a pink carton as well as a couple of gray ones.

Any feedback? :)

Either the polystyrene or cardboard egg boxes can be used as cells. The cardboard egg boxes have the added bonus that you can plant it with the plantlet in the ground.

If you do plant the cardboard cell with plantlet in the ground it's best if you make a rip in both sides so the roots don't struggle to get out in to the surrounding soil.

With the poly type egg boxes you will need to make a drainage hole in the bottom of each cell

I have tried, and they aren't very good. They are so small, and dry quickly..

Why don't you sow nastrutiums directly outside? I do, and they grow just fine. I usually sow them in April.

I've not used them myself, but I have heard of lots of folks using them, maybe I will try them this year too.

I have used them, but usually the plant out grows the cell before its large enough to transplant outside. You have to transplant twice.

Paul

Decades ago when I first started some tomato seedlings, I used the egg container to hold up egg shells (hole in bottom) which I used as small pots. Must have got this idea from something I read then. I remember having beginner's luck, the tomatoes were very impressive, and I was trying to give away grocery bags full of tomatoes afterwards. I haven't really done this since, but am considering it again.

i used them-not so good plants really didnt have the root growth they needed.
I used the lid as the watering tray underneath the egg trays-put some holes in the bottom of each egg cell. They dont really hold alot of soil!