It's always fun to see the resourcefulness of gardeners, at our annual plant swap. They plant in yogurt cups, egg trays, toilet paper rolls, juice boxes and ice cream cartons. One guy I knew had an obvious soft spot for a certain fast food chili; dozens of his seedlings were in their used paper bowls. Well you don't have to clean out the fridge to get your seeds started on the cheap.
Many years ago, my father and I decided to try our hands at making newspaper pots. It worked out really well, except for a handful of seedlings whose roots grew out the bottom and got intertwined. Paper pots are easy to make with materials you already have on hand and the pots will decompose quickly in the garden. Nothing to store. Interested?
Here's a paper pot video that will walk you through the steps. Then print out Amy Jeanroy's how-to and get started making your own paper pots.
Photo: © Marie Iannotti
Comments
I made paper pots this year. Worked out great. I didn’t have enough newspaper so I used used computer paper(cut in half longways) and that worked really nice as well. In fact they were even sturdier that the newspaper ones. And all degradeable so they can be put in the ground pot and all.
I forgot that you had mentioned computer paper in the Forum. I use double or triple sheets of newspaper when I make pots, otherwise they fall apart before they’re ready to be planted. So I can appreciate the extra heft of computer paper.
I still have an old box of dot matrix paper with the perforated sides. I think it’s discolored from sitting so long. I bet it would make great pots!
I don’t see why the old tractor feed paper wouldn’t work. I had to double the newspaper up too.