Homemade Seed-starting Pots

Tags

environmentally friendly, gardening, newspaper pots, seed starting

So, every year I get spring fever and go drooling and slavering over the seedlings at the nursery, co-op, and local hardware store (s). I just can’t stop myself. There’s always that moment where I have to tell myself that the mortgage matters and the bank won’t care how great the garden is. They need to have a Gardener’s Anonymous. It would probably sound a lot like NA at first …. “I started with just a little pot, you know? I thought it was no big deal …..”

Anyway, the price of 4 inch pot sized starts adds up really fast at 2 to 4 dollars a pop. And buying starter pots is pricier than it needs to be as well, not to mention that they’re made of plastic and I really don’t want to contribute to that mess. Some years back before the market crash I read on a European blog about making starter pots from newspaper. Back then everyone here in the US seemed to think they had to buy a disposable plastic seed tray to ‘do it right’ rather than paper and cookie sheets. I’m happy to say I’ve found a lot of frugal and environmentally friendly websites have blossomed since then. 🙂
So here is my contribution to the electronic peer pressure saying you can second-guess the marketing pressure, save some dollars, be a self-sufficient DIYer and be all crafty and stuff.
Some sources out there start you out with pretty big pieces of newsprint,  but I found that about a 6-8″ strip is plenty big enough, and easy to tear by hand lengthwise. Use whatever size can works for you. I also used a stapler and tape, though some people just fold the bottoms under and fill them immediately.

Then wrap around a can, leaving 2 or 3 inches hanging off the bottom.

Foldy fold under like wrapping presents.

Slap a piece of tape on that flap if you like, or not, if you’re going to fill it immediately, 

I also stapled the flap on the side.

And tada!

I did all these while binging on Call the Midwife. You can’t cry, though, or you’ll smear newsprint on your face and end up looking like a chimney sweep…. hmmmm. Mary Poppins, anyone?

When you plant you can leave them on the start and just open the bottom for the roots if you like, or remove and compost them. Have fun!