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Are you looking for biodegradable seed starting pots? I have an easy solution. Make your own seed starting pots from newspaper, and they’ll be no reason to purchase plastic.
You can quickly make dozens of seed starting pots, and the kids can get involved with this fun project.
DISCLOSURE: In order for me to pay my blogging expenses, I may receive monetary compensation for my endorsement and/or link to products mentioned on this blog. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What You’ll Need to Make Newspaper Pots
To get started with your project, you’ll need to collect:
- a stack of newspaper
- a juice glass or tomato paste can
- tape (I like masking tape which is made of paper)
- and a pair of scissors
Family Homesteading
I recently received a copy of Family Homesteading: The Ultimate Guide to Self-Sufficiency for the Whole Family by Teri Page. This fun book is full of all kinds of homesteading projects that kids can do.
I’ve followed Teri and her husband Brian’s homesteading journey for many years at Homesteading Honey. I admire, and completely agree with their philosophy of training their children to be skillful and capable, even at a young age.
Their two children have been involved with virtually every homesteading project they have undertaken. And Family Homesteading: The Ultimate Guide to Self-Sufficiency for the Whole Family helps the reader to see how doable homesteading is with children.
Seed starting pots from newspaper, like the ones I’ve made, are only one of the hundreds of projects you’ll find in the book. You’ll also find instructions and tips for:
- making butter in a mason jar
- canning with children
- backyard foraging
- cooking
- gardening
- caring for animals
- herbal wellness
- crafts like candle making and natural dyeing
- and even helping your child to start their own business
Making Your Own Seed Starting Pots
Begin by cutting each full sheet of newspaper into four. Then fold each square into thirds.
Roll the folded paper around a small juice glass so that about an inch or less of it overlaps the bottom of the glass. Fold this overlap down, and tape with a small piece of masking tape. The tape will eventually decompose right along with the newspaper.
Remove the pot and you are done; your newspaper pots are ready to be filled with seed starting mix, and seed. Here are some tips for seed starting.
To plant, simply place the newspaper right in the ground where it will quickly decompose. Be sure to cover all parts of the newspaper with soil when planting. Any newspaper that remains above ground may wick moisture from the soil.
To learn how to build a garden that builds healthy soil, be sure to check out my eBook The Art of Gardening: Building Your Soil. You really can become a better gardener, and you really can grow healthy, nourishing produce. It’s all about the soil! Click here to buy now.
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Thank you for visiting Learning And Yearning. May "the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Num 6:24-26
Jennifer Berentsen says
What a great way to recycle & garden!
Jennifer Brandon says
This is fantastic! Maybe I can actually participate this year in the process by doing this. It was helpful to know that it only took under an hour.
Thanks for the info!
Lois Welsch says
Such cute pots & such a cute you! Thanks, Susan! Great Idea !
Lois Welsch says
& Great Blog! (I don’t think I told you that yet)
learningandyearning says
You’re too sweet!!!!
Rosalyn says
Great post! I had actually requested a carved wooden thing called the NViroPotter for Christmas to do this specifically. I clicked on your post because I was going to show my sister, thinking “hey that woman has that little tool I wanted but didn’t get!” but then I saw you used a juice glass, which is even more awesome. I will definitely try it! I’ve been saving toilet paper and paper towel rolls for seed starting. 🙂
learningandyearning says
I think the toilet paper and paper towel rolls are a great idea! I’ve seen the wooden thing to which you are referring but I thought I could figure out a way to do the same thing without it. It’s really easy, too.
Sarah says
Rosalyn, I just planted a bunch of seeds using toilet paper rolls, but have found that the glue tends to come loose when I water them and they unravel. Make sure that you have the rolls packed tightly in a box or something to hold them together.
Rosalyn says
Hi! Thanks for the comment–I did plant my seeds in toilet paper rolls and I did notice a couple of them starting to unravel. Most of them are intact now, just because I packed them pretty tightly (one pumpkin seedling pushed the roll up and off as if it was taking off a sweater or something!). I’ve been meaning now to get some newspaper pots made so I can transplant some of the bigger seedlings into something with a bottom, so their roots don’t spread out around the rolls. That is another little drawback. But for the most part, they work pretty well. 🙂
Sarah says
That is my plan too. I need to transfer a few of my seedlings, and the paper pots seem to be the right size. I agree that the rolls worked pretty well. I did this as a project with my kindergarten class. The rolls were easier to use with them, but I intend to use the paper myself.
Jacky Luetschwager says
I’ve “hopped” over from Teach Me Tuesdays – great idea! Thanks for sharing! Blessings from Wisconsin.
learningandyearning says
Thanks for stopping by!!
Kristina @From City Corporate to Suburb Mama says
What a great idea!!
learningandyearning says
Thanks! Easy and free, too!
Athena at Minerva's Garden says
This is a good recycling idea–I may have to try it if I run out of pots this year! Thank you for posting.
learningandyearning says
You’re welcome! I no longer have to purchase pots; it’s great.
anne says
WONDERFUL! Thanks for sharing how to do this. I’m going to save the paper tomorrow!
🙂
learningandyearning says
Glad to help. Thanks for visiting!
Patty says
Terrific idea! – thank you for sharing. I linked onto your site from the Homestead Barn Hop. I do have a couple questions for you. Do you use regular potting soil to fill each of the cups? When you water them before transplanting, does the newspaper hold up well? I made about 30 of them tonight with today’s paper and was wondering how to use them now that they are sitting here waiting so patiently! Any more advice you can share would be wonderful. Glad to have found your site!
learningandyearning says
Hi! Glad you found us as well! Your questions are great. Rather than potting soil, I purchase a mix made specifically for starting seeds. These are generally soilless and are less prone to disease. A good garden center should be able to help you. I have found that the newspaper holds up just fine. By the time I am ready to set my plants out in the garden they have begun to decompose but are not falling apart.
Diana says
Good recycling! Last year I used toilet paper tubes cut into thirds and set in a tray as seed starting pots.
learningandyearning says
I haven’t tried that, but I think it is a fantastic idea!
Sherri K says
I use the toilet paper rolls as collars for the veggies to keep the cut worms away
Susan Vinskofski says
Great idea, Sherri!
Lexa says
Thanks for sharing your idea. Anything that we can do to re-use and recycle is terrific. Now we all want to see the terrific seedlings that you are going to grow in all of those little pots! Happy Spring!
learningandyearning says
I LOVE this time of year!!!!!
Tanya says
that is cool and dang it….it just threw out all the newspapers :/
Tanya says
“I” just threw out all the newspapers, not it!
learningandyearning says
If your house is like mine, there will be more in no time!!
Lisa @ Two Bears Farm says
This is such a great idea! And then you can just stick them right in the ground.
learningandyearning says
Yes, so easy, and free!
Nancy says
Excellent! free and biodegradable. Love this. Thank you so much for sharing at Rural Thursday Blog Hop — I’m sure everyone will love this tutorial. 🙂
learningandyearning says
Thanks, Nancy! Glad I found you and thanks for hosting Rural Thursday.
Tatjana Parkacheva says
A great idea!
Regards and best wishes
learningandyearning says
Thanks! Hope you have the opportunity to try it soon.
Katherine Atkinson says
Hi Susan, 🙂
What a great post! 🙂 I love that you’re recycling along with becoming more self-sufficient! Thank you for sharing it with Wildcrafting Wednesday. 🙂
~ Kathy
learningandyearning says
You are welcome! I love that we all can learn from each other.
Alana Jo says
Great idea!!!
learningandyearning says
Have fun making yours!
Sue Rine says
I think you’ll find you don’t even need the tape! 😎
learningandyearning says
My obsessiveness rebelled against those loose edges!! ha ha. Thanks for visiting!
Heidi- WWSF & My Simple Country Living blogs says
Hi Susan,
Thanks for sharing this great gardening tip on Farmgirl Friday. What a great idea in a pinch.
learningandyearning says
Glad you liked it!!!
Jami @ An Oregon Cottage says
Sure hopes this works for you better than it did for me when I tried it last year! The pots grew so much mold in our cool house that the seedlings were stunted. 🙁 I’m back to using my recycled plastic pots.
Glad you shared at the TGP and I really look forward to seeing more of your garden (and how those pots work) !
learningandyearning says
Oh, so sorry to hear that happened to you; I have not had this problem in the past. In a cool house you probably need a lot less water. Gardening is my passion!
Michele says
I abosolutely LOVE this idea!! Frugal, smart and a great way to recycle (: Thanks so much for sharing!
learningandyearning says
Glad to be of service!!! 🙂
Deb says
Hi and thanks for the tip- long story short, I’m preparing to work with our Keepers 4-H club on starting seeds for a butterfly garden project for our local library. I was looking for a way to recycle things we have “in our hand”….I’m excited about reading more. I also glanced at “Born-Again Dirt” and just made it my #1 item on my birthday wish list!!
We live in a lovely rural NC community – I have a heart for sharing God’s creation with others- we’re working on establishing a Monarch habitat/butterfly garden/ outdoor classroom at our library, so the timing for this is perfect!!
Blessings,
Deb
learningandyearning says
Hi Deb, your projects sound so wonderful! I was incredibly blessed by “Born-Again Dirt” and I hope you will be as well. If you are inclined, when you do decide to order, please click through my link. That way, I make a small percentage. I’m just trying to off set time I spend on my blog. Thanks for visiting!
Heather says
I have tried the toliet paper rolls last year. The theory is great, but they are not practical. The way they hold water (or don’t hold water) is the hardest part to keep up with. Once you get that figured out and you need to move things around they have no stability, they simply fall apart. They also can mold, so you really need to keep a fan going. I love to recycle and be thrifty, but in my opinion you should not waste your time with these methods, as well as the egg carton (not enough room,etc). Save your seed trays from year to year. Taking care to not crunch them, and wash and bleach with a 10% solution every season. I have had some for 5 years! I don’t want to offend anyones ideas, but I have tried first hand.
Susan says
Hi Heather, thanks for stopping by and sharing your experience. I’ve used the newspaper pots for several years and have had success. Perhaps you are overwatering, if you are having a mold problem.
Val says
Hello All- I used toilet paper rolls last year to transplant my aspargus that I started from seed. It worked out really well since I left the TP roll up about 1/2 above the soil. It made it easy to water them (water pooled inside) and easy to find them. I’ll have to see how they look once the snow melts- they will be 1 year old and ready to transplant from the nursery bed to the permanent bed. I’ll use this method since I ran out of tp rolls last year. I’ve got some ornamental grass seeds in a 1 lb fresh green mix plastic box in tp rolls. These packages make excellent little green houses. I save all of mine and raid the recycle trash of my local organic restaurant for their plastic containers with covers. With tp rolls holding the baby grass plants I will not pull them up with the regular weeding.
Rose says
I like this idea, but I too was thinking they may collapse when wet. I might try and few and see how they work. If not for seeds I may find another use for this little trick. Thanks. 🙂
Amy says
Popped over from Tilly’s nest. Love the post!
Lisa Lynn says
Great idea! Found this on Clever Chicks and would love to have you join The HomeAcre Hop on Thursdays at:
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com
Lisa Lynn says
I never seem to have enough newspaper to do this. Hmmm, I will have to search for paper that is being tossed out. Thanks for sharing this on The HomeAcre Hop!!! Can’t wait to see what you share this coming Thursday 🙂 Here’s the super easy link to the next hop!
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/the-homeacre-hop-8.html
If you haven’t checked out Wildcrafing Wednesday yet, please do! 🙂 It’s a hop I co-host for herbal remedies, natural living, real food recipes, and self sufficient living. Here’s the link for tomorrow’s hop:
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/wildcrafting-wednesday-10.html
Melissa says
I love this idea since I am trying to garden this year without spending more than I will save! (Although healthy and handy veggies are a reward in themselves, being frugal about it makes it even better!) here is my question: can anyone tell me why it is important to start with small seed-starting pots and continue to transplant into bigger sizes until they are ready to transplant outside?
Susan says
Well, I don’t. Since seedlings are generally in their pots for only 6 – 8 weeks, I don’t find the need to transplant.
Lisa Lynn says
Hi Susan! I’m featuring this post on The HomeAcre Hop! Yes, I know…that’s 2 posts being featured today 🙂 Because they are so great I want to share them!
Susan says
How cool is that!!!!!
Linda says
I saw this post a few years ago and it’s still great! I’d love to have you share this at What to do Weekends Party also. It’s the perfect time of year for this. In fact, I’m going to start my seeds in these myself! Love ’em. Take care, Linda
http://www.craftsalamode.com/2013/02/what-to-do-weekends-8.html
Lisa Cox says
What a great idea. I used the cardboard egg cartons to start mine in this year. This is my first year of starting seeds for a real outdoor garden, instead of just doing container gardening.
Holly Day says
Thank you so much for sharing this great tip – this will greatly help me since I more often than not forget to buy such pots (those that are environmentally friendly of course) and end up with having to use plastic pots. I hate that. Moreover with newspaper I think I use recycled stuff that is biodegradable. Am I right? Wrong?
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Holly! Yes, the newspaper pots are biodegradable.
cath says
Great idea. Just remember to avoid using the shiny, colored newspaper pages, which are toxic.
Audra says
This is a great idea. I just did a blog post on how to use toilet paper rolls (and I fold the bottom not glue them and they are working well). I have a question though. How does the paper hold up under regular waterings?
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Audra, the paper has held up just fine for me; the only problem I have ever experienced is that if I over water, it molds.
Kristel Wiesner says
I’ve tried the paper pots a couple times and got mold each time. I see your warning about over watering and will watch that. I used potting soil instead of a seed starting mixture and wondered if that also increased the likelihood for mold.
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Kristel, I tend to be an overwaterer myself, and that’s the only time I get mold. I know that it’s not recommended to use potting soil to start seeds, but I’ve not used it myself to know if that could be part of your problem.
Judith says
This is my first time starting seeds and I used toilet paper rolls as well as these newspaper pots. I got a mold problem within a few days. Is it pretty much an over-watering issue? I am very new at this – how much do new seeds need to be watered? Thanks so much for your help! I am learning (and yearning) so much! 🙂
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Judith, yay for you for taking the step to start your own seeds! Yes, mold is caused by over-watering. The soil needs to be kept moist, but the paper pot itself should be on the dry side. If you go to a local garden center, they should have an inexpensive moisture meter to help you monitor the moisture if you are having trouble. Like this: http://amzn.to/10ZFj4u.
jimmy earl says
What about the printing ink bleaching out on the roots. Any danger?
Susan Vinskofski says
Jimmy, only use newspaper with black ink – these are soy based and safe to use. Just be sure to avoid newspaper with colored ink.
Jackie Matson says
I just use the weight of the wet soil in the starter instead of tape. I certainly don’t want to pick bits of plastic and adhesive out of my garden soil, let alone think of what nasties it’s putting in my soil/veggies! ew!
Susan Vinskofski says
The tape I use is made of paper; no nasties!
google says
Good web site you have got here.. It’s hard to find excellent writing like yours nowadays.
I truly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Madison says
I did this today while watching Grey’s Anatomy. It was so easy and I used leftover ads from work : ) I love that I can just plant them in their containers!
Ahmed says
Can I use any other types of paper to avoid the risk of ink leaching into the soil? Or newspapers have Special specs?
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi, Ahmed, newspaper ink is soy-based and is safe for gardens. Just don’t use any shiny, colored sections. Brown paper bag paper would make a great alternative. Thanks for stopping by!
Elna@YoNature says
My brother gave me a bunch of biodegradable plastic starting pots but I’m not too keen on using them. These newspaper ones are way better. Will definitely make them. Thanks for sharing Susan.
Cheers, Elna
Susan Vinskofski says
You’re welcome!!!