My Garden ~ making paper pots for transplanting seedlings « My Garden ~ this Kiwi gardener's gone travelling

My Garden ~ making paper pots for transplanting seedlings

Years ago, an elderly neighbour showed me how he transplanted seedlings into the garden in paper pots that he’d made. There was, he claimed, less shock to the root system. The young plant is established in the paper pot with seedling mix before being transplanted into the garden. I leave a cuff to act as a mini-barrier from the wind.

Fold one sheet of newspaper to make an organic seedling planter.

Interleave one edge into opposite fold to form a cylindrical shape

Press inner fold down to form base

Outer view of finished base

Fold top 1/3 inside pot

Finished seedling paper pot ready to fill.

Zucchini seedling sown about 10 days ago in moistened paper pot. Leave space to act as a cuff to protect the young plant.

The same neighbour also spread seeds onto dampened paper strips. He covered the seeds with another strip of dampened paper. He then laid the seeded paper on damp seedling mix.

February 13, 2007 - Posted by Jenny | Uncategorized | Conservation, Gardening, Organic vegetable growing, Permaculture, Sustainable Living, Vegetables | 8 Comments

8 Comments »

Thank you for the step by step instructions!

It is getting closer to the time I will be putting seeds from last year’s garden to work growing. I will try your method out!

Comment by in2l | February 14, 2007 | Reply
Do you transplant the whole thing pot and all? I have used this method before. I also use toilet roll tubes in the same way

Comment by dibnah | February 14, 2007 | Reply
I transplant paper pot and all. I agree toilet roll tubes work in the same way. A 500ml milk carton with its top opened and base cut off is also useful.

Comment by jennylitchfield | February 14, 2007 | Reply
I’ve tried this before Jenny but couldnt get it to work, now using toilet roll tubes instead.
Thanks for the instructions im gonna give it ago, as I read more papers than I use toilet rolls!

Thanks for the great tip!
Beener.

Comment by allotmentjunkies | February 22, 2007 | Reply
There is a commercial product for making pots out of newspaper. A “homemade” version would involve a jam jar, just rolling some paper round a jar, tucking the bottom to make a base. I find that toilet rolls are a bit thick and go mouldy quicker.
You plant the whole thing in the ground. Newspaper printer ink is a lot more environmentally friendly these days.
The laying of seeds between sheets of newspaper remind me of “seed tapes”. Use say flour&water to make a paste – stick this on some paper and then evenly spread out your seeds. Then, when you want to sow out, place the paper on the ground and deal with as normal. You can cut the paper into strips if you grow more in rows than “beds”.

Comment by multiveg | March 26, 2007 | Reply
Hi, Multiveg. I haven’t heard of using the flour and water paste before and will defnitely try it when I next sow seeds for our winter veges.
Thanks for the idea.
Cheers, Jenny.

Comment by jennylitchfield | March 27, 2007 | Reply
loved the reminder of the paper pots. remembered when my grandmother made them thank you from chicago,il.

Comment by FRANCES CARDENAS | March 19, 2008 | Reply
[...] initially making paper pots I suggest experimenting with different sizes, methods and materials to see what works best for you; [...]

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