Make Newspaper Pots for Plants

Making your own newspaper pot is quick, easy, and will make planting your seedlings in the garden even easier.

Items Needed:
Straight sided jar or rolling pin
Scissors
Wooden seed tray or plate
Newspaper
Damp soil or potting mix
Seeds

Instructions:
1. Cut or tear the newspaper into strips around eight inches by 5 inches (10 by 13 centimeters).

2. Wrap a few pieces of newspaper around the jar or rolling pin tightly. Leave an overlap of about two inches (5 centimeters) at the bottom.

3. Fold the extra newspaper around the base of the jar or rolling pin. Stamp it on a hard surface to settle the newspaper into its place. If using a glass jar be careful not to break it in the process, which would take some of the satisfaction out of this project.

4. Gently pull the jar or rolling pin out of your newspaper mold. Fold the top inch or so of newspaper inward to help stabilize the pot and keep it straight.

5. Repeat this process to create as many pots as you desire.

6. Fill your new newspaper pot with the damp soil or potting mix. Plant your seeds in the pot. After preparing all your seeds in the pots, place them on a plate or wooden seed tray. So that they stand up straight.

7. Keep the soil moist until the seedlings emerge. When the seedlings and the weather are ready for the seedlings to be planted, simply plant with the newspaper pots still intact.

This is a great way to reuse newspapers and add some extra nutrients to your soil at the same time. If you worry about the roots of your young seedling getting trapped in your newspaper pot, you do not have to. However, you can unfold the bottom of the newspaper pot if it will ease your mind about roots establishing themselves in your garden bed.