How to make newspaper pots

     It is great to make your own pots. They are biodegradable, free to make (you most likely already have all the materials you need) and your plants will not have transplant shock. All you need to do is plant the pot into the ground and let the worms eat it up. Well, lets get started! You need the following:

  • newspaper
  • scissors to cut the newspaper
  • any 15oz can (or any other size, depending on how big you want your pot to be)
  • very shallow dish to put the pots on (I use the Styrofoam trays you get when you buy veg at the store)

You can read below or watch a video

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Cut the newspaper into strips about as tall as the can, with a couple of extra inches at one end for the bottom. Start rolling one page of the newspaper.

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Roll the newspaper around the can a couple of times, do not do it too tight, because you will have to remove the can and it would be difficult if you rolled it too tight.

Fold in the overhanging ends, creating four folds as shown below.

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Your pot is basically ready, invert the can and press hard to secure the bottom.

20130216145250(11)Gently remove the can by holding the bottom of the pot and pulling  the can from the top.

Here you have a biodegradable, free and fun to make pot for your plants! Just do not forget to place a plastic shallow container underneath your pot to catch the excess liquid when you water your plants.

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Here are my pepper plants happily enjoying their environmentally friendly temporary houses (you can learn how to start your peppers from seeds here).  In the left lower corner of the picture, you can see smaller pots housing collards. Aren’t they cute little plants?

Try this fun way of making pots and let me know what plants found homes in them.

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Starting eggplants, tomatoes and peppers from seeds.

The method below describes a very good way to start tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. This is a tried and true method; been doing this for years and it gives the best results.

1. Sow seeds close to each other in a shallow container (about 2 inches deep). Add soil to Start Seeds Peppers 2013just cover the seeds. Keep moist and warm.

2. When seeds germinate, place in a warm sunny location, keep moist but do not over water.

3. After the first true leaves appear, choose the best plants and gently transplant into individual containers (learn how to make biodegradable newspaper pots).  Place the plants as deep into the soil as the first leaves – the stem will grow roots.

4. Transplant into the garden when soil is warm and there is no more frost expected. For peppers and eggplants, dig a hole large enough to hold the container. Cover the hole and a little bit of the stem with soil (the paper pot will biodegrade quickly). For tomatoes try the best method for growing tomatoes.