Seed starting in Newspaper Pots

Last fall I harvested some marigold and cardinal climber seeds and will be starting them inside today along with some lemon cucumbers, nasturtiums and squash. The starter trays are available at almost any garden department and very affordable but if you don't want the expense of the trays you can make your own pots out of newspaper. Very easy to do and all you need is a newspaper and a cylinder shaped object. I am using a soup can.

To start, you take your newspaper length wise and tear it in half. Place the newspaper on the table and then lay the can half way across the paper toward the end. Roll the paper over the can and continue rolling until the end of the strip.

Place the can on end with the excess newspaper on top. Fold in the excess paper one side at a time so it covers the bottom of the can. Press down on the paper around the edge to give it a crease and then pull the newspaper off while keeping the shape of the pot. If you like, you can tape the bottom to secure the shape. Place your pots on a tray to catch run off water. I used an aluminum foil oven tray.

 You can place the whole thing in the garden when transplanting. Newspaper is biodegradable and will compost right in your garden, however I do recommend opening the bottom when transplanting so the roots can get a better start.

Happy Gardening!