Newspaper Pots for Starting Seeds: A fun project

Do you have a stack of old newspapers that you’ve already read and now don’t know what to do with? Instead of taking them to recycle, a great option is to use them as newspaper seed pots, which are perfect for starting seeds. Growing plants indoors is a wonderful option when the weather outside is cold or during the winter months.

I love gardening and everything related to home gardening. I enjoy seeing green plants indoors as well as the plants outside in the garden. I also love sowing my own seeds, the excitement when the plants appear, and watching them develop and grow. I used to have so many seeds that the problem arose: where to plant them, and where to find enough space for them to grow? And beyond that—how to find the time to take care of them!

Money Saving for Gardeners

Reusing materials you already have at home is a great way for a home gardener to save money. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also reduce the amount of waste you throw away or take to the recycling bin or center.

Materials You Can Reuse to Make Homemade Pots

There are number of ways to reuse materials for pots, here are some of them:

• Full sheet of newspaper
• Toilet paper rolls
• Glass jars
• Egg cartons
• Small cans
• Milk cartons
• Muffin pans

Another easy alternative is to buy peat pots, seed-starting pots or seed trays. It can be convenient to have both—make your own and buy pre-made pots. That way, you won’t have to make everything from scratch or figure out ways to sow all the seeds you want to plant. I usually make some pots from this list and also reuse old plastic pots that I have in my greenhouse.

Likewise, any cylindrical object, in different sizes, can be used for growing your own seeds, as long as it’s safe to use. I personally prefer using materials that are as natural as possible, since these plants will later provide food for our mouths.

How to Fold the Newspaper into Newspaper Seedling Pots

1. The first step is to lay a full sheet of newspaper on a flat surface.

2. The next step is to fold the newspaper in half lengthwise so it’s about half as wide.

3. Take one end of the newspaper and fold it over about 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) to form the base of your pot. This will create a sturdy bottom for holding soil. Make sure the fold is sharp and secure.

4. Now, take the folded end of the newspaper and start rolling it up tightly around a cylindrical object (like a glass or a can). The object will give your pot shape and keep it even. Roll it all the way up.

5. Once you have rolled the paper up, the edge of the newspaper will be sticking out. Tuck this edge under the roll to secure it. If needed, you can use a piece of tape to hold the paper in place.

6. Fold the top edge of the rolled-up newspaper over by about 0,5 inch (1.5 cm), creating a neat, folded lip around the top of the pot. This will help give the pot a cleaner look and provide extra support for the plant. Fold it twice for extra stability.

7. The last step is to place the pot in a waterproof tray or on a surface where it can sit securely. Fill the pot with soil, then gently place your plant or seedling into the pot. Press the soil down lightly to pack it around the plant. Water your plant as usual.

A waterproof tray will ensure the plants get enough water and prevent the table from getting ruined. You also need to be careful not to water the plant too much, as this can cause the newspaper to become moldy, while still making sure the plant gets the water it needs.

Using Egg Cartons for Homemade Pots

The great thing about egg cartons is that they are ready to use once you have removed the eggs. You simply fill the bowls with soil, sow your seeds—one in each bowl—and water them. Remember to place something underneath if you don’t want the water to damage the surface under the egg carton. The disadvantage, however, is that the bowls are small, and the plants have limited space for their root systems. This means you’ll eventually need to move the plants to larger pots (after a couple of weeks) to allow them to grow properly.

Using Milk Cartons for Your Young Seedlings

This is one of my favorites. I’ve used many milk cartons to get a head start on cultivating in my garden, both indoors and outdoors. Here’s how you can create your own milk carton planter:

1. Drink up your milk (cow’s milk or plant-based milk).
2. Clean the carton by rinsing it with water.
3. Cut the carton in half, or if you are cultivating tomato seeds, cut it 3/4 of the way up, which helps the stem grow tall without bending. Tomato plants need support, so milk cartons are perfect for this purpose.
4. Make drainage holes by cutting small holes in each corner of the bottom of the carton.
5. Fill the milk carton with potting soil up to 3/4 of the way.
6. Plant the seeds, depending on what you’re sowing. I usually sow 3-4 seeds in the the milk carton. You can also plant only one seed, especially if it’s a fast-growing seed. But, of course, it depends on what you’re sowing. For example, when sowing pumpkin seeds, I will only plant one seed per milk carton, as they grow quickly and become very large.
7. Cover the seeds with fresh soil, but avoid filling the carton to the top so the soil doesn’t spill over when you water the seeds.
8. Water gently and frequently.
9. When the plant seeds appear above the soil, place the plant under a grow light if you don’t have enough sunlight on a windowsill. The plant will need plenty of sunlight or grow light to grow sturdy and strong. 

Using Glass Jars for Seed Starting

As the growing season approaches, you may want to use whatever you have in your house to start your cultivation, including a glass jar! While I don’t recommend using glass jars regularly, since they make it difficult to remove the plant and you can’t place it directly into trays, it can still be beautiful and educational to grow in glass jars. It’s especially fun for children, as they can watch the plant and the root system grow at the bottom of the jar. Just be careful not to overwater, as the jar doesn’t have drainage holes at the bottom of the glass. If you haven’t tried it, it can be a fun experiment and a valuable learning experience. You can use either a large or small jar, depending on what you have available at home. Also, when you see that the roots of your plants need more space, you can transfer them to a bigger pot that will give the plant more room to grow.