Newspaper Seedling Pots
Making your own seedling pots, is an easy and inexpensive way to reduce your carbon footprint.
Make your own biodegradable seedling pots.
When you're ready to start sowing, stand the open-ended cylinders upright inside a planting tray or flat, fill each with seed-starting mix, then plant your seeds. When it's time to transplant, place the pots right in the garden, the paper will decompose. Be sure to cover the entire paper pot with soil, so that the paper doesn't act as a wick, drawing moisture away from the seedling roots.
Before planting your new plants take the time to reflect on the following;
Plant in the late afternoon where possible.
This will give your plant a chance to get settled before the sun of a new day. During summer its good to provide a little more shade for a few weeks until established. Erect a temporary shade, cloth or move a hardy pot plant in front.
Find a place appropriate to your plant.
Think about the most extreme weather your plant is going to have to contend with; (frosts, wind, heat, sun, shade) and decide on the best for the plant. Southern customers may wait until spring to plant our subtropical grown plants.
Dig a hole at least double the size of the root ball making sure the sides of the hole are not glazed.
Sometimes, especially if holes are mechanically dug, the holes can become so glazed it is almost like planting your plant in a pot. Take the time to break the sides up so the plant can easily extend its roots.
A good potting mix with great compost = happy plants.
Take a moment longer to get a good mix designed for your plant. Make your own compost. There is nothing better for your plants than compost.
Mulch and mulch and mulch.
Use it to insulate your plant from weeds, increase water retention. Mulch breaks down and making it the perfect slow-release natural fertilizer.
Water well.
Water deeply less often, rather than less water more often. When watering give a sprinkle – let it soak, then come back and really water well. This allows the water to soak deep down - overcoming hydrophobic soils. Or water directly in the root zone, via buried irrigation pipe, etc.
Make your own biodegradable seedling pots.
- Simply spread open a standard sheet of black-and-white newspaper
- Lay a 1¼ -inch-diameter dowel along one edge of the paper
- Roll the paper and dowel one turn
- Dab a small amount of flour and water paste on the rolled portion of the paper.
When you're ready to start sowing, stand the open-ended cylinders upright inside a planting tray or flat, fill each with seed-starting mix, then plant your seeds. When it's time to transplant, place the pots right in the garden, the paper will decompose. Be sure to cover the entire paper pot with soil, so that the paper doesn't act as a wick, drawing moisture away from the seedling roots.
Before planting your new plants take the time to reflect on the following;
Plant in the late afternoon where possible.
This will give your plant a chance to get settled before the sun of a new day. During summer its good to provide a little more shade for a few weeks until established. Erect a temporary shade, cloth or move a hardy pot plant in front.
Find a place appropriate to your plant.
Think about the most extreme weather your plant is going to have to contend with; (frosts, wind, heat, sun, shade) and decide on the best for the plant. Southern customers may wait until spring to plant our subtropical grown plants.
Dig a hole at least double the size of the root ball making sure the sides of the hole are not glazed.
Sometimes, especially if holes are mechanically dug, the holes can become so glazed it is almost like planting your plant in a pot. Take the time to break the sides up so the plant can easily extend its roots.
A good potting mix with great compost = happy plants.
Take a moment longer to get a good mix designed for your plant. Make your own compost. There is nothing better for your plants than compost.
Mulch and mulch and mulch.
Use it to insulate your plant from weeds, increase water retention. Mulch breaks down and making it the perfect slow-release natural fertilizer.
Water well.
Water deeply less often, rather than less water more often. When watering give a sprinkle – let it soak, then come back and really water well. This allows the water to soak deep down - overcoming hydrophobic soils. Or water directly in the root zone, via buried irrigation pipe, etc.
