turn newspaper into pot

[crebourret]

has anybody tried newspapers to make a bio-degradable planter or pot?
I've made several tonight and was planning to fill them up tomorrow, but then realized that maybe i should ask if anybody has successfully used them. I've just starting a vegetable garden in my brand new allotment, I've never grown vegetables in my life, so i want to start right... i don't want to use peat seedling pot (or whatever its name is, because we are suppose to cut the use of peat, and coir, well is just too expensive for me. what are your thoughts?

[Andy Hamilton]

Hello Crebourret and welcome to the site, hope you enjoy it.

I take it you have read the article on the main site?

I will be honest and say that I only heard about newspaper pots a month ago. I have made one and tested it out. It was fine and stayed together even after watering and is still holding together.

I did do a fair bit of research before I wrote the article, so I read a fair bit about others using them. You have to be very careful with overwatering as the pot looks like it could simply fall apart. It is worth bunching them together on a tray as they will support each other. some people also tie a bit of string around them for extra support.

other than that use them as you would normal pots, make sure you know how big the seedlings have to be before planting out and ensure that the pots are big enough to hold what you are growing.

[crebourret]

thanks for your reply,
because last night i only had colored newspapers i used paper made of 100% of recyclable paper ( not white ) instead of newspaper? will it decompose as easily as newspaper?

[Andy Hamilton]

the kit that you can buy uses normal paper rather than newspaper, so it should be fine. Some people use toilet roll tubes to do the same thing these are going to take a lot longer to break down than just paper will, so again you should have no problem.

Let us know how you get on with everything

[judyofthewoods]

the important thing is to reduce surface evaporation, so close packing in a tray, or with a band of polythene around the outside should prevent them drying out. You will probably get some tiny fungal growth on them (as with toilet rolls), but its supposed to be harmless I read.

[diver]

after reading the article on the front page I have made pots from newspaper.....the free ones that come through the front door and annoy me as I never read them.....the pots work well...I have them bunched up together in an old ice cream container( like other news papers saved for me by my friend who considers me crackers! ).....I haven't planted them in the ground yet but lots of people on my lottie use toilet roll holders.....I'd definitly give it a go, and you can make them different sizes by using jars of different diameters

[Andy Hamilton]

after reading the article on the front page I have made pots from newspaper.....the free ones that come through the front door and annoy me as I never read them.....the pots work well...I have them bunched up together in an old ice cream container( like other news papers saved for me by my friend who considers me crackers! ).....I haven't planted them in the ground yet but lots of people on my lottie use toilet roll holders.....I'd definitly give it a go, and you can make them different sizes by using jars of different diameters

Once I saw them I thought, what a good idea and HAD to write about them. So simple too.

[FluffyMuppet]

I have made and used paper pots and they work just fine. When you plant them, making sure they're damp will help them to break down more quickly. And I have read that you should make sure all the paper is buried, otherwise it can act as a wick and make the soil dry out around the roots.

My pots did suffer from some fungal growth, but I water my seedlings with a dilute solution of chamomile tea, and that kills off the fungus nicely.

[Mandyz]

My pots did suffer from some fungal growth, but I water my seedlings with a dilute solution of chamomile tea, and that kills off the fungus nicely.

That's useful to know.
I just made some newspaper pots a couple days ago. That was one of the first pages I read at ssish.com (after something about some herbs) and the reason I signed on here at the forum.

I used some elastics that were kicking around and covered the pots with the bottom of a 2L pop bottle (fortunately left over from a party bc we generally do not drink that much pop). I used some plastic lids for underneath so I can move the pots and protect my table.
See (thumbnail)

[jacobnlynn]

I totally don't understand the directions when they say "tuck"... and I can't make out the picture either. I've got a newpaper folded into thirds... looked like a good height... rolled it... couldn't figure out "tuck" so I tried stapling... but I don't know how to get the bottom on it now. If anybody could shed some light on the subject email me at englishlopswyoming@yahoo.com I want to get a lot of tomato plants started and I can make good sized pots with the newspapers by the looks of it. I'm excited to get them made... but I can't figure out "tuck". Thanks! Pictures welcome... I have high-speed internet at work. ~Lynn~

[wulf]

You'll have to make do with word-pictures, but this is my method:

1. Take a sheet of newspaper and a suitably sized 'form': I've got some small, straight sided glasses that work really well with our free local newspaper.

2. Placing the form near the bottom of the page (a whole sheet spread out in front of you as if you were reading it), protruding a little way past the end (this is what you're going to hold to pull the form out of the pot). Roll from one side to the other, forming a cylinder of paper round the form, and stand upright.

3. Starting from the seam (which is the first bit to need locking in to place), gently folding the cylinder inside your form. You're breaking the strength of the paper enough to fold the top of the cylinder down inside itself but not so that it becomes too weak to support the soil you're going to place inside.

4. Once you've worked all the way round, tamp down the paper in the bottom of the form - you can use your fingers but you might find a suitably shaped tool to make this easier.

5. Finally, slide the finished pot off the form. It should hold in shape because the paper doesn't have enough spring to break out of the way it has been folded back on itself. The pot should be reasonably robust, although is probably better kept in a tray supported with other pots as it will be weaker when watered.

Wulf

ps. I haven't tried it but I wonder if it might help to put soil in before sliding off the form? That might give it a stronger structure, although you could end up making it too tight to easily remove!

[Mandyz]

When I recently made my newpaper pots I also used a plastic lid underneath (because I do not have them in a tray) to support them. I wouldn't want to lift up my pots by their side alone. But I did find that as I was adding the soil, this helped the newspaper on the bottom to stay against the side.
I also used some elastic rope (leftover from gift wrapping and store plants) and elastic to tie around near the base.

Hmm, I really don't understand step 3 below - which is of course the crucial step for forming the pot. Circling your folded paper (I used thirds as well) around a form is the simple and obvious part.

So, for my pots, once I'd "measured" the size of my pots around my form (which was also going to be the cover for seedlings, so it needed to fit inside well) I made sure that the top edge was the fully folded edge, then shimmied the extra length of the newspaper into the circle from below.

This step is certainly hard to explain. I didn't get it in the original picture instructions on the site, and I don't understand the step 3 below, and I'm sure my own description doesn't make much sense to others...
I think the solution is that you have to figure it out for yourself. It should be fairly self-evident how you can best tuck the paper into itself to strengthen the pot. It takes some fiddling around the first few times. It's definitely awkward. Obviously the more you can tuck into the circle the stronger the pot will be. But the more you have to tuck in, the more difficult it is to tuck. lol

[oddballdave]

has anybody tried newspapers to make a bio-degradable planter or pot?
<snip>
what are your thoughts?

Yes, I regularly make newspaper pots.
Get a good book on BASIC origami.
Make square boxes.
They fit into a tray so much easier.
Use double thickness of paper for a stronger box.

Dave

[ina]

Hi Dave

You'll be the competition for the other Daves on this forum then, who are probably just as "oddball" as you call yourself!
Anyway, welcome to the forum.

Your idea with the square pots is very good - origami, why didn't I think of that!!! I use square everything if I can (square storage jars in cupboards, for example), to save space. Especially with the seedling pots I seem to run out of space in not time whatsoever; my windowsills are only so long...

Right, to the library and get an Origami book!

[Mandyz]

Duh, square. Why didn't I think of that. I used to make all sorts of origami!
Still, I like that my round pots hold my round domes...
But I'll definitely use squares for a tray!

Mandyz