Newspaper seed pots?

[davaroo]

Okay, Ive tried the Origami Paper-Pot Boondoggle. Not so great, if you ask me.
I thought it would be cool: no tape, no staples, nothing but paper.

But by the time I fuddle through that exercise, I could make three of the rolled paper type.
In fact, I lined the first origami type with the hair I had pulled out of my head - trying to figure it out!

For those who recycle newsprint making seed pots, do you have any tips for streamlining the process?

PS Obsessed, I do like the toilet paper roll trick, by the way...

 

[obsessed]

Yes. I likey the toilet paper rolls.... but tell me what do you do with them after the germinate. I read that seed starting mix has no nutrients and so after the germinate I need to move them to a soil mixture. Is that what you do and if so when do you move them. And what do you water them with. You will totally slap me but I water them with the not so gentle water hose or kitchen sink. I attribute that to my low germination and frequent death after germination.

 

[dickiebird]

Yes. I likey the toilet paper rolls.... but tell me what do you do with them after the germinate. I read that seed starting mix has no nutrients and so after the germinate I need to move them to a soil mixture. Is that what you do and if so when do you move them. And what do you water them with. You will totally slap me but I water them with the not so gentle water hose or kitchen sink. I attribute that to my low germination and frequent death after germination.

I use a Miracle Grow soil mixture and leave them in it until they're hardened off, then plant them. Some that I started real early I transplanted into larger cups to keep them from getting root bound.
I keep my developing plants in trays and add water to the tray letting it wick up into plants.
If I feel a need to water from the top I poke some small holes in the bottom of a styrofoam cup and sprinkle from above.
I use small Dixie cup to start my smaller plant, as I tried the newspaper pot method and it was taking way too long for me to make as many pots as I needed. If you use these type cups you need to poke holes in the bottom for water entry.
I started about 300 plants in my back room this past spring using these methods.

THANX RICH

People say I'm getting crankier as I get older. That's not it. I just find I enjoy annoying people a lot more now. Especially younger people!!!

 

[davaroo]

Yes. I likey the toilet paper rolls.... but tell me what do you do with them after the germinate. I read that seed starting mix has no nutrients and so after the germinate I need to move them to a soil mixture. Is that what you do and if so when do you move them. And what do you water them with. You will totally slap me but I water them with the not so gentle water hose or kitchen sink. I attribute that to my low germination and frequent death after germination.

I use a Miracle Grow soil mixture and leave them in it until they're hardened off, then plant them. Some that I started real early I transplanted into larger cups to keep them from getting root bound.
I keep my developing plants in trays and add water to the tray letting it wick up into plants.
If I feel a need to water from the top I poke some small holes in the bottom of a styrofoam cup and sprinkle from above.
I use small Dixie cup to start my smaller plant, as I tried the newspaper pot method and it was taking way too long for me to make as many pots as I needed. If you use these type cups you need to poke holes in the bottom for water entry.
I started about 300 plants in my back room this past spring using these methods.

THANX RICH

People say I'm getting crankier as I get older. That's not it. I just find I enjoy annoying people a lot more now. Especially younger people!!!

I do much as Rich does. I use a seed starting mix of:

1 part sifted peat
1 part vermiculite
1 part sifted top soil
1/8 part slow release, 17-17-17 fertilizer

I normally use peat pots or lozenges, but I am just looking around for something else. I like re-purposing so the newspaper idea appeals. It is time consuming and fussy, though.

And it would take me long time to collect enough toilet paper rolls.

Currently, I'm trying seeding en masse, and pricking out into newspaper seed pots. I'm not really liking that too much, either. it's also a fussy process and I don't like fussy. Besides, Im worried it will disturb the tiny roots too much.

So the search goes on.

 

[obsessed]

I am seriously contimplating buying one of the fancy seed starting kits. Parks has one where you can do like sixty seeds. And that maybe easier than the doz or so soda bottle and chicken containers I have roaming around the house and yard. Maybe it might be easier to keep track. But I like reusing stuff.

Sometimes my DH will "clean the yard" and pick up the "trash". I don't like that so much.

What is en masse?

 

[vfem]

Yeah... I just cut down paper towel rolls instead! Slapping some peat moss into them and grew whatever! Most of the plants had to be repotted into peat pots though because the TP roll rotted before I could get them into the ground!

 

[vfem]

What is en masse?

Mass production... large amounts done.

 

[aquarose]

I made newspaper pots by wrapping folded newspaper around a beer bottle, folding up the bottom as well as I could, and securing the bottom and side with a small piece of gummed paper tape. The tape is made of paper so it will decompose.

 

[obsessed]

If you are planting en mass how do you separate those gentle little sprouts? I would assume you would need to separate them as soon as possible to the roots to intertwine.

 

[patandchickens]

My experiences with newspaper pots were unimpressive and I gave it up after a few years. (Mainly, the young plants just didn't seem to grow as well as in other containers, especially towards the end of their time in pots as they approached transplant time)

But I used to sit and make gazillions of them in the evening in front of the tv using, IIRC, a tomato paste can. It can really be pretty mindless and quick

As far as planting in flats and then pricking out to individual pots, some plants actively *benefit* from the root disturbance, and grow a better root system because of it. (Others, the opposite). So, it depends.

Pat