5 Ways to Make Seedling Pots ...

Although these aren’t biodegradable, they are the perfect size for getting seeds started. The shape of the cup makes it easy to get the seedling out when it needs to be transplanted in the garden as well. Give the sides of the yogurt cup a few squeezes and the dirt loosens right up.

My family goes through paper towels and toilet paper like it’s going out of style. This means we have a plethora of paper tubes at any given time. These can be cut down into tubes measuring 2 or 3 inches in height. In order to keep the dirt from falling out the bottom of the tube, wrap a coffee filter around the outside of the tube and secure with a piece of cotton string. You can always cut 4 slits in the bottom of the tube and fold it in to create a bottom as well, but this makes it harder for the roots to poke through to the dirt below after transplanting.

It’s tricky to keep a portion of the shell large enough to hold an adequate amount of dirt to start a seed in. However, it can be done. Make sure to poke hole in the bottom of the shell to allow drainage. Right before I place my egg shell seed pots in the ground, I use a spoon to crack the bottom a bit more. This makes it easier for the roots to get through the shell later on.

You can start seeds in a paper egg carton and leave all the individual cups together, but it will be more difficult to get the plants transplanted into the garden later. You will either have to de-wedge the soil from the cup or try to cut them apart from one another while they are full of dirt. I usually make a slit in the bottom with a knife before filling each cup with dirt. This allows drainage and an exit for the seedling’s roots.

Using newspaper to create biodegradable seed pots is by far the coolest method. You can make these any size you want and as thick as you wish. Take a full sheet of newspaper and cut it into 4 equal squares. Place an empty tomato paste or condensed milk can with the bottom of the can parallel to the edge of the sheet of paper. Roll the sheet around the can so you end up with a tall tube of newspaper around the entire can. Fold the top portion of the newspaper down inside the can and pull the can out of the bottom of the tube. With the open side of the tube facing up, use the closed end of the can and push it down inside the tube of paper. This will smash the portion of the newspaper that you previously tucked inside of the paper tube. Now you have a newspaper seed pot!

I hope you’ll be able to use some of these ideas to get your seedlings off to a good start. What have you used for seed pots in the past?

Top Photo Credit: freeformkatia