From the page: The newspaper still has plenty of stories to tell
Idea 5
Seedling pots for the garden
Before plastic trays existed, Germanic farmers already started seedlings in peat and paper pots, planting everything together into the soil. The newspaper protects the fragile root and, being cellulose, breaks down on its own in the soil within a few weeks.
What you need
- Newspaper sheets (black and white only, no colored ink)
- A glass or can as a mold
- Soil or light seed-starting mix
- Seeds
- A shallow tray for support
- Sprayed water
How to make it
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1
Cut the newspaper sheets in half and fold each into strips about 10 cm wide — the layered fold gives the pot firmness.
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2
Roll the strip around the glass, leaving paper hanging over the bottom, and fold the excess to form the base, like wrapping a present.
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3
Remove it from the mold and press the base firmly — no gluing needed: the moisture of the soil holds the shape on its own.
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4
Fill with moist seed-starting mix, plant 2 to 3 seeds per pot and spritz with water — the sprayer keeps the paper from falling apart.
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5
Place the little pots on the tray, which holds the drained moisture and allows watering from below, encouraging roots to grow downward.
Finishing touches
when the seedling has two true leaves, plant the whole pot straight into the garden — no transplant stress, and the paper becomes organic matter.
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