Making your own pot (that's seed pots)

[Damian Jay]

Making & using your own paper pot's ?

This is really an aside from a comment made by BigMally on another thread which got me thinking.
The original thread is here: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...uestion-2.html

I've read a lot about using pages from books *shudder at the very idea!* / news papers / loo paper etc for making pots. I've also seen quite a few decent Youtube videos showing how to make them.

If you use or have used this method I'd really be interested in how well you found it works (or doesn't) and your general thoughts, insights, opinions and musings too.

I really like the idea of this, and have even made a few out of curiosity ... wait for it ..... BUT! :

1 - how long do these 'pots' last?
2 - Do they not go mouldy?
3 - Do they fall apart due to being wet? (especially the loo paper ones)

So class, if you're all ready - discuss please :-)

[Elfeda]

Would be interested to see any one used then and tips.

I have not tried them before but planning to sow beans, courgettes and gourds and any else if run out of modules, They should last for the purpose. but to keep/support them securely in a tray.

[Guest]

I have used loo roll inners and yes they did go furry and in the gaps between them in the tray grew long leggy fungi. Would I use them again - yep! I was also given some paper pot plants and yes they were soggy and fragile but the end result was happy healthy plants

[veggiechicken]

Here's a few threads about them
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ker_77333.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ots_73209.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ots_70682.html
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ots_55836.html

[rustylady]

They are meant to disintegrate - you plant out plant, pot and all, and the "pot" disintegrates so the roots can grow into the soil

[Kristen]

1 - how long do these 'pots' last?

I've used them for Sweet Peas sown in December and planted out, I guess, in March.

Regularly use them for things like Sweetcorn which must be a couple of months from sowing to planting.

2 - Do they not go mouldy?

Yes. It doesn't matter

3 - Do they fall apart due to being wet?

Yes. Bit of a problem if they are jam-packet into a tray and the plants are left longer than expected. I've had sweetcorn roots grow between the pots and have to be somewhat yanked apart for planting - not exactly "no root disturbance"! but the plants did just fine.

Given that they are only Newspaper their robustness was a surprise to me. You can roll the paper more times around the Aerosol can (or whatever template you are using) to make a more robust pot. I'm too lazy, I use tabloid size newspaper (double sheet) and roll that around a tall aerosol can (relatively skinny, I am after more height than I am diameter) and I reckon it goes round 2-and-a-bit times.

Some pictures of how I do it on my Blog:
https://kgarden.wordpress.com/tips/h...rom-newspaper/

[Martin H]

Like Kristen, I do my sweet peas in newspaper cylinders. I make mine a bit thinner though. Here's how I do it: https://haddersm.wordpress.com/2014/...oon-be-spring/

That was three months ago and they haven't disintegrated yet. In fact they normally stay intact until planted out around Easter.

[Kristen]

I do my sweet peas in newspaper cylinders

Interesting. Might you sacrifice some height by tucking the paper in at the bottom, which would stop the compost falling out and make them easier to fill?

(There may be an advantage to a cylinder, but I'm not seeing it - sorry!)

[Martin H]

Interesting. Might you sacrifice some height by tucking the paper in at the bottom, which would stop the compost falling out and make them easier to fill?

(There may be an advantage to a cylinder, but I'm not seeing it - sorry!)

I've always done them this way, not entirely sure why... I've got the hang of filling them, it's a lot easier with multipurpose than it was with the JI number 1 that I used to use. I guess I thought the roots can find their way out into the soil more easily. But the roots are always spreading around the bottom of the seed tray with them in by the time I plant them, I guess it's the same if the pot has a bottom.

[Damian Jay]

Wow, lots of methods in play as to how to make the pots. I'm leaning more towards the rolling the paper round something as it looks easier and quicker than the origami method.

Thank you as well for all your links to blogs showing how you make and use the pots. Muchly appreciated.
Ton's of useful information in the posts that VeggieChicken has kindly posted, so thank you VC :-)

I'm leaning towards making the paper pots for starting my French Beans, peas and cucamelons and seeing how that goes.

Could I use the paper pots also for Broad Beans, Brussel Sprouts, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Leeks, Cabbage and Cauliflower ?

[sparrow100]

You can use them for anything IMO. I use them for sweetcorn mostly and make them by rolling around a beer bottle. The concave bottom is perfect for tucking the ends in to make a base. They are well on the way to being rotted when they go out, but they do disappear in the soil very quickly.

I wouldn't use them for leeks, but that's because I do mine the traditional way, dropped up to their armpits in a hold in the ground and the pots would make that hard to do.

Mine are all made from either the Evening Standard or the Metro as they are in ample supply for a London commuter, if not the best journalism ever.

[Bren In Pots]

I start most seedling of in newspaper pots apart from leeks, carrots and parsnips.

[arpoet]

I made and used paper pots for years with little problem.. but a couple of years ago a found about 150 plastic pots (in a skip) and those black trays that garden centers use, so now Roger has no need to make paper pots, but i still use loo roll centres for beans. Peas i grow in old guttering.

[Noosner]

Very interesting. I tried it with loo roll tubes and kitchen towel tubes a couple of years ago and got put off when the leggy fungi appeared. But if that doesn't matter, then it doesn't matter... I will try again. Making paper pots sounds good fun and looks space-saving, which is quite an issue for me.

[Yasai]

I tried making sqaure newspaper pots and cylindrical ones and also tried loo roll. I definitely prefer the cylindrical ones. Once you find something suitable to roll the paper around, you're sorted. You can make loads in just a few minutes. I didn't use tape; just rolled it and kinda tucked the paper in at the bottom (as Kristen suggested) and also folded over about half a centimetre at the top to reinforce it. It was a bit of trial and error at the start but got there in the end. The roots find their way out just fine... I left my beetroot growing in them too long and they became one big tangled mess at the base of the container they were stood in.