How to make seed-starting growing pots from newsprint

Do you still have last Sunday’s House + Home section? It could serve a dual-purpose: Its cover story, “Looking to spring and starting from seed,” is an instruction guide on growing seedlings, and the newsprint itself can be made into a biodegradable pot for them.

As an alternative to expensive peat pots or plastic containers, try this idea, courtesy of the California Garden Clubs’ Kids Growing Strong program. Some color inks contain metals that may harm foliage, so choose the black-and-white sections over the colorful inserts.

You need a page of black-and-white newspaper, a half-liter plastic water bottle and tape (cellophane or masking work fine). Cut a 5-inch strip of newspaper lengthwise (that’s about 22 inches long).

Use the bottle as a mold. Place the bottle sideways on the sheet with about 11/2 inches of paper extending past the bottom of the bottle. Roll the newsprint around the bottle into a cylinder. Secure the end with a little tape.

Fold the edge over the bottle bottom and secure with tape. Slide the newspaper off the bottle and you have a 31/2-inch-tall pot. Fill with potting mix and plant a seed. Place pot in a tray or saucer and add water.

When ready to transplant in the garden, you can put the whole pot in the ground. The newspaper will dissolve, just like the peat pot.

This story was originally published March 6, 2015 at 6:00 AM with the headline "How to make seed-starting growing pots from newsprint."