Well, I made my own newspaper pats and used them to start peppers and
tomatoes, however after moving a few peppers into plastic pots at the
1-inch size, I noticed that the ones left in paper did not grow anymore.
They sort of turned a little bit yellow, but didn't die. They're now all
in plastic pots awaiting garden life in about 10 days, and the little guys
are starting to look more green. Has this happened to anyone else? The
tomatoes didn't seem as uncomfortable in newspaper.
Jenny
Calgary
Zone 3
Jenny:
I noticed the same thing, and I also transplanted tomatoes and peppers in
plastic pots. However some flower seedlings are doing well in their paper
pots.
Colette
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----Colette Tremblay
Recherches en sciences de la vie et de la sante
Pavillon Charles-Eugene-Marchand
Universite Laval Quebec QC
Canada G1K 7P4
Tel: (418) 656-2893
Fax: (418) 656-7176
Email: coltremb@rsvs.ulaval.ca
I made paper pots of plain brown paper bags, and of newspaper and noticed
the plants in paper didn't do as well as the others. I popped half an
eggshell in the bottom of each pot then filled with my starter mix. I was
going to put things directly in the garden, and then cover for protection,
but it was way too cold for that this year. Instead, I potted everything up
to leftover yogurt cups, the tomatoes seemed to recover, but peppers never
did. The basil never grew anymore, but didn't look bad. Probably a
temperature thing. Of those three plants, one died a day or so after
transplanting to the garden, one looks iffy after two weeks, the other is
catching up to the store-bought starts.
I used an empty spice jar to shape the pots, but had a hard time getting
them to stay that shape. Finally resorted to paper mache'-- Bad idea!
About half the paper mache' ones had a horrible mold problem and got buried
in the compost heap.
I thought, from just seeing the picture in the catalog of the
newspaper-pot-making gadget, that wet paper alone would do it, but that
didn't hold the shape. Can anybody give me some advice for next time
around?
, I noticed that the ones left in paper did not grow anymore.
Karen LM
klm@nando.net
Durham, NC
Zone 7b
Definition of expert:
"ex" is a has-been, and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure! --L. M. Rhodes
____________________________________________________________
A bit late but nevertheless. I start almost everything in hand made paper
pots, about 2 inches in diameter. If I leave tomatoes and peppers in the
paper pots past the first true leaf stage, there are usually two to three
seedlings in each paper cup, they stop growing. I pot them up individually
into plastic yogurt cups and then into 4" pots. They keep growing along
nicely that way, but most have stopped growing now, about a week or two too
early. So next year I'll know to start them a week or two later. Either that
or invest in six inch pots.
I don't find it is a matter of the paper pots that stunts the growth as the
size of the pots.
I've got a few people saving me the individual size yogurt tubs for next
year. the paper pots work well for me, but by the time I've made about 200
it gets awfully tedious, and I start putting off getting seeds started
because I can't stand the thought of making any more pots.
sph
ghidra@synapse.net
"This will do, said the bunyip to himself. "No one can see me here.
I can be as handsome as I like."
I used paper pots for the first time this year, and won't next year. I
had the sickest looking tomato plants ever. Those I planted have
recuperated nicely, but I wasn't so sure. I always have plants to give
to friends and family, but I wasn't about to give these out. The paper
was recycled and the ink is soy...I'll go back to my recycled plastic
pots and ABS containers. Vicki, zone 5, mid-missouri
Kelli:
I would be very interested in the directions for these pots. If it's not
too much trouble could you post them, or send them to me privately, please.?
TIA
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof - Psalm 24:1
Cheralyn
Zone 6 in Boise Idaho
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hello, Kelli! Newspaper pots work very well as long as they're kept moist.
They are much sturdier than I expected. I've noticed that even the finest
roots go right on through the paper (mine are 3 layers also).
Don't remove paper when transplanting. You'll damage roots. The point of
growing them in the newspaper pots in the first place is to *avoid* root
disturbance. I do tear off the bit that might extend above the soil line
after transplant.
I don't glue mine or punch holes in them. They hold together well enough
for my purposes without glue, and the bottom which is scrunched together
has a bit of a hole in the center already the way I make them.
The only problem I have with them is that it's hard on my hands to make the
quanitity I need.
An alternative that works well for me is paper cups (8 oz and 12 oz). I use
an awl to punch several holes in the bottoms and holes all over the sides
(air for roots) about 2 inches apart. Can punch several cups at a time
easily. Paper cups can be had in large packages quite inexpensively. Their
tall size allows a nice root system to develop. I *do* peel the paper cups
off before transplanting.
Hope this helps!
Sherry (earth@teleport.com)
http://www.teleport.com/~earth/ http://www.teleport.com/~earth/soap/
SHERRY'S GREENHOUSE WORLD WISE SOAP
I've just made up a few dozen newspaper pots because I can't afford to go
on buying peat pots for seedling transplants. Will I have any trouble
with the roots getting through? Will they work as well as peat pots? Do I
need to remove any of the paper when I transplant? I got my instructions
from an old magazine--the pots I made have about three layers of
newspaper by the time they're fully rolled and glued.. I cut 4 holes in
the bottom of each. Any experience with these?
TIA
Kelli the Gardening Librarian
Why is everyone so quiet today?
HOL Kelli Perkins wrote:
Not if you plant them where there are earthworms! Earthworms LOVE
newspaper. I put in a new potato cylinder thing by putting down several
layers of newspaper, putting a hardware fence cylinder on it then
partially filling it with composted wood chips, grass clippings and a
bucket of worm culture. A few days later my wife suggested a MUCH BETTER
place for it, when I got down to the newspaper it was almost gone!
There was about 20 Full opened pages there but I only found a little
around the edge. Hungry worms! Now if only my little red potatoes would
put out sprouts so I could plant them.
---
The Image Mill
Complete Graphics and WEB Service
Featuring GIF89a Animations
http://www.TheImageMill.com
In a message dated 97-03-26 20:20:08 EST, you write:
<< Any experience with these? >>
I used home made newspaper pots last year, along with several others. I
thought the newspaper pots didn't work as well as the ABS system from Parks.
The plants in the newspaper pots did not thrive as well as the same plant in
another pot. Also, I had a mold/fungus problem witt the soil. All the
newspaper pots developed some type of fungus/mold on the top of the soil as
well as the bottom outside of the pots.
Toni
Hello Kelli:
I've vaguely heard of using newspaper pots before, and would like to try
them this year; how do you make them? Any way you could post the
instructions? Thanks!
Karen in zone 5
HOL Kelli Perkins wrote:
Hi Karen--
The pots couldn't be easier to make. You take a few sheets of newspaper
and lay them out flat, then cut strips about 2-3 inches wide the full
length of the paper (crossing the center fold). How wide your strips are
depends on how big you want your pots and what type of cup or bottle you
use to roll them. I found a kids plastic drinking cup that was just the
right size, but first had to experiment with some different items. You
can use cans for larger pots, canning jars, etc., but what you need is
something that doesn't flare out from the bottom, but has relatively
straight walls. Simply place the cup on one end of a strip and roll til
you come to the other end. I use a smidge of glue to attach the end and
bottom, but some say you don't even need that. Then tip your cup bottom
end up and fold the pot in like you were wrapping the end of a present.
You can either leave a hole in the middle of the bottom, or snip a few
around the edges. I experimented until I was happy with mine, and made
about fifty in no time flat.
I am a little concerned because Toni said she had fungus problems with
them. I am using sterile seed starting mix in them, but I'm going to have
to wait and see if I get into trouble as the spring progresses.
Good Luck,
Kelli
Thanks Kelli! That's my project for today!!
Karen
Karen H. Van Houten wrote:
Hi Kelli:
Could you also post to me too. I'm a long way off needing them since we
are now well into Autumn (Fall). However, if I don't ask now I am bound
to forget, next spring, who had all the information.
TIA
--
Jim Greene,
Paisley Place, Roxburgh 9156,Central Otago, New Zealand. Ilene & I spent
today, Good Friday, spreading good layers of compost & mulch over our
gardens. A lovely warm day & we feel really pleased with what we were
abe to achieve. I'll bet the worms do too.
< < 1. Garden pots of all sizes can be made from newspapers. Typically
they last one season or are used for transplants. > >
How is this done?
Lynne
Thanks so much, Lee Ann. I had thought I would experiment but you've made it
easy. I'll be trying it in the next few days.
Pat from Phoenix where we finally got rain - and rain - and rain. CA keeps
sending those storms
I saw this on HGTV last weekend and tried it. It's very easy.
Cut lengths of newspaper about 6 inches wide, from top to bottom.
Take a single strip and wrap it around the outside of a drinking
glass sized to whatever size you want the pot to be.
Tuck in the bottom, then place the newspaper pot in a tray or
some other container that can hold a number of them.
Fill with soil and plant, then water well from the bottom.
They can be planted pot and all outside in the spring.
Lee Ann
Pat asked:
I wondered about that problem too. So far (one week into my attempt
with this method) so good. I made 8 of them and packed them against
each other in a high-sided tray. That way they have support from
each other. You probably don't want to be picking them up and shifting
them when they are soggy.
I'll report back to the list if mine sog/sag apart....
Lee Ann
Perhaps if you make them pretty thick- how about dipping each in water and
let them dry, isn't that how they make paper mache?
Pat
Maybe I'm imagining this, but wasn't this discussed on the list last year =
and several people found the paper pots easily fell apart after several =
waterings. Just something to consider.
Penny
> Lee Ann Reiners
I saw this on HGTV last weekend and tried it. It's very easy.
Cut lengths of newspaper about 6 inches wide, from top to bottom.
Take a single strip and wrap it around the outside of a drinking
glass sized to whatever size you want the pot to be.
Tuck in the bottom, then place the newspaper pot in a tray or
some other container that can hold a number of them.
Fill with soil and plant, then water well from the bottom.
They can be planted pot and all outside in the spring.
Lee Ann
Pat asked:
> There is also a technique for making pots out of newspapers. I know a =
gadget
> is sold for this in at least one of the garden catalogs but I wonder if =
one
> Perhaps if you make them pretty thick- how about dipping each in
> water and
> let them dry, isn't that how they make paper mache?
> Pat
paper mache includes flour or diluted glue as a binder.
Erin in
Austin
zone 8
The Pot Maker, using newspaper, is a very pretty maple thingy, almost an
ornament. Designed and patented by Mr. Richter. I use mine every
spring. The trick is to pack them in a container and water them en mass
until the roots start developing.
The trick with starting sweet peas indoors is to make newspaper tubes by
rolling paper around a pencil. Don't pinch off the bottom. put some
potting medium in each tube, pop in the sweet pea, cover with potting
medium and ... bob's your uncle. When you transplant them into the
garden, plant them tube aand all. This I have done a couple of years
when we had a really late wet cold spring and the ones planted outside
rotted.
Ginny
Sorry Penny,
Didn't read your message properly.
Umm...I planted the peas here 3 weeks ago. As soon as they germinated,
moved them to 50 degree garage still under lights. Trying to get strong
root growth, not top growth. Water from the bottom. I pour v. weak
miracle grow into bottom of container. It wicks up from the bottom.
So, I guess a total of 4 or 5 weeks prior to setting out. I've started
mine too early according to others in the allotment. In Ont. used to
plant pea seeds about 24 April, plant pea seeds out around May 1 or so.
Hope this helps.
Ginny
Haven't made it since I was a kid, but don't they use flour as a glue???
Penny
> Pat
Perhaps if you make them pretty thick- how about dipping each in water =
and
let them dry, isn't that how they make paper mache?
Pat
This may sound stupdid Ginny, but how soon before planting out did you =
start them inside? The idea sounds great as long as they don't grow too =
much before being able to transplant.
Penny
> Virginia Prins
The Pot Maker, using newspaper, is a very pretty maple thingy, almost an
ornament. Designed and patented by Mr. Richter. I use mine every
spring. The trick is to pack them in a container and water them en mass
until the roots start developing.
The trick with starting sweet peas indoors is to make newspaper tubes by
rolling paper around a pencil. Don't pinch off the bottom. put some
potting medium in each tube, pop in the sweet pea, cover with potting
medium and ... bob's your uncle. When you transplant them into the
garden, plant them tube aand all. This I have done a couple of years
when we had a really late wet cold spring and the ones planted outside
rotted.
Ginny
According to the instructions on HGTV, you have to put the newspaper
pots into a tray that will support them--they sort of honeycomb with
each other and don't sag that way. You have to bottom-water, and make
sure you check them each day to see that the soil stays moist.
Lee Ann
Daniel,
When you have made the pots, put them all in a container together. then
fill them with the potting medium and seeds and THEN water. Don't take
the little newspaper pots out to handle them one at a time - or they
will collapse in your hand. Wait until they are full or roots or until
you are ready to set them out in the garden.
Cheers and good luck
Ginny
Can it withstand watering ? paper tend to absorb water and loose it
strength.
or do we've to damp the media before we put it into the pot ?
Thanks,
Daniel S - Indonesia, equatorial tropic
There are many ways to do it. I think the folding methods are too
tedious and we use a can or other cylinder. A strip of newspaper
is rolled on the can with overlap on one side. This overlap is folded
and mashed on the counter to form the pot bottom. The can is removed
and volla(sp?) instant pot.
The life of the pot depends upon how thick you make the rolled paper. If
you want to get fancy dip the pot in colored water and let it dry. Various
natural dyes work as does koolade. Mostly this is useful to color code
pots for easy identification of plants.
This makes a good project for kids. Real old kids and real young kids
can make a grand mess, all the while worrying those in charge of the
laundry.
----------
Jeff Owens (kowens@teleport.com) Zone 6-7 Permaculture
Underground house, solar energy, reduced consumption, no TV
Years ago we picked up thousands of pots from a greenhouse grower when he
went out of business and they're beginning to disintegrate this year.
We're considering getting a plug maker -the molds that make various sized
soil blocks but they're quite expensive and we're not sure how well they
hold their shape. Anybody out there have block makers? Are they worth it?
Sudoa Farm, Notch Hill, BC
awarren@jetstream.net
I bought a block maker last year and I love it. The soil blocks hold their
shape, but the medium (I use commercial peat-based growing medium) has to
be wetter than usual when they are made. At first they are a little fragile
(this is more critical with large seeds that have to be pushed into the
block to be at the correct planting depth), but soon the roots hold the
cubes together very well. The advantages are: very easy to water from the
bottom, no more multi-celled inserts to wash :-), the seedlings really grow
well- specially the roots, and transplant shock is inexistent. The initial
investment is high. but block makers are very sturdy and they should last
for years. I have only the larger one, and I don't feel the small ones are
necessary for home gardeners.
I had tried newspaper pots before, but growth was not as vigourous: maybe
my local newspaper still uses toxic ink?
Colette
Quebec Canada
Zone 4b
|\ _,,,~~~,,_
/, .-'`' -. ;-;;,_
|,4- ) )-,_. ,\ ( `'-'
'-~~''(_/--' `-'\_)
I bought a soil-block maker from Henry Fields' seed catalog in 1994. It
creates about 6 blocks, each roughly 2 inches on a side, at one time. The
device is very stoutly made. The metal is thick and the spring mechanism is
tight. (You work it by pushing the device straight down into a pile of soil
mixture and then lifting the device, full of plugged soil, straight up. The
spring is in the handle and lets you generate stronger pulling tension for
the withdrawal movement.)
I didn't find it very satisfactory, though, probably because my homemade
soil mixture didn't hold together terribly well. I blame myself for this,
not the tool. Simply adding more water to the mixture *might* help, but I
suspect it would not cure the problem. Rather, a goopy mixture wouldn't
hold its sides flat and would tend to stick to the tool instead of coming
out cleanly.
This is probably one of those gadgets that sound like a great idea but don't
really work all that wonderfully....
--Janet
I've got a small hand machine to make 8 2inch blocks at a time. Works fine
but you need to play around with your compost to find one that will hold
together
kathyrn
Oh dear, I was just thinking of buying one but you've confirmed my concerns
about getting the compost to stick together.
Is a coir based mixture any good >
Adrian
adrian.saunders@dnet.co.uk
Northern Ireland - zone 8 equivalent
Date: 27 February 1998 03:43
Subject: Re: Newspaper Pots
is
> tight. (You work it by pushing the device straight down into a pile of
soil
> mixture and then lifting the device, full of plugged soil, straight up.
The
don't
You need a high fibre content on the compost and then block makers work
fine. A wet mixture will stick to the outside of the blockmaker when you
push down into it but doesn't seem to stick to the inside too much. The
important thing is not to try and move the blocks until they set a bit. You
can sow into them where you've blocked but just leave them alone for a few
hours. I find its a good idea for most things to drop the seed into the
hollow on top and then fill in with sand. They work well for things you
want to multiple seed or that resent root disturbance - especially onions
(salad and bulb types)
kathryn
awarren@jetstream.net asked...
-> >soil blocks but they're quite expensive and we're not sure how well
-> they >hold their shape. Anybody out there have block makers? Are they
-> worth it?
J. Wintermute replied...
-> This is probably one of those gadgets that sound like a great idea
-> but don't really work all that wonderfully....
I'm the rookie, remember, so take what I write for what it's worth. :)
I'm not sure about the soil-blockers, but several folks who apparently
have been doing this for a while, Elliot Coleman for example, states
that they area worthwhile tool. I'm sure that the soil structure has a
lot to do with using the tool successfully. It would seem to me that if
you're a commercial grower with *lots* of seedlings to start then the
blocker would be a worthwhile investment...along with learning how to
use it correctly which might take some trial and error. For the home
gardener who doesn't start seedlings in great quantities other methods
might be more "user-friendly".
What I did over the weekend was like someone mentioned earlier. I used
a quart jar, wrapped newspaper around it, taped the sides slightly,
folded the paper extending past the bottom of the jar against the bottom
of the jar, dropped a little potting soil in the bottom to weight them
down and hold them upright...SHAZAM!!!...nice, quart-sized containers
for potting up my tomato plants. The newspaper also makes it easier to
judge the moisture content, too. It's cheap, and it works well on a
small scale (in my rookie opinion).
I potted the tomatoes up Saturday afternoon, kept them out of the lights
until the next day. I planted them up past the seed-leaves so that the
true leaves were actually resting on the sides of the containers.
Sunday, I put them back under the lights and they sat there all day
without much change...the bottom leaves still resting on the edges of
the containers. BUT, this morning when I awoke those suckers had jumped
up, holding their leaves high above the newspaper, apparently having
grown quiet a bit overnight......a dramatic change! :) Even the
Hungarian Hot Wax peppers are larger this morning (leaf size seems to
have increased along with bitting a tad taller).
I guess all the extra room, fresh soil, some worm castings thrown in for
good measure, and a little time to recuperate has done the plants well.
I'm impressed with this immediate improvement in the plants after
potting them up to larger containers. Thus, all you other rookies out
there, transplanting to larger, roomier containers is *well* worth the
time and effort....give'em room and you'll end up with some really nice
transplants to put into the garden. I'm just hoping the weather
co-operates and I can plant'em outside before they outgrow my plant
shelves. :)
Ed
Title: Rank Beginner :)
Zone 8 (USDA)
South Alabama, USA
I think you can do the same thing with nesting glasses. To avoid the
possibility of glass breakage, if you could find those aluminum tumblers at
a thrift store, they'd probably work pretty well. Margaret L
Jim,
I have a tool to make my newspaper pots. It's a piece of wood shaped
like a small cup with a concave bottom and a matching bottom. You role a
strip of newspaper around the cup part and then push the bottom flat on
the matching piece.
I bought mine from lee valley tools
http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=2&page566&category=2,44713,40757
When you want to transplant the seedling, you can put the entire pot
into the bigger pot or the garden. they break down quickly, sometimes
too quickly!! I find them easy to make and use. Because you can
transplant the entire pot, the roots aren't disturbed.
Deborah Turton
A soup can works as a form for newspaper pots. Wrap the newspaper around it
and push the extra into the open end. When you get it off the can just put your
fingers inside and flatten the bottom. B
