Propagation: Paper pots, 1 by Illoquin

Illoquin wrote:
I used the 'Spice Island's jar' and 'Campbell's soup can' paper pot makers. LOL!

Keep in mind I am new at all this seed started stuff, ok? I have no idea what I'm doing. I have no idea if it will work. It is all -- and I mean everything I'm doing -- a huge experiment which might become a huge folly, but it springs from the fact that my husband wil kill me if I have a bunch of garbage out in my backyard. SOME garbage is okay, though :)) So my bright idea was to have a few milk jugs for seed I think really needs it and devise other methods for wintersowing which aren't quite so unnattractive.

I bought 3 rubbermaid totes that are clear on the bottom and sheer to clear on the top. The idea is to drill holes top and bottom and alson the bottom inch of the sides and put paper pots in them. I should have time for an early crop of poppies and larkspur and then a second crop of zinnias and sunflowers (thanks, Gloria.).

To make paper pots: I took my newspaper and I took section at a time and simply ripped them from top to bottom into strips about 6" wide for the spice jars. I used the whole half sheet for a soup can, and folded it to fit, about 8 inches wide and the length of the newspaper. I had to fold it in half, lengthwise, with about a 2" extra piece folded over (for the soup can).

Then I took the edge of the paper and made it even with the top of the can and rolled it around the can as many times as it would go (Happy, that's the answer to your question on how thick they are...as many times as the newspaper would wrap around them.)

Then I folded the bottom like a birthday present and I taped it with a 3/8" or maybe 1/2" piece of tape. IF I were going to fill it with soil and water it right away, I wouldn't have to tape it-- the weight of the soil/water would keep it closed.

For a better explanation -- the object is to have pots that aren't ragged at the top and are closed at the bottom. There is some leeway on the width you rip the newspeper to. After you have done 1/2 dozen, you will know exactly where the paper should be torn. Not that you can get it even or exact every time, but if you make it too wide, then you will fold it over to get the exact width to go the length of the can and also have enough left over to fold underneath like a birthday present.

The most valuable information I can give you is to tell you the soup can makes a large pot which will definitely be a hunkof seedlings when you go to plant. If it were made of plastic, you would put perennials in it, but I'm not sure the newspaper will last until the middle of summer, and in fact am pretty sure it will not last until the end of summer! The spice jar size ends up being closer to the size of the core of a paper towel or toilet paper roll.

I can get 72 of these smaller ones into my tote, and I'm going to try to sow 3 poppy seeds in each one. Does that sound about right?

Suzy