DIY Newspaper Seed Pots: Free, Plantable Seed-Starting Pots from Yesterday's Paper
Every fall I find myself staring at a stack of old newspapers and a seed catalog wish list at the same time. A few years ago I finally put the two together. Newspaper seed pots cost nothing, take about a minute each to make, and go straight into the ground with the seedling still inside. No plastic cells to wash, no root-bound transplants, no pots piling up in the garage.
This is one of my favorite rainy-day (or too-hot-to-garden-day) projects. Below I cover what you need, two ways to make them (rolled and folded), which paper is safe to use, which seeds do best, how to plant them whole, and the extra tricks it takes to keep paper pots from drying out in Arizona's bone-dry air.
Why Make Your Own Seed Pots?
Store-bought peat pots and plastic six-packs work fine, but newspaper pots have a few real advantages:
They are free. If you get a paper, read a neighbor's, or grab the free community weekly at the grocery store, you have an endless supply.
They are plantable. The whole pot goes in the ground, so roots never get yanked or disturbed. That is a big deal for crops that sulk after transplanting.
They break down. Newsprint is plain paper fiber. It softens in moist soil and roots push right through it.
They are custom-sized. Use a narrow spice jar for tiny herbs or a soup can for squash and sunflowers.
What You Need
Black-and-white newspaper (more on paper choice below)
A form: a small drinking glass, a can, a spice jar, or a wooden pot maker if you have one
Seed-starting mix or a fine, light potting mix
Seeds
A tray with sides, such as an old baking sheet, a plastic produce clamshell, or a nursery flat
A spray bottle or small watering can
Optional: masking tape or a dab of flour-and-water paste, and a marker for labels
Which Paper Is Safe? The Ink Question
This is the question I get most, so let us clear it up. Cornell University's composting program notes that most newspapers today use water- or soy-based inks, and that while they may contain small amounts of toxic compounds, the trace levels are not considered a significant concern. The caution is with glossy magazines, which sometimes use heavy-metal-based inks for vivid colors.
That lines up with what Michigan State University Extension recommends for seed pots: use non-shiny newspaper, not the glossy advertisements. So my rules are simple:
Use the regular, matte newsprint pages. The black-and-white pages are ideal. Plain matte pages with a little color printing are generally fine.
Skip glossy inserts, coupon flyers, and magazine sections. Shiny paper does not break down well in the soil and is the type most likely to carry heavier inks.
Skip anything coated or waxy. If water beads up on it, it will not decompose in time to let roots through.
Avoid paper that has been sitting in a damp, moldy pile. Start with clean, dry paper.
If you are an organic grower, it is worth knowing that USDA organic guidance for newspaper and other recycled paper as a mulch or compost feedstock describes paper "without glossy or colored inks." Plain newsprint is the safe default.
Method 1: The Rolled Pot
This is the classic and the easiest for beginners.
Cut or tear a sheet of newspaper into a strip about 4 inches wide and 12 to 15 inches long. For bigger pots, go 5 to 6 inches wide.
Fold the strip in half lengthwise if the paper is thin. Michigan State Extension suggests two to three layers for a sturdy pot.
Lay your glass or can on its side at one end of the strip, with about 1 to 2 inches of paper hanging past the bottom of the glass.
Roll the paper snugly around the glass. Not so tight that you cannot slide it off, but firm enough that it holds its shape.
Fold the overhanging paper in over the bottom of the glass, pleating it as you go, like closing a gift bag.
Press the bottom firmly on the table to crease the folds. Some people use a dab of masking tape or flour paste. I usually just press hard and let the soil hold it together.
Slide the glass out. You now have a little paper cup.
Method 2: The Folded (Origami-Style) Pot
This version needs no form at all and makes a squarer, sturdier pot that holds together well when wet.
Take one full sheet of newspaper (a single page, not the double spread) and fold it in half to make a long rectangle.
Fold it in half again across the middle to find the center line, then unfold.
Fold the top two corners down to the center line so you get a house shape with a roof.
Fold the bottom strip up over the base of the triangles on one side. Flip it over and repeat on the other side. It will look like a paper hat.
Fold the side edges in so the shape is a narrow vertical strip, about 3 inches wide. Tuck the flaps into the band.
Fold the top point down to the band and tuck it in. Repeat on the back.
Open the bottom and push your fingers in to square out the base. Crease the corners.
It takes a couple of tries, but then you can fold a dozen in front of the TV.
Filling and Sowing
Set pots snugly together in your tray. Packing them tight helps them hold each other up and slows drying.
Moisten your seed-starting mix first until it feels like a wrung-out sponge. Dry mix poured into paper pots tends to wick moisture out of the paper and collapse it.
Fill each pot to about a quarter inch below the rim and tap the tray gently to settle the mix.
Sow seeds at the depth listed on the packet, usually about two to three times the seed's width.
Label each pot or each row. A marker right on the newsprint works if you use a light-colored margin.
Mist the surface and set the tray where it gets good light.
Which Seeds Suit Newspaper Pots?
Newspaper pots shine for plants that dislike root disturbance or that you want to transplant whole. University of Minnesota Extension points out that paper pots that break down in soil are perfect for crops that do not transplant well, like cucumbers and squash.
Great choices:
Squash, zucchini, and pumpkins
Cucumbers and melons
Beans and peas
Sunflowers, zinnias, nasturtiums, and calendula
Basil, dill, and cilantro
Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant
Broccoli, cabbage, kale, and lettuce transplants
Skip these:
Carrots, radishes, beets, and turnips. Root crops do better sown directly in the ground.
Long-season perennials you plan to keep in a pot for months. Paper softens over time and is meant for short stints.
For Arizona timing, this fall is a good moment to start cool-season crops like broccoli, cabbage, kale, lettuce, and flowers like calendula in newspaper pots. Save squash, melons, tomatoes, and peppers for late winter starts, so they are ready to plant out in spring.
Arizona Dryness Tips: Keep Paper Pots From Drying Out
Here is the honest part. Newspaper pots wick moisture out of the soil into the paper, and in our dry desert air that paper loses water fast. A tray left in a sunny window in Phoenix can go from damp to bone dry in a single afternoon. These tricks make a big difference:
Bottom water. Pour water into the tray instead of over the tops. The paper wicks it up evenly and the soil surface does not crust.
Pack them tight. Pots touching on all sides lose less moisture than pots standing alone.
Use a humidity dome. A clear plastic lid, a clamshell top, or a loose plastic bag over the tray holds moisture during germination. Remove it once seedlings are up so they do not rot.
Keep them out of the wind. Patio breezes dry paper fast. A sheltered corner or an indoor shelf works better.
Check twice a day. In October and spring, I check in the morning and again late afternoon.
Avoid soaking them for days. Constant standing water turns the paper mushy and invites mold. Water, let it soak in for 15 to 20 minutes, and pour off the extra.
If you see a little white fuzz on the paper, that is usually harmless fungus breaking it down. Improve airflow and let the surface dry slightly between waterings.
Planting Them Whole
When seedlings have a couple of sets of true leaves and roots are starting to show through the paper, they are ready to go out.
Harden them off. Set the tray outdoors in bright shade for an hour or two, then gradually lengthen the time over about a week.
Water the tray well the morning you plant so the pot and roots are fully moist.
Loosen the bottom. Gently tear the base or slit the sides of the pot to help roots spread out quickly.
Bury the rim. This is the most important step. Any paper sticking above the soil acts like a wick and pulls water away from the roots. University of Minnesota Extension recommends trimming the collars of paper pots down to soil level for this reason. I tear off the top edge or plant the pot so the rim is completely covered.
Water in deeply and add a layer of mulch.
In our dry soil, newspaper can take longer to break down than it would in a humid climate. Keeping the planting area evenly moist for the first couple of weeks helps the paper soften so roots can push out.
Troubleshooting
Pots fall apart when wet. Use two or three layers of paper, pre-moisten your mix, and pack pots tightly in the tray.
Mold on the outside. Too wet with too little airflow. Pour off standing water and run a small fan nearby.
Seedlings wilt even though the soil looks damp. The paper may be dry and wicking. Bottom water and check that the whole pot is moist.
Give Yesterday's Paper a Second Life
Newspaper seed pots are one of those small garden habits that save money, cut down on plastic, and make transplanting easier. Grab a glass, a stack of matte newsprint, and a bag of seed-starting mix, and make a tray this weekend. By the time the seedlings are ready, you will wonder why you ever bought pots. For more on reusing household items for seed starting, Michigan State University Extension has a helpful article here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/reduce-reuse-and-recycle-for-seed-germination
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