It's finally here! Seed starting season is upon us and even though the weather is drab, the dreams of future blooms put a spring in our step. Seed starting doesn't have to be an expensive production: buy a bag of good quality seed starter, gather some recyclables from around the house and get started! From eggshells to pots to paper towels, you can start your seasonal flowers and herbs in just about anything! But for home gardening, nothing can beat compostable starters! These containers can be panted directly in the ground, eliminating the need to transfer tender seedlings and are biodegradable (so they end up feeding your soil). And they're so easy to make, a child could do it... so get the kids involved!!
Today we'll be focusing on one fun type that's easy to make: the cardboard tube (known as tp rolls by us regular people.) All you need are:
* toilet paper rolls (one for each pot you want to make)
* a pair of scissors
* something to place filled tubes in (pan, shallow box lined with plastic, even an empty foil container...skies the limit!)
To get started... you hold a carboard roll and make a 1 inch, vertical snip, up from the bottom.
Next, starting at the snip, fold the carboard tube flat using the one inch cut as the de for your edge. Open the roll back up and flatten the opposite side in order to make your tube square shaped.
Now you should have four sides to your tube. Cut a inch snip up the other three corners you've just made.
You should be left with four flaps, similar to a box. And that's the next step! Fold each side under each other like you're closing a box, until you have a flat bottom to your tube. No need to seal it. Just line your tubes up in a shallow box lined with plastic.
The next part is the most fun! Fill with starter mix and plant your seeds according to the seed packet.
Finally, seeds need a certain amount of moisture and humidity to sprout. After you plant and lightly water your seed pots, stretch a piece of plastic wrap across the top and keep in a warm place. When you see 50% of your seedlings start to emerge. When that happens, remove the plastic and keep your soilmoist .
If you prefer to WATCH directions, click the link below to see the tutorial on our Facebook page! https://youtu.be/YWaE9CtnkjE
There are quite a few honorable mentions when it comes to DIY compostable seed pots so I've listed some below. I've also included a link to some great blogs where they spell the processes out for you, because hey, why reinvent the wheel!
* Newspaper seeding pots: https://www.gardenista.com/posts/diy-seed-starting-newspaper-pots/
* Egg shells: https://wholelifestylenutrition.com/gardening/how-to-start-seeds-in-eggshells/
For those who don't have much space, go vertical! Milk cartons or milk jugs can be filled with soil and multiple seeds and hooked to a chain link fence. Even your back yard fence will work! Dig in and happy planting!