Make Your Own Seedling Pots Out of Newspaper

Forget pricey plastic sets and excess pots—-all you need is some extra newspaper and a small cup or mason jar and it's easy to grow your own plants from seed. Plus, newspaper decomposes naturally, so you can plant these right into the garden with little to no root disturbance for a happy plant!

Here's how to make these nifty little pots in 7 easy steps.

Step 1: Fold a Sheet of Newspaper

Cut sheets of black and white  newspaper in half or thirds, depending on the size of pot you want to  make. Make sure not to use pages with color, since this will be going  directly into your garden. (Color newspapers may contain heavy metals  that are unsafe).

Step 2: Roll It Up

Align your mason jar or cup with the newspaper so that a few inches of paper are above the opening of the cup. Roll the newspaper so it circles the cup.

Step 3: Tuck It In

Push the sides of the paper that are above the cup opening inside, so they are wrapped around the lip of the cup.

Step 4: Pull It Off

Flip it over and remove the cup gently, while still keeping the pot’s shape.

Step 5: Seal the Bottom

Use the bottom of the cup to reinforce the pot’s bottom by inserting it inside the newspaper pot. Tamp down the inverted ends, so it seals the bottom.

Step 6: Remove Glass and Admire Finished Pot

Here’s what it should look like after it’s done

Step 7: Add Soil, Seeds or Transplant

When they reach the size for transplanting outside, they can be placed directly into your garden. This will also alleviate root disruption for healthy, happy seedlings!