Introduction: Using Shipping Packets to Grow Plants

About: I only got one life, so why choose the same path as most people . I'd rather venture into many things. tinker with to discover more, really live life, bring changes to other people lives, give my time and reso…
Most of us nowadays buys stuffs on the internet and when we receive our items we usually have these envelopes or other wrapping bags that have no use and just dispose of them.  Well I finally found a use to these packages however not all of them will be suitable for planting for examples those made of only paper which will get damage easily when in contact with water. 

Still there are some packaging made of paper but the inside is made of bubble wrap which is good and will still stand for some time even when the paper is partly gone.  Well let's get started.

Step 1: Selecting the Right Kind of Packaging

Packaging comes in all shapes and sizes from very small to big ones. below are several types of packaging that I had at the time I was preparing this instruction.

As we can see several packages about the same size but some are only paper which are not good whereas others are still in paper but they kind of have an inner bubble plastic which can be used but only once because once the paper fades away the plastic would not be that solid.

There is also a bubble wrap bag which is good however it is very easy to tear but would be able to stand for some time if left in a corner without moving or whilst the plant grows.

There is a box made in cardboard paper where it's inner is paper but the outside has been sealed using regular tape, I don't really know how much time that would be able to keep a plant in that but will try sowing seeds first instead to get the results and then try with plants.

There are other kinds of packaging such as those made entirely of plastic which can be used and they do stand some time but after they began to deteriorate specially when using chemicals for treating plants.

Step 2: Preparing the Packaging

Once the packages have been selected, Its time to make holes (preferably on the sides about 1 cm from the bottom) to allow air to go in but also the excess water to move out. To make the holes on the bags use nails as they are easy to get hold on and also easy to handle and make the hole with their pointy bit with a simple pressure of the hand.

I found it difficult to make the holes when the packages were empty so what I have done was to fill the bag with soil first and making the bottom of the package flat on the soil so that it can stand on its own by continuing to fill the bag and then punching through with the nail about 2 holes on each sides.

Step 3: Add Plants or Seeds.

After everything has been prepared, just sow your seeds or plant your plants as you would normally do in a pot.  Here is an example of a strawberry plant in one of the plastic packaging.  Also the other packaging are still empty waiting to be filled with a plant and just noticed what happened to the paper-base outer packaging,this is what to expect.  Also some palm seeds were placed into some new packaging pots.

Please comment and give any other ideas, specially where I can improve. There it is recycling and also keeping some money.thanks