How to Make Compostable Planters

In keeping with the project’s sustainability focus, instead of purchasing peat or plastic planters for starting seeds we made seeding containers out of newspaper. These seeders can be planted directly in the garden and made from something you’re going to recycle anyway.

Materials:

Newspaper

Ruler

Scissors

A cylindrical solid object ~ 7-8 cm diameter (we used a candle holder)

Instructions:

Take one sheet of the newspaper (half a two page spread).

Choose one of the long sides as the top of the seeding container.

Fold the top down about 2-3 cm.

Repeat the folding once more.

Cut, or rip, the fold about two-thirds of the way along, as shown by the red line.

Start rolling the newspaper loosely around your candle holder (or other cylindrical object). It should be loose enough to easily move the object in and out of the rolled newspaper.

When you get close to the rip, remove the object, and hold the paper so that is stays rolled.

Here’s the tricky part, fold the ripped newspaper over the part you have already rolled.

You should end up with cylinder that holds itself shut.

Cut 5-10 cm off he bottom of the cylinder (the end without the folds).

Stick your candle (or other solid cylinder) back inside the newspaper about 5 cm from the bottom.

Fold the bottom pieces over on themselves to close the seeding container. you might need a tiny piece of masking tape.

Place the seeding container on a tray, and repeat!