Talkback: Making plant pots from old newspaper - Talkback

Gardeners' World Web User

21/03/2011 at 17:33

Hi Adam very interesting can you expalne how to make these pots??????

Gardeners' World Web User

21/03/2011 at 18:03

Emily, You can buy nice little wooden kits with full instructions on how to make paper pots or do as we do which is use an aerosol deodorant can as the former. In fact any hard round container would do, having a concave bottom is helpful. You take 2 or 3 pieces of paper about the height you want your pots plus the diameter of your can by 2 or 3 times the circumference of it. It is then quite simple, wrap the paper round the can with the excess paper hanging over the bottom of the can. Fold this excess over over the bottom of the can, scrunching it together. Then push it down on to a hard surface and remove the can. I find it helps to put a single staple in the top edge to hold everything abit better.

Gardeners' World Web User

21/03/2011 at 18:54

my grandad and dad used woodbine packets.i use vending cups .but i will give paper a go . thanks for the tip

Gardeners' World Web User

21/03/2011 at 19:30

That's a brillant idea of using a can to make the pots from newspaper as the wooden kits are quite expensive!

Gardeners' World Web User

22/03/2011 at 09:10

Yesterday while sawing back a huge yucca I found a piece of wood off an old table or chair, just two pieces joined together with a one foot crossbar, It makes an ideal double dibber. I am using it to plant out primulas I am dividing and think it will also do for potatoes. Just look at what is around and use your imagination. There are free newspapers on the buses, good to catch up on the news and great for paper pots, Adam, but from the amount of pots people give me when they are tidying up ready to buy more ready-made plants I don't think I can live long enough to see them degraded by the frost. Perhaps I should cherish them as family heirlooms as oil shortage will mean plastic will be too expensive to produce in future. Was there not some controversy about the ink from the newspaper being detrimental to the soil or the birds recently?

Gardeners' World Web User

22/03/2011 at 20:24

I mainly use newspaper pots for the heated propagator, that way I can get seedlings out as soon as they are ready without disturbing the rest, "reorganise" containers with newspaper pots to one part of the propagator making space for the next batch,... it's propagator management at it's best ;-) I have a few DIY wooden templates but I use any cylinder for other dimensions, so you don't really need them : very easy to make http://bit.ly/h1jKXE (bear with, it has a small ukulele intro ;-)

Gardeners' World Web User

23/03/2011 at 08:19

so what happened? where is toby and friends? instead we have monty dull and hi s range of workwear for sons of soil..now its montys world and how boring is that.. how we relate to his garden is all there is..lets have some good progressive stuff back..this is a backward step and so dull. budget cuts are suspected..be brave for a change..us gardeners do have brains..d..

Gardeners' World Web User

23/03/2011 at 09:40

Adam, does anyone on the team know anything about the effect of radiation on vegetables? There are eleven vegetables affected in Japan but which ones/ Are root vegetables immune? just in case it ever happens here - yes, we do get seismic activity. As a young child in Central Scotland I was sent flying by an earth tremor. We hope geologists are consulted before nuclear sites are given planning permission, but I would like to know if we can grow vegetables that are safe when episodes like Chernobyl occur. Anyone out there well versed on the subject?

Gardeners' World Web User

24/03/2011 at 15:38

Thanks for all your comments. Happymarrion, I'm afraid I don't have a Geiger Counter in my potting shed! I know there were concerns back in April 1986 following the Chernobyl disaster, as radiation did affect areas of the UK. I seem to remember sheep showed signs of radioactivity after feeding on grassland affected by radiative fallout! For now, lets not worry about us, but give what support we can to the people directly affected by this ongoing disaster. I will certainly post a reply if any more detail reaches me from experts in this field.

Gardeners' World Web User

24/03/2011 at 18:21

This is a complementing post to "recycling in the garden" that you did earlier. Making such pots can also by made from porous rugs that can be soaked in water.

Gardeners' World Web User

24/03/2011 at 22:07

I was just looking at the 'ToDo' list for the coming week and see it is time to sow my runner beans in long pots 9toilet rolls), as I haven't got any of those I shall try to make some for my runners!! Great idea!!!

Gardeners' World Web User

26/03/2011 at 00:07

no - Monty is fab and his garden is gripping stuff! Love it.

Gardeners' World Web User

26/03/2011 at 12:49

I like Monty too, he seems to be a great guy. BUT... I don't relate to his garden at all. I can hardly believe the prog is now so 1 dimensional when Toby et al had so many different ideas at Green Acres - there tended to be something for all

Gardeners' World Web User

26/03/2011 at 15:02

you can buy pots that rots about a yea after beeing watred from any good retaler of gardening

Gardeners' World Web User

26/03/2011 at 19:40

I have used toilet roll middles in the past for starting sweetcorn off, but I am a bit concerned about the recent news on the risk of printing inks in recycled paper and card. The news item related to these inks leeching from cereal boxes through the inner bags into the cereals. Should I be worried about germinating seeds in paper containing printing inks?

Gardeners' World Web User

26/03/2011 at 20:46

I am thrilled to see Monty back in Gardeners World programme.. Have been watching the programme since Geoff's time and it is part of my friday evening..Well done BBC.

Gardeners' World Web User

27/03/2011 at 17:58

Have used toilet roll insides for many seasons now, especially for sweet peas, that need room for their long roots and have great success. I also recycle white bleach bottles, after thoroughly cleaning them, I cut them up and make anything up to 40 name tags for my plants, I also use lollipop sticks for the same purpose.

Gardeners' World Web User

28/03/2011 at 22:56

Great idea! The plastic trays supermarkets sell strawberries in are also very useful as mini propagators. My ever resourceful Dad (87) has recently made a lamp out of a baked bean tin. More (if you have time) on http://www.mandysutter.com/reluctant-gardener-day-220-chitting-an-arcane-practice/

Gardeners' World Web User

29/03/2011 at 09:57

westland west+ peat free compost smells like raw sewage [polite term] and is very coarse and unpleasant and possibly unhygenic... dont use it..d

Gardeners' World Web User

29/03/2011 at 15:27

Making your own pots is also a great for those with limited storage space and for avoiding the transference of soil borne diseases.