I tried the drinking glass newspaper pots (too big), the origami newspaper pots (too big and had to think too hard), and the toilet roll paper pots (good but didn’t start collecting soon enough). So, duh, I just made tiny versions of the drinking glass pots with (don’t tell anyone) a little piece of tape per pot. Very easy and I risk insulting everyone’s intelligence here by posting a how-to, but Ivory assured me that I should do it anyway, so here it is:
1. Take a section of newspaper:
2. Cut it in half (I cut several layers at once to save time, but use only one sheet/single layer per pot):
3. Cut it in fourths:
4. Take a small round container, I used a spice jar, and roll the paper around it, leaving about an inch overhang at one end where you will fold it in for the bottom. Don’t roll too tight or it will be too hard to get the jar out later:
5. Fold the bottom in, as if you were wrapping a present:
6. Tape (masking tape would have been more biodegradeable):
7. Take out the jar. Turning it right side up, fold in the edges all around the top. I then fold it in again for stability and because I want a shorter pot:
8. Repeat:
Welcome Stumblers! If you just surfed in and enjoyed this post, check out our follow-up post Newspaper Seedling Packs, where we show you how to make square pots and six-packs. While your here, please don’t forget to subscribe. We do stuff like this all the time. You won’t be disappointed.


{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
hey there, i did the newspaper seedling pots this year, and even used up some old stuck together envelopes… worked awesome!! i have a wooden seedling pot maker which made making the pots ultra easy and no need for tape… once they’ve been wet in the trays they all stay flat
Nice! Great, Linda!
thats so cool,thank you to tell me that~~
You are very welcome, tiffanys!
hi,Thanks . i will visit your blog eveyday.
Wow that is great, I can’t wait to try out my own newspaper pots like that!
Great,thank you very much,I like read your blog,and welcome to my site:
http://www.pretty-tiffany.com
This is brilliant! Thank you so much for sharing!
FANTASTIC! Wish I had seen this before spending $20 on one thru a seed catalog! I even own a wood lathe to turn it on! We are going to attempt to make some this winter to sell. Ridiculously easy after I recieved it!
Got hit with a hard frost last night so we spent today hanging up in the barn what was left of the tomatoes and pepper plants. I was so sick of canning but now I just feel sad. One more batch of tomato soup maybe. Old fashioned tomato preserves (3 batches last night) were AWSOME!!!
Nobody told ME it was gonna frost! I hate to see summer end
At least it is football season
Handful–Way to look at the bright side! Your tomato preserves sound interesting, too.
Hello,
Love it! My friend used the toilet paper roll method last season, I will forward this to her, she loves this stuff! Love your site by the way. My friend and I each have a space at a local year round farmers market. You have great stuff to share with our vendors! Thanks!
Dorinne–I’m so glad! Thank you very much!
Very nice!!!
Hello,
Love it! My friend used the toilet paper roll method last season, I will forward this to her, she loves this stuff! Love your site by the way. My friend and I each have a space at a local year round farmers market. You have great stuff to share with our vendors! Thanks!
I just Stumbled (literally, lol) across your blog today.
I did a pictorial for the origami kind not too long ago.
Paper pots work so well and are so economical!
folded newspaper pot pictorial
that was great! I just folded up the point in #24 to make a little crease where the bottom edge will be, so it “finds itself” squared up a little easier (mine was tall, and I didn’t want to tear it while opening it up)…. If that makes sense.
What’s great is to be able to make scads of them, still folded up, and they take up little space til I’m ready to use them!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!
I’ll be folding up a storm tomorrow!
We just got the greenhouse reassembled today for this gardenign season, and are ready to start… just in time!
God Bless
CGP
CGP–Neat! Sounds great! Hope you have a great garden this year.
Super idea! I put a link to your blog in my blog
I hope to make a few of these today!
I have been so excited to start my gardening this year and have been ‘googling’ everything I can think of. Stumbled on your blog and CAN NOT wait to get home from work to make these tonight! Thanks for the great idea and instructions!
I know I just left a comment, but thought you might like this as well!
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1367164/how_to_make_your_own_indoor_minigreenhouse.html
Ed–Thank you–I understand your enthusiasm completely, it is TIME for the growing to begin! Goodbye winter!
These are an awesome idea for tomatoes. I just saw another one that used a shoe rack that you put over a door to elevate the plants separately in pots outside. These would be cool to put in something like that
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