According to the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, the central landfill in Johnston, Rhode Island buries 3,800 tons of trash each day. That is an extraordinary amount of waste- 7,600,000 million pounds to be exact. Long story short, our landfills are filling up fast. Whether you live in Rhode Island or not, as members of our communities, we need to do our best to keep as much waste out of the landfill as possible using the means we have available to us. Whether it be through composting efforts, minimizing consumption of goods, or re-purposing materials, we all have the power to make a difference.
On the topic of re-purposing, I wanted to show you how to turn your old newspapers into seed starter pots. After all, it is Springtime and the best part about Spring is watching nature come to life! It’s even more special when you watch something come to life that started as a tiny seed.
Let’s get started!
Step One
Gather your supplies
Newspaper, scissors, spoon or hand shovel, container to hold completed pots, spray bottle filled with water, small bowl, soil/compost blend (compost optional, but it helps), and your choice of seeds.
Step two
Take one sheet of newspaper and, using your scissors, cut the sheet in half.
Step Three
Layer the two newspaper sheets you now have. If they are in the shape of a rectangle, you will need them to be a square. Simply fold the additional newspaper over until it takes the shape of a square and cut that flap off. Put the two flaps to the side.
Step Four
Now that you have a square shaped double layer of newspaper, fold it over so it takes the shape of a triangle. Smooth the crease.
Step five
Bring the bottom left of the triangle to the right side. Smooth the crease.
Step six
Repeat step five using the opposite side of the triangle.
Step seven
Your newspaper will now be the shape of a pentagon. At the top there will be 4 loose triangle shaped flaps. Take the first two and fold them down. Smooth the crease.
step eight
Flip your pentagon over and repeat step seven using the last two triangle flaps.
step nine
Your seedling pot is almost complete! Put the pot aside and go back to the flaps that were cut in step three. Cut those two flaps into “newspaper confetti” over your small bowl. This confetti will act as additional support on the bottom of your pot.
step ten
Take your completed newspaper seed starter pot, open it up from the top, and add in a few pinches of the newspaper confetti.
Repeat the steps above depending on how many seed starter pots you want!
step eleven
Fill your newspaper seed starting pot with your soil/compost blend using a hand shovel or spoon.
step twelve
Take your seeds and add them to your pots as instructed on the seed package. I like to sprinkle some additional soil on top.
step thirteen
Use your spray bottle to moisten the soil.
That’s it! Now it’s time to nurture your seedlings by giving them sunlight and water! As soon as ours become ready to plant, I am going to try to put some of the newspaper pots directly into the ground. I think the soil around here will successfully decompose the newspaper and allow the roots to grow through.
