Seed starter pots: Eco-friently and biodegradable

Seed starters pots are usually made of plastic, a non-recyclable material. When the plant is ready, it is transplanted into the soil and the plastic pot goes to the garbage. However, you can make fully recyclable seed starter pots, using toilet paper rolls. Moreover, these seed starter pots, can be put directly into the soil with the plant, since the cardboard is a biodegradable material and the paper will disintegrate naturally. 

Materials and tool

• Toilet paper roll
• Scissors
• Spoon 
• Duct tape
• Rubber bands
• Seeds
• Soil

1. Cut with scissors the toilet paper roll in half.

2. After cutting you will have two shorter paper rolls.

3. Take one of the halves. With scissors cut four small slits, about 1'' long, at the top edge of the paper roll. 

4. Fold the two, opposite flaps towards inside and one above the other.

5. Fold the other two flaps towards inside and above the previous flaps. 

6. Secure with tape the bottom of the pot.  

7. Use a common spoon to fill the pot with soil. The soil must be quite clean without gravel, grass and other materials. It must also be slightly wet. 

8. Put a seed inside the soil, but not too deeply. If it is a large seed, like a bean, put one seed in each pot. If you have tiny seeds, like tomato seeds, place 3 to 4 seed in each pot.  

9. Wrap a rubber band around the pot. 

10. Make several pots and place them inside a larger box. Irrigate carefully and daily your seed starter pots with a large spoon. The soil must be soft and slightly wet. 

11. Wait for a few days until the seed grows and becomes a small plant. 

12. When the plant is ready, remove both the rubber band and the tape. Dig a small hole into the ground and place the pot inside.

13.  Gradually, the cardboard will disintegrate naturally and the plant will continue growing. 

15. Another idea is to make funny characters with grass hairs. Just plant a few seed inside a toilet paper roll, and wait for the grass to grow.