fish, here is the way i make long paper pots for starting corn. you can cut the measurements in half to make smaller ones for other veggies and seeds that do not require a long root system... "paper pots 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" = 12 to a milk jug bottom. I use a cardboard tube from paper towels for the form to roll the newspaper around. Tear the news paper in 7 1/4" inch strips that will go at least twice around the form (2 and 1/2 times is actually better). Measure up 6" from the end of the tube and draw a line around it at this point. Wrap your newsprint around the tube, Fold the excess under to form the bottom of the pot. Slip off the pot, fill with dirt and you have a nice deep pot 6" deep that will stay good for at least 3 weeks. Then when you are ready to plant out, you plant the corn, pot and all. Tear off the top inch or so and bury the paper pot completely."
That is a great idea Bunkie, will have to try it out with my kids this weekend. Wonder if it will work for sunflowers?
Bunkie, have you ever tried a paper that will last longer than the newspaper? I need more time indoors to get the sunflowers to a size where the critters won't be able to root them up or nip the tops off.
Has anyone ever tried Papier-mache??? I think this would break down into the soil too. Would it also disintegrate in three weeks?
Drissel, I did some searching and I wonder if a simple home made paper mache would work? Or maybe larger, thicker cardboard tubes lined with newspaper or wax paper that you can simply slide the plant out of come time to transplant. Maybe even 2,3 and 4 inch PVC pipe? I think that most of them would slide right out of the tubes and over the plant as long as it doesn't get too big. Only thing I haven't figured out is what to use to close off the bottom of the tube. Maybe wax paper held on with a rubber band or cardboard cut to wrap around the bottom and held on the same way?
drissel, newspaper works great! you double wrap it to give the pots extra strength. mine lasted fine and i kept the corn in them for over 3 weeks. this would work great for sunflowers. you could always triple the paper walls if you thought you needed to. but, i have found the newspaper very sturdy. fish, one can also use toilet paper rolls or the paper towel cardboard tubes. cut little slits in the bottom of them and fold shut. one thing tho, i always had mold growing on them once i put the soil in. i figured out that if i take a bucket, fill it with water and a tablespoon, or a few drops, of bleach, and soak the rolls for like 20 seconds, then let them dry, no mold!
Good ideas Bunkie and Fish. Wax paper does break up and it might give that little bit of extra hold I need to extend the time beyond three weeks.
I made some much larger ones and I think they will hold up just fine. This one is 10 inches tall and 3 inches wide at the top. I folded the newspaper over at the top to give it some more support and hold the wraps together. The smaller one is about 5 inches tall and 3 inches wide. I think this really has a lot of potential for a lot of plants and is really inexpensive for sure. And the newspaper won't provide much if any resistance to the roots if itsn't too thick. Although I don't think newspaper would provide much problem even if it was 10 wraps like the ones I made. The white tube in the back is what I used. I did take single sheets and wrapped them over to make the bottom and then wrapped the tube to hold it in place. 1 layer bottom to 2 wraps around. Probably over kill but it was my first try.
