[mickwood]

I've germenated sweetcorn this year and have decided to use the infamous paper pots! Things are going well and I have 20 seedlings 

Have I got this right, sweetcorn doesn't like root disturbance so when they are big enough (6"?) I should take the sweetcorn after its been hardened off and plant it, complete in it's paper pot, into the ground and the paper will rot away aloowing the plant to grow on?

[DD.]

Sounds about spot on.

Make sure you bury all the pot though. If you leave any sticking out, it can act as a wick and draw moisture away from the roots.

[gawk]

Yes! Make sure you soak the pot and bury it all below the surface of the soil so it breaks down easily.

[mickwood]

Cool, so it's worth me trimming the pots down to the level of the soil inside then soaking before planting?

Cheers!! 

[DD.]

Just bury them deeper, wouldn't mess about trimming them. Deeper planting will give more support to the stem.

[Aunt Sally]

That's just how I do my sweetcorn and it works well.  I tend to find the top bit of the paper is easy just to pull away as it is never as wet as the rest of the tube.

[Kristen]

I also just pull off the top "ring" of paper, after planting, if it is sticking out of the soil

[Weatherwatcher]

Can I ask what advantage there is, if any, in growing sweetcorn (or any plant) in paper pots rather than toilet roll tubes?

[Kristen]

I think it is probably much-of-a-muchness.

I have read that loo-rolls tends to unravel [along their diagonal seams]. That hasn't been my experience.

Paper-pots can be any height / diameter. I have made mine about 2.5" diameter and 6"-8" tall, lots of deep root-run for my Sweetcorn.  My loo-rolls are a lot more skinny, and less tall, than that. My soil is heavy clay, I am hoping that the generous "pots" I have made for Parsnips will provide a clear, deep, root run for some perfect roots next winter

Lastly, newspaper pots can have as many layers of paper as experience tells you that you need - e.g. overwintering Sweetpeas may need more layers.

[Weatherwatcher]

Thanks for that, Kristen. So, in other words, toilet roll tubes may work well for some things and be a little quicker to prepare (just use them!) while paper pots may well be better for other things? Would I have that about right?

[mickwood]

I like the paper pots because you can choose their size, they're cheap and they will degrade in the soil very quick (If you wanted to delay the decay just make them thicker!) Also, I don't have to collect any roilet rolls!

First time I've used them so I'll see how they go but I like them so far 

[compostqueen]

You could use the toilet roll middles in your compost bin then Mick. Don't throw em away 

[mickwood]

I don't mind throwing them in the compost bin CQ  just don't fancy bags of them collecting around the house...no shed yet