[gowing238]

Hi, have heard lots of people mentioning paper pots for growing in. Just wondering wat exactly are the suitable for? I take parsnips to be a no no, but wat bout other things like sprouts, broccoli etc?

Cheers!!

[Rangerkris]

They are good to start just about anything, i found them to be good for carrots and parsnips as they rot away when in the ground.

[Cazzy]

I can't think of anything that I wouldn't start in paper pots.

[mumofstig]

They were great for my sweetcorn as they could be planted with no root disturbance

[monsta]

would they not just fall apart when wet?

[mumofstig]

they don't want wet, they want damp, and they do seem to stay together remarkably well, in a deep container. If you need to use a shallow seed tray, as I did, it's best to run some cling film round the outside of each trayfull

[Slowgrind]

I've sown sweet peas in paper pots this year with great success!
There is a link on here shows how to make them.

[gowing238]

sothere is no need to go out and buy 3" pots then? These paper pots are just as good are they? I have seen the thread on how to make them. Looks quite simple

[Trillium]

No need to buy peat pots, which personally, I find don't break up very easily despite being a natural product 

I'll be starting my melons and squash in my squared paper pots. I could direct seed them in my climate, but I'd like to harvest them earlier this year so paper pots it is.

[Debsie]

first time using them this year, I'm up for anything that involves recycling

[rowlandwells]

interesting comments on this subject i have taken up challenge with paper pots Ive about 200 paper pots planted up with parsnip carrot salsify i intend to try some swede there seems to be mixed views about paper pots i have used peat pots before but i thought i would try paper pots so have to see how they produce A

[rikknikk]

where do you find the link on how to make them pls?

[mumofstig]

link here

[rowlandwells]

just a quickie on the subject of paper pots how i make them i get a piece of plastic guttering wrap the paper round it glue the edge with a flower and water mix pull it off the pipe and there's my paper pot i found that the compost tended to come out the bottom so i cut the paper a little longer and turned the end up and put a elastic band round it hopefully when the plant is ready for going in the ground i can remove the elastic band and plant he says with enthusiasm i have to say when i first made the paper pots i used wallpaper paste until i read that it contained a fungicide so i swiftly disposed of them on the fire

[JayG]

I first posted this in its own thread a few months ago and it didn't exactly set the world alight but it does work, is pretty quick, and uses no glue or other fixing methods.

I made the square section “template" from a piece of sheet aluminium (easier to bend than iron or steel), it's glued together with araldite (because I wouldn't have a clue how to solder aluminium!) and measures 12.5cm X 4cm, which makes strong toilet roll tube-sized pots from standard "Yellow Pages" paper.

Any suitable piece of round or square pipe could be used instead; just needs to be strong enough to stand up to the rolling and creasing. 

1st pic shows a finished pot with the template placed on 2 sheets of yellow pages paper; note orientation of paper and position of template (also pic of finished pot).

Holding the edge of the paper against the template the double layer of paper is wrapped tightly around it.
What will become the bottom of the pot is tucked inside. (pic2). With care you can vary the tuck to produce a fully-open or fully-closed pot bottom.

At the other end four cuts are made down the middle of each side up to the edge of the template (pic3).

The cut flaps are tucked inside the template and the creases emphasised.
Congratulations! (Well, nearly, because your template is now trapped inside the pot!)
Lift the flaps, slide the template out, then tuck the flaps back inside again using the creases to make a neat finish.

The more trouble you take with the corner creases after you have wrapped the paper round the template the squarer will be your finished pot, which makes them easier than toilet roll tubes for packing into trays etc. (although they are more “squishy” than TRT’s anyway, even when filled so pack together quite easily.)

I also find they don't get as "furry" on the outside as toilet roll tubes, probably because there is no glue in them, and also roots seem to be able to grow through them more easily.
The dye in the paper is harmless, although you could use "white pages" if you were concerned about it.
Obviously you can change the template and paper size to suit; these just happen to be the size which I find most useful!