Gardening Garden Design Garden Projects How to Make Paper Pots That You Can Plant with Your Seedlings Get a jump on the gardening season by sowing seeds indoors. Grab some newspaper and make these simple pots for starting your sprouts. By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on January 30, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Peter Krumhardt Project Overview Working Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 2 days Skill Level: Kid-friendly Let's be honest; gardening costs can add up quickly, but growing plants from seed can slash those up front costs. You can save a little more money by using your old newspapers to make these biodegradable starter pots for your seeds. The best part about this project is that once it's time to plant the seedlings in the ground, you don't have to remove them from their pots first because the newspaper will decompose in your garden bed! What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Jar Pan Marker Plastic wrap Heating pad Instructions Peter Krumhardt Roll Newspaper Immerse rectangles of newspaper, sized to wrap around a small jar, in a pan of water until moistened. Roll the softened paper around the jar. Extend the bottom edge of the paper enough to enfold the pot's bottom. How to Start Seeds Indoors to Jumpstart Your Spring Garden Peter Krumhardt Flatten Bottom Crimp and press the paper around the bottom of the jar. Flatten the bottom by pressing it on a flat surface. Carefully slide the paper pot off the jar, and set it aside to dry overnight. Peter Krumhardt Fill Pots Stand pots in a watertight pan. Fill them with moistened seed-starting potting mix. Plant seeds according to directions on their seed packet. Cover seeds lightly (you can use vermiculite if you want); sprinkle with room temperature water. Label plantings, either with small wooden stakes or by writing the seed names right on the side of each pot with a permanent marker. Peter Krumhardt Cover With Plastic and Heat Cover pots with plastic wrap to retain moisture. Set the pan on a heating pad until the seeds sprout; then remove the plastic wrap. Once seedlings appear, place them under grow lights for 14–16 hours per day. 5 Tips for Choosing the Right Seeds for Your Vegetable Garden