Topic: Making Pots

[cambourne7]

Hi All,

I have run out of little pots for planting on plug plants and seedlings and was looking at this

http://www.paperpotter.co.uk/instructions/

The question i have is do i actually need to buy this thing can't i just use a rolling pin?? Whats to stop the paper unrolling when its wet?

Help?

Cam

[Vision]

I buy plastic cups from the pound shop. 80 for a £1. drill a hole in each one 5 at a time, will last me 4-5 years

[Chrispy]

I think it is the base bit that squashes the base of the pots that hold it together and would be the difference between that and a rolling pin.
Would need somebody who actually has one to confirm that though.

Somewhere on his site there is a post(s) about making origami type pots, I remember making one and maybe posting pics, I have asked my brain for more details, I will have to wait for the results.

The problem with paper pots, or loo rolls is the watering, they dry and quicker, but too wet and they fall apart.
Fine of you look after them, but most of mine go on a auto water so they fall apart to quick for me.

[cambourne7]

I need 40 for the bedding plants that arrived today was contemplating just planting them into a large tray with enough space for them to grow but not grow together. As i can pop that into my mini greenhouse and keep them warm though these frosts. But more sure that would be a good idea. 40 pots are going to take up a lot of room be they paper or plastic
:(

Will have a look at youtube and see if there are anything there :)

[artichoke]

When I run out of loo rolls, I make newspaper rolls the same shape, with a quick staple top and bottom. There is no need at all for a base. If you fill a deepish plastic box with the paper rolls, then add the compost, then add the seeds, the compost has no chance to fall out anywhere, and when it is time to plant out the seedlings, the compost is held together by roots.

I wrap the newspaper round a kitchen roll inner cardboard (or similar) to make a long paper roll and cut it into the lengths I want, stapling as I go - taller for corn and parsnips, shorter for various other things, and as wide or narrow as you like.

A friend has one of those expensive wooden pot makers, and it looks very sweet but I think it is rather pointless.

The plastic box has to be deepish to support the newspaper rolls; if you use a shallow one, they burst and fall over etc.

[Chrispy]

A deep box, so simple, so obvious and so not thought of that, thanks artichoke.

[cambourne7]

had not though about doing long deep ones :) fab :) I have 2 news papers and will go find my stapler :)

[sarahbell]

Pot noodle tbs.
Drill holes in the bottom - about 8 at a time.

Son went through phase of eating them for breakfast so have lots.

[sticks]

I wrap newspaper round an aerosol can then scrunch the bottom of the paper into the concave dome on the base of the aerosol. You can either stick a staple in the top to stop it unravelling or fold the top of the paper in all round to create a double thickness rim.

[Dopey]

Make square ones like me, they stack better, and you can make 2 sizes, 1/2 page for small whole page for big, the round ones are better for things that need deep roots

[artichoke]

Excellent idea, square pots! Though I have to say that the round ones, tightly stacked into a deep container, do squish up into each other, so there is very little wasted space.

[Steve.]

Newspaper pots are good and I've used them myself before now, but pots are better IMO, join freecycle.org and ask for plant pots...you'll get them easily and by the binbag full.

Steve...:)

[Gadget]

Make square ones like me, they stack better, and you can make 2 sizes, 1/2 page for small whole page for big, the round ones are better for things that need deep roots

How do you make the square pots then? can't see the pictures :-[ do you make them the same way as the round ones?

[Dopey]

 I found this for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNBHYrv4-Gw

I can do one in about 20 secs now, if you want it smaller, then do it from 1/2 a page

[pumkinlover]

That's brilliant, I'll give that a go!

[galina]

A deep box, so simple, so obvious and so not thought of that, thanks artichoke.

I do the same as artichoke, but no staples - don't want to 'find' them in the garden 'the hard way'.  I use whatever is the right shape for the size of paper pot I want - perfume spray bottle, straightsided drinking glass, vitamin pill bottle, empty spice jar, these are just a few of the items I have used recently.  For a deep box I use several items too, the punnets that fruit comes in at the supermarket or the large plastic trays that big joints of meat are packaged in with holes punched in the bottom.  For smaller pots I use the blue half-tall trays that mushrooms are sold in (again with holes punched in the bottom).  Supermarket overpackaging allows for endless possibilities for garden recycling  and lasts for several years too  ;D

[Dopey]

Newspaper pots are good and I've used them myself before now, but pots are better IMO, join freecycle.org and ask for plant pots...you'll get them easily and by the binbag full.

Steve...:)

These are better in some ways than plastic pots, the roots will go through the paper, and you plant the whole thing, some take the bottom off, there less likely to have a shock transferring them

[Steve.]

Newspaper pots are good and I've used them myself before now, but pots are better IMO, join freecycle.org and ask for plant pots...you'll get them easily and by the binbag full.

Steve...:)

These are better in some ways than plastic pots, the roots will go through the paper, and you plant the whole thing, some take the bottom off, there less likely to have a shock transferring them

I agree to a point..BUT..it's quite a bit more faff and I stopped using them because the whole process takes up more time. First you have to make the pots, then they take longer to fill due to their fragile nature, then when planting out you have to ensure no paper is above soil level else the moisture around the plant is "wicked" away from the plant, this means faffing around ripping the paper off near the top of the plant or ensuring its covered in soil, whereby I just upend a pot and plant out..easy peasey.

It's horses for courses really and what suits one person will not suit another, they are a good idea but it's not for me now having tried them in previous years and found them to be both fragile to handle and more time consuming than using pots. And seeing as you can get pots for free both from freecycle and some garden centres/DIY stores...it's a no brainer for me.

But do try them if you wish, they may well suit your way of gardening and the time you have available.

Steve...:)

[JENIAN]

Bought 'potmaker' mth ago.  good piece of kit.  I sit in front of the tele @ maked 50 pots in 1.25 hrs.

[Gadget]

I turned the OH in to a pot maker last night, bless him plonked him in front of the great british menu and hairy bikers, kitten sat on his shoulder and he made me 40 pots ;) he thought it was great way of saving money and recycling  ;D in fairness I did do all the washing up and make copious amount of tea as he claimed he couldn't move - hey I'm not complaining  ;D ;D