Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Digindep on January 16, 2010, 17:02:56
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Paper pots( newspaper..that is) toilet roll tubes, as with the tubes from wrappimg paper and kitchen roll ect...
Does anyone else use them...?
Last year used them to start off mainly parsnips, had very little loss..
as and when they were of a decent plantable size, in they went tube and all
No root disturbance, still harvesting the best crop I've ever had... :)
Also did carrots the same way...again a better than usual yeild..
Tried a few various brassicas, again dibbled a good hole, spoonful of lime
and in they went. Easy to tread in as well...
One of the other up-points I realised by doing this, I could hold the young
plants back in the GH until an area was ready for planting..this gave 7-10 days between planting...and therefore didn't get gluts of say collies all in one go.
Especially good with the parsnips, hold them back, they carried on developing
in their paper pots, Time of planting just pinched out the bottom of the pot.
No root disturbance...
So as I said anyone else tried them? or any other tips to pass on ? :)
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hi there,
yes use them every year for peas, sweet peas, beans etc, never tried them for carrots - i grow these in raised tyres and usually just sprinkel them over the surface, in fact still got some in the ground just now.
i use fibre pots for sweetcorn etc, anything that doesnt like roots being disturbed goes into either toilet roll tubes or fibre pots.
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hi how do u make the paper pots with news paper ?
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http://www.feesworld.com/how2make/paperpots/page_7.html
here is one method
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Hullo digindep,
I use newspaper pots, and find them really helpful. I also use toilet roll tubes for the same purpose as it means I don't have to prick out the seedlings, don't risk damaging their roots or stems, and don't have to buy plastic pots!
One tip I would give when growing parsnips in the pots is that the root shoots out pretty darn quick once the thing has germinated! Within a day or so of the little hook-like shoot coming up from the soil, you'll see a tiny white thread of a root poking out the bottom of the module. I plant them out a day after the seedling has emerged, and cover them with jam jars as cloches. I did this this year, and it meant that I got bigger roots from the germination inside. In fact, the biggest roots by far were the ones that I had started in toilet roll tubes, and they hadn't forked or wibbled at all from the cardboard...
Herbigerbi - I did a little photo guide to making the pots. Here it is: http://fennelandfern.co.uk/2009/04/24/newspaper-pots/
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Depending on the size you want, use anything, say from a broom handle, rolling pin. or even a toilet roll tube ...roll the paper around it - tuck in the bottom overhang bit...
and Bob's ya proverbial.... :) ;)
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we used toilet roll /kitchen roll/ wrapping paper rolls last year for sunflowers with great success ;D
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thanks 4 quick reply i will defintely try these this year
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Hullo digindep,
I use newspaper pots, and find them really helpful. I also use toilet roll tubes for the same purpose as it means I don't have to prick out the seedlings, don't risk damaging their roots or stems, and don't have to buy plastic pots!
One tip I would give when growing parsnips in the pots is that the root shoots out pretty darn quick once the thing has germinated! Within a day or so of the little hook-like shoot coming up from the soil, you'll see a tiny white thread of a root poking out the bottom of the module. I plant them out a day after the seedling has emerged, and cover them with jam jars as cloches. I did this this year, and it meant that I got bigger roots from the germination inside. In fact, the biggest roots by far were the ones that I had started in toilet roll tubes, and they hadn't forked or wibbled at all from the cardboard...
Herbigerbi - I did a little photo guide to making the pots. Here it is: http://fennelandfern.co.uk/2009/04/24/newspaper-pots/
Thanks for the link !
I was thinking of buying the kit (now I wont need to), hangs head in shame :P
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Just in case it helps, I roll a double page of newspaper round a longer tube, such as the inside of a used up kitchen paper or aluminium foil roll. I slide the newspaper tube partly off, one staple on the end, cut it to the length I want, slide the newspaper off further, staple and cut, and so on. Then I staple the loose ends. I find that very fast; and you can cut different lengths according to what you are growing (eg longer for parsnips). It's amazing how many you can make in half an hour.
I don't bother to block one end, any more than I do with toilet rolls. The newspaper pots are jammed into various plastic boxes and the compost does not leak out. By the time you plant it, roots are holding it together.
Another use for toilet rolls: soak old magazines, roll them up and push through a toilet roll, dry out in airing cupboard, use as "logs" in woodburners.
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A while back, there were some pictures of origami paper pots (folded newspaper) but the pictures have disappeared :(
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Are these the ones ??
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/Lamkida/Peski/PaperPotspart1-1.jpg)
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s62/Lamkida/Peski/PaperPotspart2.jpg)
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1st attempt........
(http://www.what2grow.co.uk/box.jpg)
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can you use coloured newspaper? I think I read somewhere that the ink is not good for plants. There aren't many totally black and white newspapers around these days!
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can you use coloured newspaper? I think I read somewhere that the ink is not good for plants. There aren't many totally black and white newspapers around these days!
I read somewhere that the inks they use are all now plant based, no nasty chemicals, and if you get the tabloids, then you will have extra manure because they are full of it.
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Very well said!
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then you will have extra manure because they are full of it.
;D
I have read that most newpapers use soya based inks that are now supposed to be safe...and these days its hard to find newpapers that dont use colour on their pages!!
Please dont ask me as I dont know if its Genetically Modified soy ink :P
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great- I'll get rolling then!
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Ive never tried this method myself. I normally use toilet rolls, for runner beans,
peas, broad beans, also sweet peas. I must have ago maybe i should get all my family and friends to save page three. Now wouldn't the green house be colourful.
But would my oh be happy. Noooooooooooo.....i don't think so. ::)..... ;D ;D ;D
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I came across this blog post this morning which shows how to do them! :)
http://happyhobbyhabit.blogspot.com/2010/02/folded-newspaper-pot-pictorial.html
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Thanks Flighty! I think my kids at church would love to make these- I'm thinking Mother's Day using coloured paper and filled with sweets! I'll use them for seeds as well, naturally!
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The origami type look very complicated, unless you have a lot of time on your hands, the version of wrapping around a tubuar object with a hollow end where you can just tuck the newspaper in and slide it off, is by far the quickest. I have used them successfully, you can plant the seedlings with very little fuss as the roots can grow through the paper. I just usually tear it a bit before planting just to give it a helping hand.
I have never thought of the problem with print. You could have a point there. I put newspapers on my compost heap though and they are tabloid so may have a lot of coloured print. I thought it would be okay.
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Gwynneth...
Remember to get the kids to wash their hands after making them or you will have little black finger prints on everything!!!! ;D
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Erm..I know this sounds silly, but, if your using the toilet roll cardboard tubes, how do you stop the compost falling out the bottom when you want to plant em out? Im thinking of starting my carrots off this way.
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Mortality ..I had this problem last year and found a remedy well three ways actually.
1. If you dampen the compost slightly it forms a plug at the bottom of the toilet tube. Once you have filled the tub press the tube onto a flat surface to compact it.
OR
2. Dampen the bottom of the tube and pinch it together. It will form a little pointy cross at the bottom of the tube and will keep dry compost in place.
OR ~
3. Place some seleotape across the bottom of each tube before filling. I removed the selotape before planting.
All three work ~ just depends what mood I am in as to what one I sometimes use.
Duke :)
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I don't know where it came from but last year I learnt somewhere to put a used tea bag in the bottom of the loo roll tube as this plugs the gap and holds moisture. I did this and have had some good parsnips so it seemed to work. :)