Seeds of Change Garden

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Winter Activities:
Making Pots for Seedlings

[Student with planters] You can get a head start in your garden if you begin seeds inside under a fluorescent light. However, you need to be careful to not shock seedlings when you transplant them. You can make your own seeds pots with newspaper, and because they are biodegradable, the pots can go directly into soil in the garden. The plant will not be disturbed, and it will acclimate faster to growing in the garden than if it were taken out of a pot.

To make a biodegradable container, wrap a strip of newspaper around a juice glass so it overhangs the mouth of the glass by about one inch. Fold over the overhang and push it in with the bottom of another glass. For more security, remove the first glass and invert it back into the newspaper cylinder. Press the bottom of the newspaper cylinder between the bottoms of the two glasses. Remove both glasses. The pot is now ready to be filled with seed starting mix.

[Milk carton planters] Abingdon Tips: Milk cartons are better than egg cartons because egg cartons dry out too quickly and may not retain enough water to take a seedling through the weekend.


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