Instead of recycling your newspaper, why not try using it to grow some seeds and get some homegrown food?
The scoop
That’s exactly what Joe (@joesgarden), a gardener and author, recommended in a TikTok video.
@joesgarden Today we are back and I am showing you how to use old newspapers and turn them into eco friendly, handy seed starting pots, that only take a few minutes to make. 📣 ANNOUNCEMENT : My new book, Garden To Save The World is now available for pre order. I go into far more detail about topics such as this, there is even a whole chapter dedicated to to upcycling 😊💚 I’ve poured everything I’ve got into this book, it’s available across the world via the link in my channel description 🙏 thank you 😊 I often pick up a free newspaper on my commute, but unfortunately these often end up in the bin (as anyone who has walked past a train station bin knows)! This is a real shame as they have so many uses in the garden, including these home made eco friendly pots 😊🌱 Newspapers can often be an important component of home made compost, as it will break down adding carbon to your soil. I understand some people will be concerned about the ink! A lot of prints use vegetable based ink these days anyway, and if not maybe just avoid using heavily coloured pages and you will be fine 😊🌱 Unless you get seriously carried away with watering, these pots are actually surprisingly tough, but be warned, excessive watering will cause them to rip! These pots have the added benefit of just being able to be planted out directly in the soil, which will avoid any trauma to the root during the transplanting process. These pots will just decompose into the soil as the roots start to tear through! I hope you have all had a lovely week, and I really do love and appreciate you all, your support is incredible 😊🙏, Joe 💚💚 #harvest #zerowaste #organic #gardentips #nature #gardening #sustainability #ecotips ♬ golden hour – main character melodies
Joe takes a piece of newspaper and rolls it into a cylinder using a jar as a guide. It’s important to fold in the bottom edges tightly next and push them down with the jar. That will create a solid bottom for the newspaper plant pot.
You can fold over the top edges, but that’s optional. All you have to do after that is add soil, poke a few tiny holes, and put seeds in each pot.
Once you’ve dampened (not drenched) the soil and put them in your window, you’ll have sprouts within a few weeks. You can then plant those pots right in your garden with ease.
“These pots will just decompose into the soil as the roots start to tear through!” Joe said in the caption.
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How it’s helping
Using newspapers to make these plant pots is a great way to save money instead of buying plastic versions. What’s more, if you transfer a plastic pot into the ground, it could leach harmful substances and microplastics into the soil.
The United Nations stated that each person consumes 50,000 microplastic particles each year, and that’s extremely unhealthy. Microplastics are in our drinking water due to the vast amount of plastic we use. Consuming food or liquids with microplastics can impact your liver’s ability to function and cause other health issues.
Minimizing the amount of plastic you use can reduce the amount of microplastics that are created. While that may not fix the planet immediately, it can make your local community a little bit healthier.
Gardening itself can also allow for better physical and mental health. All it takes to start is folding up some pieces of newspaper.
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What everyone’s saying
“I love this idea!” said one person. “Wow.”
Another added, “Amazing! Praying for indoor ‘garden’ hacks for us city dwellers.”
For that hopeful gardener, other social media creators have explained how to propagate plants or care for houseplants inside.
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