How to Make Newspaper Seed Pots for Planting

Hallie Renner11.10.2026

I have made plenty of seed-starting mistakes over the years, but newspaper seed pots are one of the rare projects that stayed in my rotation. Here in Boise, Idaho, zone 7a, my dry high-desert garden gets about 11 inches of rain a year, so I start many crops indoors and count backward from my own last frost date instead of trusting a generic calendar.

I first tested newspaper pots after years of buying plastic cell trays, and I still use them for crops that dislike root disturbance. They cost almost nothing, reuse a household material, and the whole pot can go into the garden when the seedling is ready.

Making Newspaper Seed Pots Step by Step

Hands folding newspaper seed pots — Photo by mein-schoener-garten.de

I keep this project in my beginner gardening category because it is genuinely simple. A jar, some black-and-white newspaper, and about 15 minutes are enough to make a batch of biodegradable seed pots. I learned long ago from my trial-garden years that the easiest systems are the ones I actually repeat.

My newspaper pot method

Roll newspaper tightly around a small jar or can.
Fold the extra paper underneath to create a base.
Set finished pots in a tray before adding soil.

The basic technique is the same one I use every spring: shape the paper around a mold, press the bottom flat, remove the mold, and fill the pot. Several gardening organizations describe this same approach for homemade seed starters.

My tip

Make a dozen at a time instead of one at a time. Seed starting is easier when the supplies are already waiting.

Materials Needed for Newspaper Seed Pots

Newspaper pots and gardening supplies — Photo by nongnghieppho.vn

I do not buy special equipment for newspaper pots. After 15 years of garden notebooks, I can tell you this is one of the cheapest seed-starting projects I use. The materials are basic, but choosing the right paper matters.

Newspaper: I use plain black-and-white newsprint rather than glossy colored pages.
Mold: A small jar, glass, or straight-sided container creates the pot shape.
Seed tray: A waterproof tray keeps soft paper pots together while watering.
Seed-starting mix: A fine mix gives tiny roots an easier beginning.

I avoid shiny advertising pages because some guides recommend sticking with plain newsprint instead of coated or colored paper for seed pots.

Material	Why I use it
Newspaper	Free, reusable, and breaks down in soil
Small jar	Creates consistent pot sizes
Seed tray	Makes moving pots safer

Folding Newspaper Into Sturdy Plant Containers

Folding newspaper into plant containers — Photo by nodighome.com

The strength of a newspaper pot comes from the folds, not glue or tape. I learned this after making my first batch too loose and watching the bottoms collapse during watering. A firm roll creates a much better seedling container.

Fold. Create a long strip of newspaper with several layers.
Roll. Wrap the paper snugly around your jar or mold.
Tuck. Push the extra paper inward to form the bottom.
Press. Flatten the base before sliding out the mold.

Instructions from the RHS and other gardening resources use a similar rolling and tucking method, with a tray recommended because damp newspaper becomes easier to damage.

Common mistake

Do not make the paper walls too thin. A pot that falls apart before transplanting has not saved you any work.

Planting Seeds in Newspaper Pots

Seeds planted in newspaper pots — Photo by rhs.org.uk

Once the pots are made, I treat them like any other seed-starting container. I fill them with fresh seed-starting mix, plant according to the seed packet, and record the sowing date in my garden notebook.

Fill pots with lightly moistened seed-starting mix.

Plant seeds at the depth listed on the packet.

Label every pot with variety and date.

Keep pots together in a tray for support.

For my Boise garden, I count back from my last frost date rather than copying a calendar from another region. Your timing will depend on your own frost dates and local extension recommendations. Frost-date planning matters more than the month printed on a seed packet.

Why I like them

Easy transplanting
Low-cost materials

Limitations

Need tray support when wet
Not ideal for long-term pot growth

Caring for Seedlings in Newspaper Pots

Seedlings growing in newspaper pots — Photo by gettyimages.com

Newspaper pots work best when I remember they are temporary homes, not permanent containers. I keep seedlings under my basement shop lights, because a sunny windowsill rarely gives young plants enough light for strong growth.

15 years

of garden records I use to improve my seed-starting routine

I water carefully because paper dries differently from plastic. The goal is evenly moist soil, not a soggy pot sitting in water. A tray helps keep the pots upright while the seedlings develop.

Watch for this

If seedlings become tall and weak, the problem is usually light, not the newspaper pot itself.

Transplanting Newspaper Seed Pots Into the Garden

Transplanting newspaper pots into garden soil

The best part of newspaper seed pots is transplant day. I do not have to pull young roots apart or shake soil away. I dig the hole, place in the whole pot, and make sure the paper rim is below the soil surface.

Newspaper pots are designed to break down in the ground, allowing gardeners to plant the container with the seedling rather than removing the paper first.

My transplant checklist

Harden seedlings off before planting outside, choose a calm day when possible, water after transplanting, and adjust timing to your own frost risk. In my windy Idaho garden, skipping hardening off is a reliable way to lose plants.

I still keep some plastic trays from my market-garden years, but newspaper pots earn their space because they solve a specific problem: getting seedlings into the ground with less root disturbance and less waste.