Gardening with Kids: Make Your Own Newspaper "Peat" Pots


by Diane Chase

A cost effective way to pot plants and recycle and reuse from your paper bin is to make newspaper "peat" pots that can be planted directly into the ground.

It is an easy process and children enjoy the activity. it can be done on a rainy day, if you need something to do or make a family night out of the activity. Then plants your seeds or seedlings, water and wait for your indoor garden to grow!

Continue for step-by-step directions

Take a single sheet of newspaper and tear it in half. You can cut it but it really doesn't have to be precise. My children love just tearing up the newspaper so I just let them rip! 






Take a bottle or can from the recycling bin that is the diameter you wish your newspaper "peat" pot to be.  Roll the 1/4 sheet of newspaper around the length of the jar. Make sure to leave about 1" of newspaper on the end to fold over for the bottom. 


Fold each side over


Make sure to tuck the last two ends into each other. Don't worry if it doesn't stay closed. Once you put the potting soil in it will weigh down the end and keep it tightly closed. 


The finished product takes hardly any effort, is fun for everyone involved and can be planted directly into the garden!

This is a repost that I've updated from a 5/13/11 blog post.  Enjoy! 

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