Making more paper pots

I sow seeds for a number of people, to be helpful and because I just like sowing seeds. I think it is something to do with encouraging the growth of a plant - a tiny seed laying dormant and with a little care and know how, a beautiful plant emerges. Beautiful for its aesthetic beauty perhaps, or beautiful for the gift of fresh food for me and my family. I think that's why I have so much trouble thinning out crops, but that's another story altogether!

So it's back to rolling up more paper pots.

My littlies like to help with this and so long as I am not too worried about things being done perfectly and to a uniform shape and size it is fine. I figure that I am just happy that they are wanting to help and do these things with me, be it making the pots, sowing seeds into them, or into the garden, planting out plants, harvesting or watering, they are being a part of the process and enjoying it.

I attempted to have my 3 year old video the quick pot making process, but although she is a pretty good photographer for her age, she still hasn't got the hang of film... So here are some photos showing some of the steps involved in making the pots.

Firstly I tear tabliod sized newspaper into 4 strips. Then I use the pot sized wooden rolling block and roll the paper allowing overhang at the bottom (image 1). Then I tuck the overhang towards the middle of the base of the pot (image 2). Next I use the base wooden block to push and twist the base firmly into place (image 3). Then it's just a matter of sliding the pot off and there it is (image 4).

It's a quick process when I am doing it by myself and takes twice as long when I have little hands helping me roll the paper and twist the base, but is rewarded with sowing the seeds once we have finished.

My girl understands the process enough to know that she sows only one or two seeds per pot and gently covers them with soil. My boy, however, does not yet have that control, which means that often we end up with two different varieties of plants growing in the one pot! Sowing surprise...

These pots are similar in concept to ones that I saw recently on the Gardening Australia TV Show (and in the mag), without the costly outlay of the kit. I have to say I do think the wooden base block that squishes and secures the base is fantastic though, so I am telling myself that it was money well spent!

Before I go, I had a friend of mine over during the week - she is a real inspiration to me and I look to her and her garden with envy. She was feeling in a similar situation to how I was a few weeks ago, feeling down about the cold and the lack of love she was getting from her garden. We walked through my garden and popped in on the greenhouse and the kids played and laughed. It was cold and we baked and ate and drank warm drinks. We had a wonderful time. What really uplifted me what that I inspired her back into her garden. Or perhaps it wasn't me, it as just talking about gardening that enthused her again. Either way it got me back out there in the cold weather again, thinking "there is so much to do!" and she did the same.

PJG

Eco paper pots

Yesterday's potter in the garden was very productive, with children who were helpful and excited to get out into the wet mulch.

We had lots of fun making pots with the new wooden eco pot maker that I purchased over the weekend. I have made paper pots before, out of an old Yellow Pages, but the hand crafted paper pots dried out easily and I had trouble making a flat base.

I had been thinking about how to achieve a larger pot with a flat base and then I came across this kit. It is basically a wooden cylinder which the paper is rolled around, overhang at the bottom is folded over and then pressed and turned in a wooden cap on the bottom which secures it into place. The bottom cap and cylinder are then removed and you are left with a flat bottomed pot!
I think that I might be on to a winner. Here are the new ones with tiny lettuce growing in them.

My girl was very helpful in the making of pots, even making some herself without any help! She then chose some seeds out of the seed box and has sown some sugar snap peas - because she can either eat them whole or shell them, depending on how she feels :)

PJG