How to Make Seed-Starter Pots From Cardboard Tubes

A paper towel tube can become a seed pot.

Purchasing starter trays for all of your garden seeds can get expensive. Instead, recycle the cardboard rolls from paper towels and toilet paper to make your own seed-starter pots. When it's time to transplant your seedlings into the garden, you can simply plant the entire pot. The cardboard will protect the roots during transplanting, then decompose in the ground.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Potting soil

1. Flatten each cardboard roll lengthwise and crease the sides. Open each tube back up.

2. Flatten each tube lengthwise on the opposite side. Crease the sides so they line up with the previous creases. Each roll will now have four sides and four corners.

3. Cut the creased rolls with scissors to make shorter tubes. Cut toilet paper rolls in half; cut paper towel rolls into four pieces.

4. Cut along each crease on one end of tube section. Slice each crease about 5/8 of an inch to make tiny flaps.

5. Fold the flaps down toward the center, creasing them well. Interlock the flaps like a box top.

6. Fill your seed-starter pots with potting soil. Plant your seeds.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a flat tray with a raised edge to hold all of your cardboard seed-starter pots.

References

• Reader's Digest: 18 Incredible Uses for Cardboard Tubes