Making paper pots

 Last night I spent some time sitting at the dining room table, watching a DVD and making paper pots.

 I don't use a wooden pot maker, just a glass from my cabinet. I've marked the glass on the side at the center with a sharpie.  Using this line as a rolling guide I make 4 inch tall pots.

I start with half sheets of newspaper roughly torn at the middle seam,  then folded double.  Next I roll each sheet around the glass with the extra paper sticking out above the open top of the glass.

Then I tuck the overflow into the glass and slide the paper off the glass. Reaching inside, I fold down the extra paper , then push it flat with the bottom of the glass. It doesn't have to be neat, just tight enough to stay in place.

Finally, I put a small piece of tape in the overlap seam (this time I used free address labels) and fold the rim back a half inch.

After 3 years I'm getting pretty good at these pots!

Then I made labels by cutting up christmas cards. They are usually tough enough to survive until my seedlings go outside, yet because they are paper they breakdown in the garden by the end of the season.   

Sol also likes to steal and chew labels, so I prefer the paper because it is more digestible as well as compostable!