Biodegradable Newspaper Pots

I was going to include the Origami Newspaper Pots with my previous Instructable, Recycled Seedling Pots, as I'm using recycled newspaper to make them. The instructions are a bit more complicated and I realized they deserved their own Instructable.

A little tricky at first, but once you see where it's all going, it gets much easier and you can produce a pot in a matter of minutes. My students are making these for the marigolds and vegetables we will be starting soon for our garden.

These pots, like the toilet paper pots, are biodegradable and can be planted directly in the ground when your seedling is ready. For more information on getting seeds going, check out my other Instructable Pre-Sprouting Seeds.

Using a full sheet of newspaper, fold it in half width wise and then again lengthwise (1 & 2). You may need to trim an inch or so off to make everything even. Unfold length wise.

From the fold line, fold each corner in towards the crease line, kind of like you would when making a paper airplane (3).

Take the bottom of the paper and fold it up to the bottom of your airplane folds (4).

Fold the paper again, it should look kind of like the brim of a hat now.

Flip the paper over and bring each side (one at a time) to the crease line in the center of the paper and fold.

Bring the bottom of the paper up to the new fold line and fold it down (pics 1 & 2). Fold again (pic 3). Now you have a little pocket, and you want to unfold the last fold so that you can slide the open end into the pocket and secure the sides of the pot (pic 4 & 5)

Take the pointy tip of the paper and fold it down towards each corner, one at a time. This is going to make a new crease line that will help us in the next step.

Stick your hand inside the opening and the bottom of your pot should form. The crease lines we made in the last step help the bottom cave in. Pinch around the sides of the pot to make it sturdier. Filled pots will sit flat/level on surfaces. Before you add water, put the pots on something that you don't mind getting muddy.

Fill with soil, seeds, and a little water.

After several failed attempts at making a clear and short video, I finally gave up. One of my students was nice enough to let me stand over his shoulder while he made a pot for demonstration.

If you enjoyed this Instructable, please consider voting for it in the Urban Farming Contest. Anything I'm lucky enough to win will go directly to my classroom and students :) Thanks!