Starting your own garden is one of the most rewarding ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle. You get to enjoy fresh vegetables while also helping to reduce waste and your environmental impact. One of the simplest and most efficient methods of doing this is to make your own zero-waste plant pots from items you most likely already have at home. We discovered this when we had a pile of old newspapers and we didn’t want to just throw them. So, in this blog, I’ll walk you through two simple methods for making plant pots out of newspaper and toilet paper rolls. These pots are chemical-free and biodegradable, making them ideal for growing a garden with minimal environmental impact.


Why Choose Zero-Waste Plant Pots?
Many of us pick up free newspapers or use toilet paper on a daily basis, but these materials are frequently discarded after only one use. By recycling them as plant pots, you give them a second life while eliminating the use of plastic pots, which can take hundreds of years to decompose. Also, both newspaper and toilet paper rolls are biodegradable, allowing you to plant them straight in your garden without damaging the roots. As they decompose, they release carbon, which is required for your plants to generate new leaves and stems.
Newspaper Plant Pots
Materials Needed:
- A few sheets of newspaper
- A small can or glass to shape the pot
- Scissors
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Start by cutting your newspaper into strips about 10-12 inches long and 4 inches wide. You’ll want the strips to be long enough to wrap around your can or glass with some overlap.
- Take one strip of newspaper and wrap it around your can or glass, leaving about an inch hanging off the bottom. This extra inch will form the base of your pot.
- Gently fold the inch of newspaper hanging off the bottom into the center, tucking it in to create the base. Press it down firmly so that it holds its shape.
- Carefully slide the newspaper pot off the can or glass. The paper should hold its shape. If it’s a bit loose, don’t worry—once you fill it with soil, it will firm up.
- Your newspaper pot is now ready to be filled with soil. Add your seeds or seedlings, water them, and watch them grow! When it’s time to plant them in your garden, you can place the entire pot in the soil, where it will naturally decompose.
Toilet Paper Roll Pots
Materials Needed:
- Empty toilet paper rolls
- Scissors
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Take your empty toilet paper roll and make four cuts, each about 1 inch long, evenly spaced around one end of the roll. These cuts will form the flaps for the base of your pot.
- Fold the flaps inward, overlapping them to close off the bottom of the roll. This will create a sturdy base for your pot.
- Fill the roll with soil, and plant your seeds or seedlings inside. Just like with the newspaper pots, you can plant the entire roll directly into your garden when your plants are ready to be transplanted.
Both of these ways are straightforward, sustainable, and an excellent way to begin growing your own food at home. By recycling items, you not only reduce trash but also give the seeds a healthy start with minimal root disturbance.
I hope you enjoy growing your own food at home. Happy gardening! 🫶