Every day, he ends up in the trash, crumpled, stained, forgotten … And yet, this modest waste in paper hides an unsuspected power for those who like to cultivate: it can really transform the routine of summer gardening. Imagine never to miss supports for sowing, spending zero euro and, above all, offering a second life to what some consider a simple scrap. The newspaper, a discreet accomplice of the coffee break or breakfast, is essential this summer in real asset of the malicious and resourceful vegetable garden. It is a tip as economical as it is ecological, which appeals to market gardeners such as seasoned green hands, and which should find even more followers among those who like to combine gardening, agility and logic zero waste. Let’s look back at the trash … This is where the magic of clever sowing begins!
The headache of the sowing: When the material lacks, ideas germinate
Summer is in full swing, the vegetable patch abounds … But to sow new plants, the equipment sometimes runs out. Who has never desperately sought what to transplant a handful of seeds on Sunday afternoon, while the stores are closed or the budget too tight to offer new buckets? It is often in these moments of improvisation that the imagination of gardeners makes all the difference.
Recycling, diverting, improvising: a philosophy shared by numerous garden enthusiasts. Cleaned bottles, yogurt pots, toilet paper rolls … Everything becomes a resource to avoid buying new equipment. This trend, anchored in French culture for generations, translates a practical and inventive state of mind, particularly in those who favor a simple and economical lifestyle.
But why do so many gardeners are looking for homemade alternatives? In addition to the desire to spend less and the desire to limit waste, there is also the pleasure of tinkering, transmitting tips and adopting more responsible gestures in the garden. It is in this logic that certain ideas, formerly confidential, are experiencing a renewed popularity today.
Classic equipment also has its drawbacks. Plastic buckets, even reusable, often end up broken or lost. Trade models are expensive for large quantities, not to mention their poorly brilliant environmental impact. Storage in winter and cleaning to keep them from one season to the next also represent a real headache.
This waste which only requires being recycled: Journal with the rescue
Who suspects that the morning newspaper, once read, become the best ally of the vegetable garden? This precious paper, generally folded into a ball and thrown without a state of mind, is however a resource as abundant as they are acted with. Light, flexible, biodegradable, it lends itself to a thousand uses, including the one – unexpected – of homemade containers for sowing.
Why does newspaper go the spotlight to all other waste? Simply because it is full of qualities: easy to handle, adaptable to all formats, it costs nothing and decomposes naturally in the earth. The modern newspaper, printed with water inks, presents no risk for young plants or for the land of the vegetable patch, as long as we avoid the frozen or overloaded pages of colored advertisements.
Ecology, economy, practicality: a winning trio. The followers of zero waste find there an ally of choice to limit their environmental impact. From an economic point of view, it is unbeatable: an old newspaper makes it possible to make a dozen buckets in a few minutes, without sophisticated tool or investment. As for practicality, nothing like improvising a new sowing session on the fly, during a rainy Sunday or a sudden desire for vegetable patch.
Make your reusable sowing buckets: child’s play
No need to be a DIY king to get started. All the equipment is on hand, ready to render proud services for sowing in August.
Essential material (everything is Already at home!)
- Newspaper sheets (one or two pages per bucket)
- A small glass, a cup or a box to serve as a template (6-8 cm in diameter)
- A little fine soil or a mixture of well -sifted compost
- Seeds to sow (your choice depending on the season)
- A tray or a tray to place the buckets
The technique step by step to fold, roll and install your future plants
First step : Cut or fold a newspaper sheet into bands about 10 to 12 cm wide (two leaves are enough for a solid bucket).
Second step : Roll up the strip around the chosen template (glass or cup), letting a few centimeters below to form the bottom.
Third step : Fold the bottom of the paper inwards, so as to constitute a stable and closed base.
Fourth step : Gently remove the template: the bucket holds by itself, thanks to the tension of the well rolled paper.
Fifth step : Fill with moistened soil, tamp slightly, then sow a few seeds with suitable depth.
Last step : Place the buckets side by side in the tray. Light watering will be enough to maintain everything well in place.
Bonus tip: To strengthen the bucket, a second strip of paper can be wrapped around front filling.
Sow clever: Your seedlings will never have so much pace
Sow, yes, but sow smart! The newspaper offers an ideal cocoon for a number of vegetable seeds, provided you respect some common sense rules.
Favor seeds that appreciate transplantation : salads, beets, cabbage, late, even aromatic tomatoes (basil, parsley) and certain squashes perfectly accommodate paper buckets. To optimize germination, choose a fine, well -damp soil, and avoid sowing too tight.
To get up quickly : Hold the buckets in light but sheltered from air currents, and do not allow the surface of the soil. The newspaper naturally retains humidity, protecting sowing from excessive watering like passenger oversights.
Some traps to avoid To guarantee generous lifting:
- Do not use colorful or icy paper, less biodegradable and sometimes polluting.
- Avoid excess water: the paper must remain moist but not soggy.
- Make sure that sowing lacks neither light or heat … to avoid shooting stems or puny plants.
- Record without delay as soon as the roots point: the newspaper, degraded by humidity, lets the plant settle without stress.
Journal and soil, The winning pair for a vegetable garden without waste
Beyond practicality, magic also operates the health of plants. The newspaper, friable and permeable, promotes soft rooting, allowing the young shoot to develop without jerk or shock at the time of transplanting. Forget the stress of the detailed roots or injured by the unmolding of a conventional pot!
On the watering side, there too the newspaper scores points. A paper bucket naturally regulates humidity: it absorbs excess water, but gradually restores it during drought. Result: fewer fungal diseases linked to stagnation and spaced waterings.
Another asset, not least: total biodegradability. When the time comes to plant in the ground, no need to remove the bucket. It decomposes naturally, nourishing the fauna of the soil, while letting the root anchor without hindrance. A real time saving and minimal stress for young plants.
When recycling changes the situation: Testimonials and feedback
The craze for homemade buckets is gaining ground. In shared gardens, on city balconies or family vegetable gardens, many have tested and adopted this simple technique.
The advantages are so obvious that many no longer return to traditional methods. The savings made are notable: no more purchase of containers, more waste of plastic … This method makes it possible to make dozens of buckets in half an hour, sometimes with the family, transforming what was a chore at a friendly moment.
The vegetable garden also becomes a cement of social ties : more than a tip, the newspaper cup allows you to share ideas, exchange seeds, and even launch challenges in the neighborhood gardeners’ clubs. Gardening, when it rhymes with recovery, becomes a popular art where everyone finds its place.
Adopt the newspaper cupit is also rediscovering the pleasure of accessible and joyful gardening, which does not require disproportionate means to start or innovate. Simplicity may well be the secret of your best harvests this summer.
Keep your old newspapers or recover those of neighbors, replace plastic buckets with a few well -made folds and let the magic operate: this is a small revolution, within the reach of all green, novices or experienced hands. Journal reinvents the tradition of the family vegetable garden, offering a lasting solution that combines ingenuity and respect for the environment, season after season.
