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February 4, 2009 by: Renee Wilkinson

Newspaper Seed Pots Again!

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I have most of my vegetable seeds all organized and ready to start growing from seed inside. It’s time to turn back to my trusty post from last year on how to make seed pots from newspaper. No special tools are required. All those old copies of the New York Times are now going to come in handy!

I will post more this weekend about the different seeds I have going. This year I will also be sure to keep my grow light on for about 16 hours, since last year my poor veggies got a soft start with only 8 hours under the grow light.

I’d love to know what wonderful plants you have planned for the season as well! Although starting vegetables from seed indoors can be a hassle, the huge variety of varieties to choose from makes the whole thing worth it. And if you’re lucky, your plants start producing way before the neighbors.

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Comments

  1. 1

    Saara says

    February 4, 2009 at 10:05 pm

    I love newspaper pots! No plastic, biodegradable, and they give Keith something to make when listening to NPR. I have him make them with the “semi-complex origami method”. 😀

  2. 2

    Off Grid Survival says

    February 8, 2009 at 5:38 pm

    Very Good Idea, I will have to try this one…. Thanks!

  3. 3

    Faith says

    February 19, 2009 at 1:24 pm

    I am trying newspaper pots too! Do you start your tomato seeds in the indiv pots or do you start them together in a tray??

    I plan to also make some mini greenhouses out of 2 liters http://mrbrownthumb.blogspot.com/2007/01/seed-starting-ghetto-greenhouse.html I can’t wait to start planting!!

  4. 4

    admin says

    February 19, 2009 at 2:44 pm

    Faith – I only use these, so all my little indoor seedlings get started here, then transplanted outside in the newspaper when they are big enough.

  5. 5

    Sara says

    March 11, 2009 at 11:09 pm

    I’m a little confused by this and the “lip.” I followed the instructions but when it comes to folding over a lip I don’t see how it can be folded over..

  6. 6

    admin says

    March 12, 2009 at 9:03 am

    Hi Sara, sorry you are having problems. Did you see my original post on how to make them with pictures? It’s hard to explain without showing so I have planned to make a short video. Expect to see that up over the weekend.

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Most days on the homestead aren’t big or dramati Most days on the homestead aren’t big or dramatic—they’re made of small, steady moments.

Refilling the chicken feeder. Collecting eggs still warm from the nest. Pulling up a few carrots. Tossing weeds to the flock. Trimming back the roses before they take over.

It’s not about doing it all—it’s about doing what you can, when you can.
Modern homesteading is less about perfection and more about rhythm. A little work, a little joy, and a lot of dirt under your nails.

Homesteading looks different for everyone—what does it look like (or feel like) for you?

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Swarm catching 🐝 This cluster was about the siz Swarm catching 🐝 This cluster was about the size of a basketball hanging in a Doug Fir next to a playground. They were super easy to catch with my extension pole! 

Note: don't put a swarm in anything plastic. I hated putting them in this bucket, but it's all I could grab in time. But they can easily overheat in something like this, which lacks good ventilation. I relocated them into a wooden hive super quick, but I was so nervous every minute they were in here.

As always, I chatted with several onlookers. Folks are always so curious about swarms and honeybees. It's a lovely way to educate and build bee ambassadors 🐝 
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Weekend vibes: gardening in pajamas, coffee in han Weekend vibes: gardening in pajamas, coffee in hand, and dirt under my nails before 9am.
This is how I fit homesteading into modern family life—little pockets of peace squeezed between breakfast and soccer games.

It’s not picture-perfect, but it’s real—and it feeds my soul (and my soil). Here’s to slow starts, messy mornings, and growing what we can, when we can.

How do you squeeze in garden time during busy weeks? Pajamas optional—tips welcome.

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Hey there, new friends! I’m Renee, a modern home Hey there, new friends! I’m Renee, a modern homesteader living in Portland, Oregon—raising chickens, veggies, and three awesome kids on our little slice of urban heaven.

I'm carrying on generations of knowledge to grow my own food, live more sustainably, and teach my family the value of getting our hands dirty (in the best way). Here, I share the real ups and downs of homesteading—think garden wins, chicken shenanigans, DIY projects, and everyday lessons from the land.

Fun fact: I'm a tango dancer and a landscape architect. Both are useful in the garden 💃🏽 

I’d love to get to know you—drop a comment and tell me where you’re from and what you’re growing (plants, dreams, chickens… anything counts)!

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Homegrown asparagus tastes 1,000% better than anyt Homegrown asparagus tastes 1,000% better than anything from the store. So juicy, crisp, naturally sweet. Some of these were 18" long and still tender. 

Asparagus is a perennial vegetable, meaning you plant once and it comes back every year. You have to wait until year three to start harvesting, but it's worth that wait. 

I do nothing to care for it, but every year I have arms full throughout spring and early summer. I planted an 8' row along an otherwise boring fence. The foliage turns brilliant gold in the fall. Tell me if you grow this crop! 
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More garden arches! This one also started with 20' More garden arches! This one also started with 20' lengths of thin rebar, shoved into the ground with my weight and hooped over loosely. Our old Christmas tree trunks are tied to the rebar, to thicken up the base. 

Pruned branches from our fig tree make good vertical supports. Multi-stemmed branches help build up the sides, bc they can also be woven in horizontally.

The most time is spent weaving in thin, flexible branches horizontally from our plum trees. The structure gets more secure pretty quickly, as tension is built up.

I use twine only selectively. Most is just held in place with just tension alone. It won't last forever, but it's not meant to. I'll rebuild in about 3-4 years as branches need replacing.
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Making woven garden arches 💪🏼 I start with a Making woven garden arches 💪🏼 I start with a few 20' lengths of thin rebar. My soil is soft at this time of year, so I can use my body weight to push them deep into the ground. 

Then I start layering in pruned fruit tree branches. Fig and pear work well as vertical sides. Plum and apple are flexible enough for me to weave in between. Multi-stemmed pieces are helpful to create tangles of branches. I use twine selectively, if at all. 

I dream of hopping across the pond to take a workshop at @damsonfarm.house to improve my technique making natural supports. Some day, I hope! 
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I couldn't bring myself to send these cushions to I couldn't bring myself to send these cushions to a landfill, even though the fabric covers were totally deteriorating. But I've never seen cushion covers for sale, until I stumbled upon these at Ikea.

They fit perfectly! I don't need fancy patio furniture - just a place to put my feet up. So hurray for the small wins and keeping these babies out of the landfill 🎉
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Taking care of yourself can be a form of resistanc Taking care of yourself can be a form of resistance. Rest, nourish your body, tend your garden. Keep your tank full 💪🏼 
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