SEEDLINGS: We're getting potty about paper ...
We're getting potty about paper ...
GROUND RULES FIRST
It's good to establish the ground rules with any new project and we're confident we are starting off on the right footing here. Our aim is to find and use the most organic ways to grow the healthiest food - that means organic seeds, organic compost, plastic free pots (or plastic-light) and sustainable thinking is definitely needed. Let's face it, plastic is pretty much old hat these days so we'd really rather avoid using it. It causes too much damage through its full lifecycle to every living thing.
DID YOU KNOW there's evidence that plastic in soil has a detrimental impact on worm health? We want to focus on creating the healthiest growing environment for healthy worms and healthy soil to encourage healthy plants to grow into healthy food.
WHAT IS A PAPER POTTER?
A paper potter is a lovely turned wooden cylinder with an interlocking base that together with a sheet of old newspaper and a few deft hand movements create a paper pot to plant seeds into. That's just perfect for a plastic-free start - ours have been made locally by a lovely gentleman who has been carefully and craftily working with wood for most of his life.
A paper potter is a lovely turned wooden cylinder with an interlocking base that together with a sheet of old newspaper and a few deft hand movements create a paper pot to plant seeds into. That's just perfect for a plastic-free start - ours have been made locally by a lovely gentleman who has been carefully and craftily working with wood for most of his life.
ABOUT SEEDLINGS
Seedlings is a PEAT project to encourage and nurture the new and the accomplished, the young and the old and everyone in between - in fact let's just like to use the phrase 'everyone' to have a go at growing food at home ... and it all begins with a single seed.
Paper pots are made from newspaper wrapped round a wooden form then rolled inwards at the bottom and pressed against a wooden base to indent the paper which then holds the pot form for filling with compost and sowing with seeds.
Paper pots reduce the need for plastic and, quite magically, growing seedlings can be transplanted directly into the ground in the paper!
All the paper we are using on the project (forms, request slips, posters, etc) will be re-used in our compost bins to give their carbon element back to the earth through the compost they help to produce.
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NOTES & LINKS
We are delighted that our project has been funded by Light Up Lives CIC and South Lakeland District Council.
For more information about worm health & plastic start with these research findings. Plastic and human health impacts are comprehensively explained in the CIEL Plastic & Health report.