once a few years ago i saved up all my paper towel tubes till i had over 50. I stacked them in a plastic milk crate,filled them with fresh potting soil and planted a seed of pepper or tomato in each. They started to grow but it became quickly apparent that they were not keeping up with seeds planted in the conventional ways. When they started turning yellow I began fertilizing them which would perk them up for a few days but they never really grew till I transplanted them into the ground. I believe I created an environment for denitrifying bacteria and when I took it apart the tubes had lots of white mold on them. I wonder if newspaper pots will work in the same way

ctlane - if you're new to starting seeds I would recommend you do some reading and not plan on doing everything that way at first. Not that starting plants from seed is hard, most are easy to grow, it does save you money, and you have a much better selection of what to grow than what the average nursery or garden centre stocks. It's just that there are a lot of things that have to be done right - if you do it wrong you can get discouraged, and you'll have wasted the money you just spent. So... Go ahead and do it - you may love it and it is intensely rewarding to look at something and say to yourself "I grew that from a seed"! But don't go overboard the first couple of years, and keep your expectations realistic. Here's what I tell people that are new to the process: 1. Seedlings need light, water and air. *Light - A sunny window is not usually a good idea. Even though it seems nice and bright, the amount of light your seedlings will get is not enough, and they will get long and spindly. If you have a huge window or a 'greenhouse window', then it might be good enough, but they will do better under fluorescent lights. A four foot shop light from Canadian tire or Home Depot is ideal. It can be put in the basement, garage, of spare room - whatever you have available. Don't waste money on expensive specialized plant bulbs. Cool white bulbs are all you need. Seedlings should be one to two inches (yes that close) from the bulbs. *Water - One of the biggest killers of seedlings is a fungal infection that is usually called 'damping off'. The stem gets a pinched look and the seedling keels over and dies. Overwatering is the main cause for this fungus to get out of control. Keep the seed starting mixture only damp - not wet. Amount needed varies from plant to plant and the age of the plant. *Air - A lack of air circulation is another major cause to damping off. A fan placed a few feet from the seedlings will both circulate the air and help the seedlings grow sturdier and stronger. 2. Seedlings need a lot of attention. If you cannot check on your seedlings at least once a day (preferably twice or more), then you will not be able to monitor them as they grow. They will need to be watered, thinned, and moved away from the light as they grow taller(the tops of the plants need to remain close) 3. All seeds are not the same. Some need to have been started months ago, many need to be started now, and many more need only be sown outside and not started indoors at all. Many seeds need a cold period (called stratification) in order to germinate. This can be done in your fridge or outdoors using a process called wintersowing. Figure out what you want to grow and ask specific questions about those seeds. So this spring, buy a couple of sorts of annuals or veggies you'd like to have, and give it a try. Use a sunny window, or get a light and go for that - whatever you want. Note what worked and what didn't, and ask for feedback. You'll probably still need to buy plants at the nursery this spring as it'll take a couple of tries to get the hang of it. But then, look out - you'll be taking over the basement with the seeds :-) BP

I haven't noticed any mold around the inside of the pot, but then again, once planted, I have not taken them out to see if there was mold inside. I use the newspaper to line a regular pot so that it is easier to transplant to the soil without bothering the roots. The newspaper pot gets buried into the soil eventually, and becomes compost. So I don't see any problem with that.

Jenfm, I've always thought about the dwindling daylight hours effects on our fall/winter vegetable gardens. Not just fewer hours, but less intensity as the plants grow. Then there's the seasonal lag through January before things really start the upturn toward spring. It's no wonder the largest pumpkins and squash grow in Alaska and Siberia. Unlimited sunlight on those large leaves! Along with the soil sterilizing deep freeze every winter. I've never had luck with summer squash here. They come up and flower fine, but immediately after flowering the small fruits rot or vine borers get into the stems. I'm going to order some of those Tromboncino squash seeds very soon. Ill, did you say you planted that in the fall? Cucumbers do only slightly better. I don't think they handle humidity well at all (mildew) and get the same bugs as the squash. I'm planning to start some cukes in late Dec to take advantage of the dry season and lengthening days. In a large pot with a trellis. I think you can sow amaranth anytime of year. Once it's established and you let one go to seed it pops up everywhere. I really see the best growth in the spring. It goes to seed more quickly later summer and fall. I've found the red one does better for me. The green one must be very tasty though. It's always eaten up in the garden, by little caterpillars. I love nasturtiums among the veggies too. They pop up every fall like magic.