Oh get it??? the newspaper pots are the problem? I find they don't have the same mould problem as my peat pot but they dry out one hell of alot faster, I like them because you can bottom feed easily just add the water into a tray when the top is wet (doesn't take alot of time take them out), also how thick are your pots? they don't have to be too thick and they stand up well, you don't need holes as the roots seem to find there way out the bottom and I hear the sides in a vigrious plant, also the pot sizes may be bigger for the newspaper plant, I only mention this cos I have noted that my some of my plants in individual pots are doing worse than those crowded together?, I posted this under I think? are my plant argophobic?

I really can¡¦t believe they actually came up in mulch º In saying that, I believe the mold is due to too much water and no air circulation. For now, I would decrease the water and increase air circulation (space them out and get them out of the tub/container, just put the pots on a cookie sheet for now). Once they have their first set of ¡¥true¡¦ leaves (not the ones in the picture¡Kwait for the next set of leaves). I would put them into divided plastic flats or Styrofoam cups with drainage holes with NEW seedling soil that has been pre-moistened (rung out sponge damp). The flat or cups should be placed in a shallow container to catch water run off (no larger than an inch lip) as to keep good air circulation. Your plants should be quite happy then. Also remember to keep your lights as close to the plants as possible so they are not reaching for the light and getting spindly. I hope that helps, happy gardening! Keriann~

jodie74, I'd recommend making newspaper pots or using paper towel tube pots instead...last year I used both and they worked great for my morning glory seeds. By the time they were ready to plant out, the roots were almost growing out the bottom, so I think the bathroom cups might just be a bit too small to allow for root growth, unless you plan to plant our fairly quickly, or transplant into a larger container. Also, most brands of paper coffee cups and bathroom cups these days have a thin plastic coating over the paper made of a chemical called polyethylene. Polyethylene is not biodegradable, and takes centuries to break down in the soil, which is why most paper coffee cups and bathroom cups are not recyclable. You can tell if your paper bathroom cup is coated in polyethylene or not if the inside walls of the cup feel smoother and look more shiny than the outside walls of the cup. People are working now to develop corn-based coatings for paper cups instead of the plastic/polyethylene, but the newer polyethylene-free cups are kind of expensive. If you use paper towels, the tube is free! You can also use toilet paper tubes. I'm pretty sure both are un-coated paper and will biodegrade/break down safely in your garden soil.

It has always been easiest for me to just tear off the bottoms. Also, be sure to have the entire paper covered in dirt. Any paper that sticks up wicks air to the roots, not good. bonnie