You will need:
One carton which has held liquid in its previous life. A milk or juice cartons is best because it will have a lining to stop seepage, which an ordinary cardboard food container doesn't have.
One cutting implement (see below)
I chose a breadknife with a serated edge, because it was the only useful tool to hand. You could use a small saw I suppose but that is a bit over the top, I think. After all, you are only cutting cardboard. But definitely don't use a small knife because your fingers will suffer. Trust me on this. However, a sticking plaster over the wound will stop the bleeding and allow you to carry on with the task in hand.
Scissors could be used, but would be more fiddley. A straight cutting implement is best.
Method:
1) Remove the plastic stopper at the top end of the carton, and make sure all liquid is removed from it, including the drips. However, some may be reluctant to leave, so work on a surface which is mop-uppable.
As you can see in the following photos, quite a few drips lingered in this particular carton, which then transferred themselves onto the plastic table cloth covering the table which is at the moment serving as my worktop. Not to worry though, all those escapees were mopped up and sent to join the other water molecules in my washing up water. From thence they went outside to water the veg plot, and so their life goes on, into the natural cycle of the land.
As you can see in the following photos, quite a few drips lingered in this particular carton, which then transferred themselves onto the plastic table cloth covering the table which is at the moment serving as my worktop. Not to worry though, all those escapees were mopped up and sent to join the other water molecules in my washing up water. From thence they went outside to water the veg plot, and so their life goes on, into the natural cycle of the land.
2) Rub your knife along one corner in the centre of the carton. Be careful of applying pressure, so be gentle with your sawing action. Gently now. Be patient, otherwise this will happen:
A squashed box! Not to worry, you can always straighten out the carton when the two halves have become separated, but it is a task you can avoid if you are slow with your sawing action. The trouble is that once squashed the carton will never be quite the same again. A bit like us really, when we have had a major accident to ourselves. Nevertheless, we can recover and keep going, and still serve a useful purpose in life, so your squashed carton can do the same, so don't give up on it.
3) Gently make your way round the box. Now you can see here that I have come to the end of the cut, but that the start and finish points are separated by a bridge of cardboard. Not to worry. Gently tear through this bridge, but not to eagerly otherwise you will rip further into the carton, damaging one of the halves.
4) Et voila! Two brand new, albeit virginal, plant pots! As you can see, I didn't quite get the same sized pots, but that doesn't matter. At least one is not titchy and the other one huge.
Now all you have to do is pop some soil into your new pots, and you have a nursery environment for two of your baby seedlings.
And in the centre of the photo below you can see a tray of assorted pots, all made from cartons.
Holes?
Before I go, a mention about making holes in the bottom of your new pots. You don't need to. It will weaken the structure. Anyway, in the bottom of one of the pots is the top of the original box in which was placed the plastic stopper, and this will automatically give drainage. The bottom of the other pot is the bottom of the carton, and that has a folded edge which will allow for seepage of too much moisture. If you make a hole in this area, then the moisture will rot the pot. Better to leave well alone.
And finally:
With care, your pots will last their lifetime. Which isn't going to be that long, but at least you have given a carton which had seen the end of its days and was on its way to the refuse tip, new life, new purpose, and a second phase of life. Well done you.
And finally:
With care, your pots will last their lifetime. Which isn't going to be that long, but at least you have given a carton which had seen the end of its days and was on its way to the refuse tip, new life, new purpose, and a second phase of life. Well done you.
