DIY Organic Seed Paper

Seed paper is a really fun way to save your seeds for planting. Learning to make your own seed paper is easy, but this toilet paper method makes it easier than ever before. With little mess, this is a fun craft to do with kids too!

How to Make Your Own Seed Paper with Toilet Paper

There are many different ways to make your own paper. Seed paper is the process of making and drying paper with the seeds inside so that, when the paper is planted, the seeds are evenly distributed and don’t get easily washed away by water. In this tutorial, I use organic toilet paper.

Why Use Organic Toilet Paper?

Using old paper is budget friendly but toxic, since paper naturally has many chemically ridden additives in it. Those dyes, additives and toxins are then added to the soil. Organic toilet paper is chemical free, and toilet paper also dissolves quickly in the ground, allowing the seeds and the soil to remain organic and free of toxins.

Also, using toilet paper to make your own seed paper is a much easier, and a less messy method. You aren’t required to use a blender or drain water soaked paper bits.

How to Get Started Making Your Own Seed Paper

As with all projects, the first thing to do is gather all your materials. You don’t need much to put this together, but there are a few essentials you have to have.

• Seeds – Picking seeds is important and something to put thought into. For instance, if you are planting vegetables, consider what vegetables can be planted directly into the ground and can be planted close together.

  Some of these vegetables include: lettuce, carrot, tomatoes and chives.

  Herbs are also a good choice and include: dill, oregano, basil and parsley.

  In this tutorial, I used flowers.

  For the seed paper, I mixed together heirloom zinnias, marigolds and poppies, to include a sun-loving pollinators mix that can be added to the vegetables garden.

Related: 9 Flowers You Should Grow in Your Vegetable Garden

• Organic Toilet Paper – I picked up my toilet paper at Sprouts Grocers, although organic toilet paper can also be found online and in most stores.
• Paper Making Frame and Screen – This is essential in making sure the paper comes out flat and the water is drained off. I ordered mine online, because I wasn’t able to find them at the local craft store.
• Baking Sheet – This is used to hold the paper and the water as you make the seed paper. Be sure to use a baking sheet that has sides to it. A cookies sheet that is a flat surface with no sides won’t do any good.
• Water In a Spray Bottle – Getting your toilet paper damp is how the paper will stick together.

Putting Together You Seed Paper

Once the materials have been collected, the process of making your own seed paper is actually really easy.

The First Step is to place the paper making screen in the center of the baking sheet. Begin making the paper by placing the first layer of toilet paper on the screen.

Sprinkle a small amount of seeds, about 1/4 Tsp, on top of the toilet paper, and then add another layer of toilet paper on top of the seeds.

Spray the two layers of toilet paper with a small amount of water to ensure that the two layers stick together.

Repeat the Step

Add a second sprinkle of seeds to the top of the paper layer. Place another layer of toilet paper on top and spray with water again.

Repeat the above step one more time, adding one more sprinkle of seeds, and a last layer of toilet paper. Spray the last layer with water to ensure the toilet paper sticks together.

When finished, you should have 4 layers of toilet paper, and 3 layers of seeds.

Finishing The Seed Paper

Carefully add a few tablespoons of water to the paper, making sure that all of the paper is really wet. Be careful not to pour water too heavily or directly on the toilet paper, as it will dissolve.

Use the top screen and place in on top of the paper. Remove the paper from the baking sheet and use a washcloth, sponge or rag to remove excess water from the paper.

Set the paper carefully out in a warm, dry location and allow your paper to dry overnight.

Once dried, you can cut the paper into different shapes, or leave the size of a standard sheet of paper and store for future use.

What Can Seed Paper Be Used For?

Seed paper is a fun way to store seeds. It’s perfect for tiny seeds that get lost easily, such as carrot seeds or poppy seeds.

When you make your own seed paper, you can cut the paper into fun shapes, or wrap in a cute bow and give it away as a gift. Hearts are fun for Valentine’s Day, and an Egg shape can be fun for Easter! The seed paper lasts as long as the seeds and can make gardening directly into the ground a bit easier.

WANT MORE GARDEN IDEAS: Learn all about How to Paint Rocks as Garden Markers. And, be sure to check out these Simple DIY Raised Garden Beds!