How to Make Plantable Seed Paper

Invite butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden with this easy DIY plantable seed paper tutorial. Plantable seed paper is the perfect diy garden project for any time of year. Use this tutorial to make sustainable cards and stationary with plantable seed paper.

Make butterfly garden seed bombs for just a few dollars to give as a DIY gift or to plant in your own garden. In the spring and summer your garden will be filled with beautiful butterflies.

FRUGAL TIP : I always stock up on annual wildflower seed packages for 4/$1.00 to add to my garden at the dollar store of all places for a large batch of seed paper.

Go ahead and make this fun butterfly garden seed bombs in the winter as a way to look forward to coming spring season.

WHAT IS PLANTABLE SEED PAPER ?

Seed paper is literally paper with seeds in it. When this paper is placed on top of soil and watered, it will germinate and begin sprouting seedlings. Eventually the paper will decompose and leave the seedlings to grow.

Seed paper is simple to make and can be used as invitations, birthday cards, valentines, or other crafts with a gardening or flower theme.

As a crafter and gardener this is when my two favourite hobbies combine. Making plantable seed paper is a fun activity to do with children, and in anticipation for a spring garden on short dark winter days.

For inspiration and a shortcut if you are short on time, take a look at Etsy and see what creative sellers are offering in terms of wedding invitations and other stationary.

Choose Butterfly Garden Seeds

When creating your own plantable seed paper go with annual flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds to a garden space. Some examples are cosmos, zinnias, alyssum, petunias, lantana, pansies or daises. In this tutorial you’ll seed I went with common sunflower seeds.

Sunflower seeds probably aren’t the best choice as the seeds and shell pods don’t lay flat and make for a less smooth paper. I went with the seeds that we had on hand, and that my toddlers could easily handle at the time. So sunflower seeds it was!

Sunflowers, zinnias and marigolds are my favourite seeds to add to my annual garden space.

EQUIPMENT FOR PLANTABLE SEED PAPER

To make your seed paper there are a few things you’re going to need. Start by gathering recycled paper such as newspaper, egg cartons, computer paper, tissue paper and paper grocery bags.

You’ll need towels and a cookie sheet for drying, along with a blender to create your pulp and a sponge to soak up excess water.

PLANTABLE PAPER RECIPE AND TUTORIAL

STEP ONE: GATHER AND TEAR PAPER

Gather recyclable paper to make your seed paper, Egg cartons are easy and accessible. They have very minimal ink and are great for the garden bed. Tear about 5 egg cartons into tiny bits. The smaller the bits the better.

STEP TWO: PLACE RECYCLED PAPER IN LARGE POT

It's easiest to place the egg cartons in the blender until half full and then add warm water to the top of the blender. Blend into a smooth pulp.

I for some reason don't have a blender, so I used my immersion blender I use for everything and it worked just as well. Plus the kids like to do “hand over hand” when I blend.

STEP THREE: BLEND INTO A SMOOTH PULP

Hit the blend button and watch the egg cartons turn into a beautiful smooth pulp.

STEP FOUR: STIR IN SEED

Gather your seed packages and stir them in. I added 4 seed packages for 5 egg cartons. I could have easily added more seeds.

STEP FIVE: STRAIN WATER FROM PAPER

Strain the pulp using a colander with small fine holes. If the holes are too large, the seeds will strain with the water. We want the seeds to stay with the pulp.

STEP SIX: MAKE PAPER

On a parchment lined cookie sheet spread the pulp, flatten it using your hands, a spatula or a rolling pin.

If your pulp is fine enough you can cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Why not cut cute little hearts to make into valentines or for wedding favors.

If your pulp is chunky, go ahead and throw the pulp into a lined muffin tin and make seed bombs instead.

STEP SEVEN: DRY

Place your cookie sheets in a dehydrator or leave in a warm room to dry. I placed ours in front of our wood stove during the winter. In the summer it’s easy to allow the paper to dry in the sun on a hot day.

Use your sponge to press the pulp flat and thin and pull out excess water for the best results.

STEP EIGHT: PLANT PLANTABLE PAPER

Follow the seed instructions on the back of the package to plant.

I highly suggest planting the seeds around a vegetable garden to increase pollination of plants. Use our no til garden method for best results.

Go ahead and make seed paper to plant in your garden or give as a gift this year. They make great Mothers Day Cards, wedding and shower invitations, and once placed in water they begin to grow.

If you’re planning on using your seed paper as a gift, make sure to write the planting instructions on a slip of paper to add.

Homemade seed paper cards are a unique yet frugal gift that will keep on giving for years to come. It's also a sustainable paper product that would otherwise end up in the landfill.

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SHARING IS CARING 🙂