I remember making seed paper for the first time! I was in kindergarten and my grandmother recruited me to help with her gardening chores. That day, she was making seed paper. It was then that she gave me her magic seed paper recipe, and I’ve used nothing else ever since! Use my (well…my grandma’s) tutorial below to complete your own seed paper for planting. I love this seed paper DIY project!
Seed Paper: How To Make
Here’s what you’ll need to make your own seed paper for planting:
-white copy paper
-warm water
Seed Paper Making: Step One
Make a DIY “screen” by using craft glue to connect four craft sticks together so that they create the outline of a square. Or, you can skip this step altogether and use an old picture frame instead of the sticks. Once dry, glue a sheet of cheesecloth on the back of your craft stick frame, creating a type of screen. Make sure the cheesecloth is pulled tight over the craft sticks. If you think your screen might be flimsy, use electrical tape to add a layer of adhesive wherever necessary. You will be glad that you did later on!
Seed Paper Making: Step Two
Next, tear white copy paper into small scraps about an inch tall and wide. Once the paper has been torn into scraps, place the scraps in your blender with a cup of warm water and blend. Continue adding water and blending until the mixture creates a type of paste.
Seed Paper Making: Step Three
Next, fill a baking pan a third of the way full of warm water. Pour your blended paper paste onto your baking pan and stir gently. Stop when everything is mixed well and there is no separation of the ingredients.
Seed Paper Making: Step Four
Pour the seeds directly over the top of the paste and water mixture in the baking pan. If you are making paper with both herb and flower seeds, make sure to separate the seeds so you know what is going to grow where. You can even add dried flower petals if desired.
Seed Paper Making: Step Five
After the seeds have been added to the baking pan, spread a small layer of the seed paper mixture onto the cheesecloth of your craft stick frame. Take care to keep your craft stick screen intact.
Seed Paper Making: Step Six
Now, place the screen with the applied seed paper onto a kitchen towel, flip, and apply another kitchen towel over the top of the screen so it’s sandwiched. Next, use a dry household sponge to absorb any extra water that accumulated on the screen. Once the extra water has been removed, gently lift the towels, and remove the seed paper on the screen. Place your seed paper sheets on a cookie rack to dry. All that’s left is to repeat the process until you have no more seed paper paste left.
Seed Paper Is Plantable
Seriously, the best part about this DIY project is that it’s super easy to use when planting! To plant yours, fill a pot (or dig a hole in your garden) about 3/4 inches full of soil. Now place your seed paper directly in the soil, covering it up completely. Pack the soil down and then soak the soil completely. For the first 10 days, make sure the soil is consistently moist. You can back off from watering after the first sprouts appear, but keep the soil relatively moist until sturdier plant stalks appear.
Seed Paper Valentines
Guess what? Seed paper actually makes for a wonderful Valentine, no matter your age or gardening ability! First, make your own seed paper using the tutorial above, next, cut your paper into heart shapes to be used on a DIY Valentine. Pair it with a cute message like: “If you were a flower, I would pick you!” Make sure you send the kiddos home with the seed paper planting instructions above. I think this is what I am going to do in my kid’s class this year!
Love this! How long does it take to dry?
This depends on your personal preference but I always wait about 3-4 hours just to be safe.
Love this! Just wish there was pictures to show the process. Would have been really handy.
Thank You !
This is Great. I am Definitely Going to Use Your and Grandma’s Recipe. You Make it seem so easy.
Adding Dried Flowers, Lavender would be Great.
Love the picture of the Tag also.
Thanks Again
There are no amounts given. How much plain copy paper is used? How much water is added to the copy paper to make the glue? When you add the glue to the 1/3 pan of water the ratio matters, right? I would love to try this but have no idea how to start.
Gail, this is a by-eye recipe. You don’t add glue to the paper. The glue is only for making a screen with the craft sticks. You can also use newspaper and junk mail (without plastic bits) instead of unused copy paper. It won’t be as white, but it’s a nice way to dispose of old bills and such.
You can also grab some screen material from your local hardware store to make this a more robust screen that can be reused year after year.
When you put the paper in the blender, you’re adding water through the hole in the lid, like when making pesto. Unlike pesto, more water is better than less.
I l♡ve, l♡ve, L♡VE this idea! It’s perfect on so many levels. These will make incredible wedding favors! ❤❤❤ Thank you for sharing!
Hello, I enjoyed your tutorial. I did have a good laugh though when I realized your site’s name is Bees & Roses, I somehow kept seeing it as Beef and Roses & thinking how odd! Grin. Last month I started making paper out of my junk mail. I’m going to try adding seeds to it. Thanks for sharing your grandmother’s recipe!
Regards,
Elinor
I used a nylon stocking instead of cheesecloth. I made a frame out of a wire hanger then pulled the stocking over it.
Wire hanger and stockings…GREAT idea!
Do you plant these after? Is so how
it would have been nice to see the stages instead of just the end result. things like what did your screen look like, what size was your baking pan. what was the consistency of the paste that you could scoop and flip? it’s a lovely idea.
Could even add a bit of gel food coloring to the paste while blending. Do not use paint!!!
I use toilet tissue to keep my seeds. When it is time, I wet the paper and plant it. Of course, this cannot be use for Valentine 🙂
What sort of seeds do you use? This looks like a great gift idea.
This looks like a fun project and great gift idea. What type of seeds do you use?
Can you use shredded paper with ink on it?
I have seen other tutorials using used scrap paper– out just turns out kind of gray. I would hate to waste good brand new copy paper. I am wondering how it would look with a bit of brown paper bag added.
This looks so fun! I don’t have a blender — can I use a food processor?