Good news, gardeners. There's no need for a trip to the hardware store when you can make cheap, biodegradable seed starts from materials you likely already have at home.
The scoop
TikToker Shay just doing stuff (@shayjustdoingstuff) shared a brilliant tip for making seed starters out of empty toilet paper rolls.
@shayjustdoingstuff You can use paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls, just save and reuse them for your garden! The untreated(no paint or chemicals added) cardboards are best to use for a healthy and happy garden. 🪴🙏 #fyp #garden #seeds #seedstarting #fypシ #gardening #recyle #recycled #recycling #toiletpaper #papertowel #reuse #reuserecycle ♬ I Have No Enemies - ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽𝘋𝘎𝘒☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
All you need is a few discarded rolls and a pair of scissors.
The TikToker recommended flattening the roll to make it easier to cut, then cutting it in half widthwise. They cut four slits along the bottom of the roll, then folded each side inward and overlapped them, creating a box-like bottom.
"It won't be perfect but nothing in life is," the user wrote. "It's saving you money and recycling products. Happy gardening and don't overthink it."
How it's helping
Making seed starters from toilet paper rolls saves money on garden supplies while keeping materials out of the trash bin.
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Seed starting trays can retail for anywhere from $5 to a whopping $76. Many are made of petroleum-derived plastic, which can't be planted directly into the ground and which can degrade into harmful microplastics.
Even though the paper that TP rolls are made from is more readily recyclable than plastic, more than a quarter of the paper recycled in the US each year gets exported overseas, according to the American Forest & Paper Association.
Some of this paper is refashioned into other products, but some of it winds up incinerated or in landfills. Luckily, reusing or composting materials is a surefire way to keep them out of landfills that emit planet-warming gases.
Opting to repurpose common items instead of buying new ones can also cut down on household clutter. And the list of potential uses for toilet paper rolls is seemingly endless, from fire starters and jewelry boxes to toddler enrichment activities and cat toys.
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Giving me money back 💰 What everyone's saying
Commenters said that they were excited to start saving their TP rolls.
"This is so smart," one wrote. The original poster replied, "My favorite thing to use for seed starting."
"Reduce, reuse, recycle," another commenter said. "I'll be using tf outta this thank you sm."
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