Gardeners can put toilet paper rolls to good use after the paper is all used up. As TikToker Amy the Lockdown Gardener's (@thelockdowngardener) video showed, you can sow sweet peas by using the rolls as containers.
The scoop
Sowing seeds in ideal conditions gives them a better chance of producing healthy plants.
@thelockdowngardener Did you know that toilet rolls are perfect for growing sweet peas? 🌱 #sowseeds #amateurgardening #gardeningtipsforbeginners #recyclingideas ♬ What You Won't Do for Love - Bobby Caldwell
Why use toilet paper rolls for sowing sweet peas? The long cylinder shape of the rolls provides enough space for plants like sweet peas that prefer deep and narrow roots to thrive.
Start by cutting four ½-inch slits on one end. Then fold them over each other, tape them closed, and fill the rolls with the dirt and seeds. You can fit several "sowed" toilet paper roll containers in a plastic tray. Cover them and keep them warm and moist as the plants sprout.
How it's helping
Even if you sow the peas directly in the ground with the toilet paper rolls, those rolls will naturally dissolve — they come from trees, so they're biodegradable. Therefore, you don't have to worry about removing them later.
That said, some gardeners do have concerns about whether this method may release synthetic glues or other harmful chemicals used to create cardboard into the soil. If you see visible evidence of glue or have any question about the chemical content, it may be best to avoid this process in any areas where plants are grown for food.
Once you have enough rolls to sow seeds, shred other rolls and cardboard products into compost or layer them in using the lasagna mulch method, which alternates green and brown natural materials.
As it decomposes in the soil, the carbon release balances the nitrogen levels and suppresses weeds. Plus, earthworms love eating them, so their left-behind castings add even more nutrition.
When you place cardboard in landfills, you're wasting a product that can be recycled or break down in a more eco-friendly way in compost or gardens. When wasting away in a trash dump, the material can emit harmful methane gas linked to climate warming that contributes to extreme weather events. Plus, one metric tonne (1.1 tons) of recycled cardboard saves 700 gallons of water, according to GreenMatch.
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What everyone's saying
Overall, the comments were positive, as one person said, "I used toilet rolls [to] sow my first ever sweet peas this year! They're doing so well, super busy and healthy."
Another said, "Love this."
However, one person noted, "TP rolls did not work for me."
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