Gardening can be an expensive hobby, especially when you have to buy supplies every year for planting.
One Reddit user shared a money-saving gardening hack in the r/homestead community, offering another creator's video with the caption: "I thought this might be useful to share, this is how I make my seed starters from empty toilet paper rolls."
The method, demonstrated in a YouTube video from The Mole Hole, shows how empty toilet paper rolls can be repurposed for gardening rather than tossed into a landfill.
The scoop
Turning empty toilet paper rolls into seed starters is simple: Just cut and fold the bottom of the roll to create a small cup.
As the video explains, "Imagine the roll is a clock, and make one cut at 12 o'clock, one at 3, one at 6, and the last at 9." You'll tuck the last piece under the corner to secure the bottom of a small "pot."
From there, fill the newly formed cup with soil, plant your seeds inside, and give them a good soak. The creator also suggested covering the seed starters to let humidity work its magic.
When the seedlings have sprouted and it's time to plant them, there's no need to remove the rolls. Simply place the entire roll right in the soil.
As an added bonus, the creator also demonstrates how to make plant labels by cutting strips out of old yogurt cups.
How it's helping
Not having to dig out the seedlings from these temporary containers in order to transfer them saves time and protects the small plants in their early stages. The cardboard rolls will naturally decompose, allowing the seedlings to grow undisturbed in their new home.
You'll also save money on store-bought starter trays and pots, which can cost between $8 and $20 a pack.
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Sign me up 👍 Smaller recycling efforts like this can add up. Repurposing everyday items helps keep waste out of landfills and reduces the demand for plastic seed trays, which contribute to the buildup of microplastics in our ecosystems.
You can learn about more clever ways to save money while recycling. And you can even use services like Trashie and ThredUp to make money on your old clothes while simultaneously decluttering your home and reducing landfilled waste.
What everyone's saying
The response to this hack has certainly been positive. One viewer commented: "Love this video. Thank you for sharing it!"
Another chimed in with additional advice: "Make sure you get plenty of air flow."
"Super cool. This video was almost therapeutic," one person commented.
Reactions to the video on YouTube also praised the delivery, with one viewer saying they loved "the soothing music and visuals."
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