Starting a garden can be one of the most rewarding ways to enjoy the outdoors and cut down on grocery costs. But gardening supplies can add up quickly, especially when it comes to seed-starting kits.
Fortunately, one TikToker is helping home gardeners save money and reduce waste with something you probably already have at home: toilet paper tubes.
@dmrbushcraft garden hack. #garden2023 #gardenhack #sproutingseeds #dmrbushcraft #gardenproject #gardeninghacks #gardenmadeeasy ♬ original sound - Michael Robinson
The scoop
In a TikTok post, creator DMRBushcraft (@dmrbushcraft) shares an easy and low-waste way to make DIY seed starters using empty toilet paper rolls.
"Don't throw them away. Use them as a planter for your garden," the creator says in the video. "Just fill them up with dirt like so, press in your ends so that it stays inside the tube, and then you plant your seeds."
These homemade seed-starting containers are surprisingly effective. Just add soil, pop a seed in, label the outside with a marker, and place them in a tray or shallow box for support. Because the tube has no bottom, roots can grow freely.
When you're ready to transplant, the whole thing can go directly into the ground. The cardboard will decompose naturally right into the soil.
How it's helping
The biggest benefit is the money you'll save by not spending a dime on plastic seed trays. This hack repurposes something you were already going to toss, making it a win for your wallet and the planet.
Don't have a toilet paper roll handy? There are plenty of other ways to create makeshift seed-starters using old containers or packaging. One woman was even able to use pieces of regular old paper to create a makeshift seed starter.
A study released in March showed that there's a whopping 170 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean. Reducing the number of plastic products we buy and toss is one small way to cut back on our contribution to this issue. Simple swaps like this help build more sustainable habits without needing a complete lifestyle overhaul.
What everyone's saying
Gardeners in the comments section were quick to praise the trick.
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Making it look better 🌱 "Awesome tip. Been buying little peat containers to start seeds. NO MORE," one user said.
"Sounds fun, I like this idea," another added.
Whether you're a seasoned gardener or starting seeds for the first time, this simple hack makes planting easier, cheaper, and more sustainable across the board. Talk about a win-win-win.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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