All gardeners urged to put cardboard toilet rolls in garden for 'vital reason'

Gardening Expert Reveals Surprising Uses for Toilet Rolls

As spring approaches and the weather improves, many individuals are turning their attention to their gardens. This is the ideal time of year to focus on preparing outdoor spaces. For those seeking resourceful gardening tips, a popular expert suggests retaining a common household item for unexpected benefits.

TikTok Gardener Highlights Cardboard Roll Potential

Gardening expert Ish, known as gardening.with.ish on TikTok, advises against discarding cardboard toilet rolls, emphasizing their valuable applications in the garden. While seemingly unconventional, these rolls can significantly aid gardening efforts.

In a recent video, Ish demonstrated three surprising methods for utilizing toilet rolls, starting with their use as biodegradable seedling pots.

Seedling Starters

Ish explains that the thin cardboard material makes them “fantastic” for seedlings, as they naturally decompose within a few months. These seedling pots can be placed directly into larger pots or planted in the ground.

Composting and Weed Control

Beyond seedling pots, Ish highlights further advantages:

• Compost Enhancer: Toilet rolls are excellent for composting. Simply add them to the compost bin, layering with organic materials. Worms readily break down the cardboard, contributing to nutrient-rich compost.
• Weed Membrane: Flattened toilet roll tubes serve as an effective weed membrane. When laid on the soil surface, they suppress weed growth while gradually decomposing, enriching the soil. This method also provides a protective barrier for plants in beds.

Frost Protection

Another timely benefit, particularly during early spring, is frost protection. Cardboard rolls act as a thermal layer, shielding delicate plants from frost damage.

Ish suggests the possibilities for repurposing cardboard tubes are extensive, acknowledging he may have only touched upon some of their uses.

Online Community Embraces Innovative Gardening Hacks

The online gardening community has enthusiastically responded to Ish’s video, with numerous viewers sharing their own inventive ideas in the comments section.

• One user described filling the rolls with kitchen scraps (vegetable and fruit waste, eggshells) and burying them in garden beds as a form of direct composting.
• Another commentator mentioned using them for sowing runner beans and peas, as these plants dislike root disturbance during transplanting.

In response to a question about using thicker cardboard boxes, Ish confirmed that plain cardboard boxes, with tape removed, are also suitable for garden applications.

The positive reception to Ish’s tips and the lively exchange of gardening hacks online demonstrate a strong interest in sustainable and resourceful gardening practices.