Gardener shares genius hack for starting seeds using toilet paper rolls: 'A classic trick that never fails'

With the supplies gardeners stock up on season after season, what if there was an easy way to save money using something that's always around? 

One clever gardener has shared a cost-saving way to repurpose something that you'd normally chuck into the trash. A post on Reddit's r/gardening community shows how old toilet paper rolls can make great biodegradable seed starters. 

The scoop

This toilet paper roll hack has been shared around gardening communities before, but this post shows just how well it actually works — you can see how each seedling's roots have grown from the bottom of the roll with plenty of room. 

By cutting and folding down the bottom of the tube, creating a cup, gardeners can get a whole tray of seedlings going — just fill the cup with soil, plant your seeds, and give them a good soak. Once they start sprouting, simply plant the entire roll into the garden — no need to dig them up and transfer them.

How it's helping

Digging out your seedlings to transfer them can be time-consuming, and you run the risk of disturbing the plant and its roots in the process. With this hack, gardeners not only save time, but it's also a lot cheaper than buying seed starter trays, which can cost more than $20 a pack.

Let's face it — the majority of us will have toilet paper rolls on hand for most of our lives, and this hack also helps the environment by preventing extra waste from piling up in our landfills. 

While some commercial seed starter trays are eco-friendly, others are made with plastics, which not only contributes to planet-warming pollution but can also lead to microplastics building up in our environment, oceans, and ultimately our food. So finding new purpose in old toilet paper rolls is an excellent way for gardeners to use less plastic.

Gardeners can also check out this guide to repurposing containers and packaging for more ideas on seed storage, making plant labels, and more.

What everyone's saying

Other gardeners in the comments are already on board with this toilet paper roll hack, with one person saying, "I did this way back in school!! A classic trick that never fails." Another adds, "I have been using this method for years and it works great!"

The original poster answers one person's question about how the rolls compared to peat pots, saying, "They dry out not too bad, but it's easy to water by just flooding the pan and they soak up from the bottom."

How much time do you spend taking care of your houseplants, garden, or yard each week? Less than 30 minutes Thirty minutes to an hour One to two hours Over two hours Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

It's always a good idea to know your recycling options, and in some cases you can even turn a profit. Before sending stuff off to the landfill, remember that some programs allow you to make money on your old electronics and your old clothes through sites like Trashie and ThredUp.

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