Expert gardener reveals common mistake in popular garden hack that will dry out plants: 'I'd be so sad if my seedlings died'

Most gardeners love planet-friendly, helpful hacks, but it's important to understand exactly how to execute the concept in order to have the desired results. 

The scoop

TikToker Simon Akeroyd (@simonakeroydgardener) shared a video demonstrating how to follow through with repurposing toilet paper tubes to keep your plants healthy.

@simonakeroydgardener The cardboard insides of toilet rolls make brilliant eco-friendly pots. Its a great way of #recycling But make sure you plant them deeply so that none of the cardboard is above ground. Otherwise the top of the cardboard acts like a moisture wick, sucking out all the moisture, resliting in dead, dried-out plants #growyourown #growyourgroceries #gardeningforbeginners ♬ Beautiful Day - U2

At the start of the video, Simon shows a bunch of different plants he's grown successfully inside toilet rolls. He says, "Many gardeners recycle insides of toilet rolls as they make brilliant eco-friendly pots."

One of the benefits of using them as pots is they can be planted directly into the ground, and you don't need to disturb the new roots. The rolls naturally decompose over time.

Simon cautions, "But if you don't bury the cardboard roll entirely, the cardboard acts like a wick and sucks out all the moisture." 

The video then shows the results of making this mistake: dead, dried-out plants. 

Whether you relocate the tubes into the ground or into a pot, be sure to bury them deep and fully cover them with soil. This will help keep your new little plants happy and healthy. 

How it's working

This and many other hacks help gardeners grow flowers, fruits, vegetables, and other plants. No matter what you're growing, the act of gardening comes with many benefits. 

It provides people with stress relief, mood boosts, and increased self-esteem. Those who participate in community gardening experience even higher levels of well-being. 

Many gardeners find the work to be therapeutic and relaxing. It's also great physical exercise that helps keep your heart healthy.

Growing produce, including fruit, herbs, and vegetables, saves consumers time and money. Fewer trips to the store frees up time, and growing your own food means you don't need to spend hard-earned money paying for it elsewhere. 

Growing your own food is also helpful for the environment since it decreases the demand for mass-produced, store-bought, and globally shipped produce. Since some stores sell produce pre-packaged in plastic, growing food at home reduces the plastic that ends up in landfills. Lower demand for store-bought produce also reduces air pollution.

For helpful tips for growing your own food, visit TCD's guide. 

What people are saying

TikTokers were excited about the tips regarding the toilet roll hack. 

One user said, "Great tip, thank you. I've planted my carrots in toilet roll tubes this year. Slugs eat them if I sow direct."

Another TikToker wrote, "Now I need to go out to the garden to cover my sweet peas with more soil. Thanks for the [advice]."

"Thanks for this tip! I'd be so sad if my seedlings died now after all the effort," said one user.

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