Outdoors

Starting Plants In Toilet Paper Rolls

March 11, 2014 / 10 Comments

Do you remember the adorable heart shaped stamps I shared around Valentines Day? Well, this time I am bringing you a completely different use for a toilet paper roll. These little cardboard tubes make a fantastic, decomposable home for starting plants.

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Here’s how I turned this trash into treasure!

First, I started saving our empty toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls and wrapping paper rolls months in advance, so I was prepared to begin the seedlings.

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Next, I cut four slits in one end of each cylinder, about 1 1/2 inches deeps. This created four little flaps.

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Then, I folded opposite flaps inward to make a base.

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Finally,  I lined up the cylinders in a large container, added some dirt to each one, and planted the seeds.

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It is important to label the tubes. This way the plants aren’t mixed up when they are transfered outdoors in May.

I thought about writing directly on each one, but my two little guys helping me with planting and their listening skills weren’t exactly the best. They would put seeds in whatever spot they wanted. My system of coloring coding toothpicks worked amazingly. After the kids sewed the seeds, they placed a toothpick in the corresponding paper roll.

This key will help me later with identifying each plant.

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They may not be the prettiest planters, but they are definitely practical.

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Spring is in the air, or maybe just in my head, but now is the perfect time to start growing your vegetables and herbs indoors. Don’t throw out your toilet paper rolls. Put them to good use.

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