As spring gets under way, households are being urged to think twice before discarding cardboard toilet rolls, which a gardening expert says have several valuable uses in the garden.
In a video shared on TikTok, a gardener known as Ish, from the account @gardening.with.ish, explained that the humble loo roll can be repurposed in three main ways. Because the tubes are made of thin cardboard, they are said to be 'fantastic' for making seedling pots, as they decompose naturally over the coming months. The rolls can be placed in a larger pot or directly in the ground to protect young plants.
Ish also suggested adding the tubes to a compost heap. 'Simply just chuck the tubes in, and pile that down with layers of organic material,' he said. 'The worms absolutely love this stuff - it will break away and give you some pretty good compost.'
Another use involves cutting the tubes and laying them flat on the soil to act as a weed membrane. Ish explained that over time the cardboard will break down, but while it does, it prevents weeds from growing through. He added that the rolls can also be placed beneath plant beds to stop anything growing upwards.
Viewers of the video shared their own ideas, with one person saying they fill the tubes with kitchen waste such as vegetable peelings, fruit, paper and egg shells before digging them into garden beds. Another mentioned growing sweet peas in the rolls because the plants like a long root run, while a third said they sow runner beans and peas in them to avoid disturbing the roots when planting out.
