If you want to make the most of your garden in October, you may want to think about putting cardboard loo rolls outdoors. This is because they can be super beneficial to your outdoor space
Most households have toilet rolls knocking about, but you might be surprised to learn there’s a compelling reason to pop the cardboard tubes in your garden. If you’re keen on pottering about outdoors, this tip is definitely worth heeding, as it could transform your green space.
Gardening guru Ish, who goes by gardening.with.ish on TikTok, recently revealed why these humble tubes are so brilliant, and the benefits might astonish you. According to the expert, ordinary toilet roll tubes have far more potential than most people realise.
Ish urged gardeners not to bin the cardboard cylinders, explaining they can assist in numerous ways. Hanging onto them not only cuts down on waste, but also helps your outdoor area look absolutely smashing, thanks to their clever garden applications.
He explained: “The first thing you can do with your cardboard tubes is make little seedling pots, and these work absolutely fantastic, because they are a thin cardboard, they will naturally decompose over the next couple of months. So, start your seedlings off in the first three or four weeks and, once they’ve started to grow, it’s worth taking them out and potting them up.
“You can simply put these in a bigger pot, or in the ground, and these will slowly decompose in the ground, causing very little root disturbance. If you’re trying to start to make your own compost, these work absolutely fantastic too, and you can simply just chuck the tubes in.”
He added: “Pile that down with layers of organic material, and the worms absolutely love this stuff. It will break away and give you some pretty good compost.”
In addition to this, he suggested cutting up the tubes and laying them flat on the ground. This, he claimed, will provide a top-notch weed membrane which will gradually decompose over the coming months.
This method helps to shield your plants from any weeds sprouting up, according to the gardening enthusiast. He also recommended placing them under your plant beds to prevent anything from growing through.
If you get cracking now, he said it will also form an excellent thermal layer to safeguard plants against elements like frost. When it comes to cardboard tubes, he confessed they have a multitude of practical uses in the garden.
They have more benefits than you might think, and can genuinely help plants to flourish. That’s why it’s best not to bin them, particularly at present.
For those who aren’t aware, loo roll cardboard can be utilised in the garden as a compostable seed starter, a biodegradable pot, weed barrier or a protective collar for seedlings. The cardboard naturally decomposes in the soil over time, making it a fantastic way to both recycle them and give your garden a lift.
Since Ish posted the video, a handful of people confessed they use the trick. Some were eager to share their own success stories with others.
If you’re plagued by weeds, simply lay the cardboard flat on the ground to suppress them. Over a period of months, it will decompose, allowing you to plant through it.
This is especially handy when setting up new garden beds. You can also chop the tubes up and position them around seedlings to shield them from pests like slugs and snails.
The vertical sides can even assist your seedlings in growing upright. There are countless ways they can be utilised to enhance your garden.