How to Turn Toilet Paper Rolls Into Seed Starters for a Garden

While it's important to make plenty of time to rest during this stressful, uncertain time, it's also a great season of life to finally start one of those projects you've been talking about for the last three years. Our pick? Expanding our gardens!

Gardening is a wonderful way to get active and enjoy the great outdoors while hunkering down. It's associated with several health benefits (like stress relief!) and is a truly rewarding hobby. Since some of you are about to become homeschool parents for the next few months, you can recruit a few extra hands to help you start growing!

We recently came across this amazing idea for turning leftover toilet paper rolls into seed starters. They are a cost-effective alternative to using peat starter pots—and still good for the environment, as they will decompose in the soil (instead of sit in a landfill). Once seedlings grow, they can be easily transported to your garden (or a larger pot). All you need is some TP rolls, scissors, seed starting soil mix and seeds to get started.

How to Turn Toilet Paper Rolls Into Seed Starters

First, you'll need to cut your cardboard toilet paper rolls in half horizontally. You can also use paper towel rolls, but they'll need to be cut into quarters. Next, you'll need to cut even slits around one end of each "pot"—each cut should be between ½-¾ inch. Bend the tabs towards the center, overlapping each tab over the other in a circle to make a sturdy base.

Now you're ready to start those seeds! Fill up your cardboard pots with potting soil (learn how to make your own here) and seeds and let them germinate for a few weeks. After that, you can plant your pots into a larger one or right into your garden bed—which will make organizing your landscape design 10 times easier.

Check out this video for turning your toilet paper rolls into seed starters by Learn to Grow, below, to get inspired:

If you're looking to cultivate your green thumb even more, we have dozens of tips to get you gardening at home. Whether you're looking to start a vegetable garden or just grow a few herbs on the windowsill, our Plant Your Plate guides will help you turn your plant babies into garnishes, sides and even the stars of your plate.