Starting a garden from seed sounds like a great way to save money on groceries, but the cost of all those little plastic pots and trays can add up fast. It can feel like you have to spend a lot just to get started. But one gardener’s clever hack shows how you can start your dream garden for free, using something you probably throw away every single day.
The scoop
In a popular TikTok video, gardener Chloe Plumstead (@chloe_plumstead) demonstrates her simple method for turning empty toilet paper rolls into perfect, biodegradable seed starters. “I don’t want you to feel like you need to go out and buy something,” she says in the video.
@chloe_plumstead Starting sweet peas now gives them a head start on the growing season next spring, which means you’ll enjoy their beautifully scented blooms earlier and longer. 🌱 I’ve sown some in root trainers (specially designed seed cells which accommodate young plants with tap roots, i.e. long, deep roots) and some in toilet roll tubes, and they’ll all be kept in the greenhouse until they’re ready to plant in March. Don’t worry if you don’t have space to overwinter them – you can still sow in spring and enjoy plenty of flowers! Sweet peas are cut and come again plants, meaning the more you pick, the more will grow. Most have a gorgeous fragrance and make for some of the best cut flowers to have in your home. They’re easy-to-grow, floriferous, and there are so many colourful varieties to choose from – perfect for beginner gardeners. Just make sure you have something for them to grow up like an obelisk, a teepee or bamboo canes in a pot because they grow tall! 🌸 The varieties I’m growing 🌸 – Kings Ransom – Midnight – Tickled Pink – Miss Willmott – Matacuna 🌸 Where to buy your sweet pea seeds 🌸 @kingsseeds @englishsweetpeas @plantsofdistinctionseeds @chilternseeds @alma.proust @thehampshireseedcompany #sweetpeas #beginnergardener #beginnergardening #letsgrow #inmygarden ♬ Our Love Was Beautiful – Instrumental Version – Straight White Teeth
The process is brilliant in its simplicity. She just makes a few snips at the bottom of a toilet paper roll and folds the flaps inward to create a base. After filling the tubes with compost, she arranges them snugly in a recycled food container. The taller shape of the rolls is especially great for plants like sweet peas, which the video features, because they need extra room to develop long taproots.
Once the seedlings are big enough, you can plant the entire tube directly into the ground, where the cardboard will naturally decompose.
How it’s helping
The most immediate benefit of this hack is the money you save. Starting a garden doesn’t have to be expensive, and this trick eliminates the need to buy plastic seed trays that you might only use once a year. The potential return on investment for a home garden is huge; as one report detailed, a simple $70 investment in seeds and supplies can yield up to $600 worth of fresh produce. By cutting down on the initial cost, this hack makes gardening more accessible to everyone. There are other easy ways to get organized and save money, too.
This simple act of repurposing containers also keeps waste out of our landfills and prevents the pollution that comes from manufacturing new plastic products.
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It’s a perfect example of how small, smart choices in the garden can make a big difference.
Other simple gardening tips can help you succeed, like using terracotta pots to create a slow-watering system that conserves water. And learning about companion planting, a technique where certain plants are grown together for mutual benefit, can lead to a healthier and more productive garden without chemicals. For instance, another gardener showed how planting marigolds with lettuce and onions helps deter pests naturally.
For more tips on how to start your own garden, check out this helpful resource.
What everyone’s saying
Viewers in the comment section were excited to try the simple and effective hack for themselves.
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“Amazing, thank you!” one user wrote.
Another added, “This is genius and they look less messy since you can just scoop them up. You’ve sold me Im gonna try and grow some.”
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