And one green thumb influencer has shared a top tip to help your plants thrive by saving a common piece of household rubbish – a toilet roll.
Gena Murray, who shares gardening tips on her ‘GigisGardenTips’ Instagram page says this piece of recycling is excellent for protecting young plants from pests.
Not only are toilet rolls biodegradable, they also retain moisture to help your seedlings thrive into the summer months.
To carry out this seed-saving hack, grab an empty toilet roll and place it in the soil over your freshly planted seeds.
Over time your seedlings will begin to grow through the tube until they peak out the top.
The toilet roll can then either be removed or left to decompose into the soil.
Gena says by using a toilet roll it gives your seeds and saplings a chance to become a full grown plant without being eaten by insects or pests.
So next time you find an empty toilet roll in your loo, think twice about throwing it away and give this gardening hack a try.
Gena said: “Using toilet paper rolls as seed starters is an easy, eco-friendly hack.
“They’re biodegradable, protect young plants from pests and retain moisture.
“Plus, it’s a great way to recycle and reduce waste – good for your garden and planet.
“Truthful, I wasn’t sure if this was going to work.
“I’ve used toilet rolls to start seeds indoors but never directly outdoors.
“I’m very pleased with the way this turned out, and I haven’t lost any seedlings yet.”
Garden expert shares £1 coin hack to check soil depth for grass seeds
Ben Agnew, grass expert at Lawnsmith , said: “Anyone starting a new lawn or filling in patches might be feeling frustrated with the lack of progress in their lawns. Especially if they’ve spent time and energy taking care of seedlings.
“And thankfully, there is nothing extra that they need to do except keep going with their usual lawn treatment. Keep the seedbed moist, but not pooling water.
“Make sure seeds are at the correct depth to stay protected from the elements and maintain good seed-to-soil contact.
“I recommend sowing your seeds at a depth of approximately three £1 coins stacked on top of each other. This will provide a comforting environment for the seedlings to germinate and grow.
“The worst thing you can do is panic and throw more grass seed down, as this could cause a situation where you lay too much seed and there is competition, leading to poor growth.”
Try to keep footfall to a minimum to reduce the disruption to your developing lawn.
Different seeds have different germination speeds, so growers should pay attention to the information provided by the seed manufacturer.
“It can depend on the type of seed used, but typically germination can take five to 15 days,” Ben said.
He added: “Grass seeds like ryegrass or fescue often germinate quickly compared to other varieties like Bermuda that can take longer and require higher soil temperatures.”
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