Gardeners have been told not to dispose of one common bathroom item which can be used outside this spring Mia O’Hare, Ketsuda Phoutinane and Emily Parker Shopping Writer
16:33, 13 Apr 2026Updated 16:34, 13 Apr 2026
A gardening expert has advised saving one bathroom item to use this spring(Image: Stephanie McLeod/PA)
As the days get warmer and brighter, many people across the UK will be starting to look forward to getting outside to do some gardening. However, according to one gardening expert, households could be throwing away one common bathroom item which actually serves a valuable purpose outdoors.
One avid gardener, Ish, who posts on TikTok under the handle @gardening.with.ish, has urged UK households not to dispose of their cardboard toilet rolls. Instead, Ish suggests they can take on a range of useful roles within the garden and are a great thing to save.
Explaining the different functions loo rolls can present, Ish suggested gardeners could use them to make seedling pots. He described them as “fantastic” as they will naturally break down over the coming months, the Express reports.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. And don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
Ish said you can place the toilet rolls in a large container or straight into the soil to protect seedlings. He added: “Now, if you’re trying to start to make your own compost, these work absolutely fantastic too.
“Simply just chuck the tubes in, and pile that down with layers of organic material. The worms absolutely love this stuff – it will break away and give you some pretty good compost.
“Cut up one of these tubes, and lay it flat on the ground, and all of a sudden you’ve got yourself a really good weed membrane and that, over the next few months, will slowly break down. But, while it’s been doing that, it’s protecting your plants from any weeds growing up.”
He added: “You can also plant this underneath your plant beds, and that will also protect anything from growing through.”
Ish also suggested toilet rolls can serve as an insulating layer to protect plants from the cold. He said: “It seems there’s not really any end of possibilities when it comes to things like cardboard tubes, and I’m sure I’ve missed some.”
Since sharing his own expertise, other gardeners have also commented their own tips for how to use toilet rolls outside. One wrote: “I fill them with kitchen waste (veg, fruit, paper, egg shells etc) then dig into the garden beds when full.”
Another added: “I sow runner beans and peas in them as they don’t like root when planting out.”
Comments are closed.