My bathroom waste hack will give you a head start on gardening this spring – it’s easy peasy and won’t cost you a cent
EVERY household throws away a bathroom essential that can be used to boost plant growth.
A gardening pro revealed the free DIY hack she uses to get a head start on her flowerbeds every spring.
In her viral video, Anja (@artisananja) demonstrated how to make her homemade seedling pots for her followers.
The green-thumbed Instagram user revealed that her secret weapon is toilet paper rolls.
For her first step, she cut four slits at the base of the cardboard tubes, spacing them out evenly.
Anja then folded the flaps closed the way you would a cardboard box, creating a pot shape.
She repeated the process with a dozen more toilet paper rolls and lined them up in a container.
Next, she filled each of the DIY seedling planters with potting soil and added in her seeds.
Anja explained that you can also use the rolls from the inside of kitchen paper and wrapping paper.
“Because toilet paper rolls are biodegradable, you don’t have to disturb the root system by having to transfer,” she told her followers.
She recommended carrying out the process in early spring, allowing your seedlings time to grow before transferring them outdoors when the weather gets better.
Your flowerbeds will get a head start as you “wait for them to germinate and grow” before other gardeners have even begun thinking about beginning the season.
Anja called her free trick an “easy peasy” gardening move.
She even demonstrated how to place the planter into your flowerbed with little effort.
After digging the hole in the soil, she was able to easily place the toilet paper roll in it and fill in the edges.
At the time of filming, Anja’s seedlings had already sprouted several inches.
According to the experts at Birds & Blooms, cardboard can make a valuable addition to your garden.
Easy gardening tips to save money, maximize space, and repel pests
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- Banana peels, vinegar, and coffee grounds are often recommended as natural fertilizers.
- Dollar Tree sells four packs of seeds for $1.25.
- Try a vertical planter like Amazon’s Mr. Stacky 5 Tier Stackable Planter, $35 to make more use of a small space.
- Use netting like the Garden Netting Pest Barrier, $8, from Amazon to keep away bugs that eat your vegetables.
- Try sacrificial planting to reduce the use of pesticides and keep pests away from your garden. Deliberately growing certain plants to attract agricultural pests can keep them away from the plants you want to protect. Examples include marigolds, lavender, catnip, and chives.
- For pesky weeds in your garden, the Grampa’s Weeder – The Original Stand-Up Weed Puller Tool with Long Handles, $45, from Amazon is a helpful tool you can use without having to bend over.
“Cardboard, newspaper, and other compostable material is a quick and easy fix for weed problems,” they explained.
The professionals revealed that “you can reduce weeds by 75 percent or more” with the hack.
They recommended placing pieces of cardboard around the plants you want to protect.
“Water immediately to help the cardboard stay in place,” they advised.
Anja’s followers shared their thoughts on her DIY planters in the comments section.
“I’ve already started collecting empty rolls,” wrote one impressed viewer.
“Yes! I do this too. I also save the bakery trays that have lids. Great little greenhouses,” said another follower.
“This looks even better than egg cartons!! Deeper. Thanks! Will try this spring!!” commented a third person.