Toilet roll tubes ?? Help

[Jeannine]

I have never used these but am now wondering if I am missing something.My old lotties had deep raised beds with very soft soil in, the new lottie has to have the regular garden soil in. I am worried that I will not get some of the crops that were excellent before.

I know the tubes are often mentioned but I can't find a post that explains it well to someone who hasn't a clue so would someone mind telling me just what you can start in them,,when would you sow, how long in the tube or do you plant it..if you don't have tubes can you make them.

I would be so grateful.

Thank you  XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

[Fork]

Hi Jeanine,

the toilet roll middles are a favourite for starting off Parsnip seeds.They could be used for almost any seeds though I would imagine,but Ive only seen themmused for Parsnips.

[Jeannine]

How? XX Jeannine

[delboy]

Put 'em in a gravel tray or similar. Fill with multipurpose compost and tamp down.
Sow and cover seeds. Shimples.

Me, I use them for parsnips and any peas or beans.

Watch out for the parsnips showing a root out of the bottom... plant in the ground immediately!

[Ninnyscrops.]

.............and bury the entire loo roll under the soil level when you plant out as it will not only dry itself out but the surrounding soil if left above on hot days  ;)

Ninny

[gwynnethmary]

They're excellent for sweet peas as well as aforementioned beans.  I also sowed sunflowers in some.

[Jeannine]

Do you stuff the hole at the bottom to stop the soil falling out?

In the case of parsnips how much plant is up top when they are planted out?

Can I make them from something if no actual tubes available?

Parsnips, how long from sowing would they normally be planted.

Can I put regular peas in them?

My ground is still being worked on and can't plant yet so was hoping I could use this method to get things going but if it only buys me a few days it would not help.

Sorry to keep asking

XX Jeannine

[chriscross1966]

I'd use kitchen roll tubes for that technique with parsnips... that way even if it does fork/go mad/end up lookinmg like a celeriac down there then you've got parsnip  for the length of a kitchen roll.... I've found both of them cram into 24-cell module trays ....

chrisc

[Ninnyscrops.]

I've done peas in them Jeannine with some success (the loo rolls not fully under the soil resulted in weaker plants).  I learned from a Seedy Saturday visit that if you cut the bottom of the loo rolls at 4 opposite angles, about a centimetre, then fold them over (as if closing a box and interleaving), the soil doesn't fall out, but you open it up before planting.

Ninny

[star]

Ive sown most things in them, but sweetcorn dont like toilet tubes. I do mine in pots now.

[Paulines7]

I use moist compost, compact it and push it in the bottom end first until it sticks.  I then fill the top half.  I use them for peas and use the cardboard tubes from kitchen rolls for parsnips as the tubes are longer. 

I plant mine out when the peas look strong and healthy.  I never open up the bottom of the tubes before planting but I water them well and make sure they are planted deeply. 

[johnfh]

I used them last year to pop around my leeks and this helps protect them and encourages them to stay white higher than they otherwise would. All other suggestions look sensible and I have just sown my parsnips in them this year in the hope of avoiding all the forking I experienced last year.

[triffid]

I use them for parsnips, with the tubes standing on a couple of inches of potting compost in a six-inch-deep container. I find it easier to get the tubes out than if they're sitting direct on the bottom of the container, as by the time they've lived though a few weeks' watering, they're pretty manky and come apart really easily.
I use an old spoon to lever them out, so as I lift the tube, that's underneath the open end to stop soil from falling out. I don't fold the ends over at the bottom of the tubes. I've found if they're well watered before planting out, the compost holds together pretty well.

I've also used them for sugarsnap peas and brussels (to avoid disturbing roots while pricking the seedlings out).

Hope that adds a bit more to the helpful stuff, Jeannine.
:)

[Emagggie]

I have made tubes from newspaper Jeannine. Take a double page and fold, cut strips a little wider than you need, wrap around something of the shape you require, (your last toilet roll innards perhaps) and twist and poke up the bottom. Having re-read that it sounds very rude but you get the idea. ;D ;)

[1066]

I've had varying degrees of success with them (for peas and beans), but will be using them for my sweetcorn again this year.

The one thing I would add is that they dry out very quickly so I find managing the right level of watering quite tricky - they are either bone dry or soaking wet !
I'm thinking of buying some root trainers for next year, and ditching the loo rolls altogether, and they can go in the compost heap as and when :)

[PurpleHeather]

You can start anything in them with a seed big enough beetroot, parsnip, beans peas and corn

Like Pauline I push them into moist compost then give a little twist. The soil sort of compacts at the bottom long enough to transfer them into a tray. Anything solid will do.If the compost wont stick add some water to it and wait a while for the compost to moisten enough. You will soon get the technique. I ask at the supermarket for the plastic trays they have, they are thin but two together makes them strong enough and they hold as many as 30 toilet roll tubes (or halves) Our supermarket is glad to get rid of plastic and I re-use the trays, just let them dry out and brush off the loose compost. Seed trays can be used if you need to.

In fact I cut the t'rolls in half for starting off onions. Just can not get enough of toilet roll tubes they are as good as root trainers.

For beans I half fill them then pop in the bean and fill up with compost.

I have bought a roll of damp proof course, the sort they lay between bricks and cut it to length, then roll and fasten with tape. These can be reused over and over again. the roots fill them and it is a simple case of snipping the taped joint with a knife or scissors to remove the plant and roots intact.

Leeks can be kept in a full tube ready to plant out later if there is a shortage of space for planting.

[Jeannine]

You are all doing me pround, thank you I have learned something from every one of you..1 question for Triffid, you mentioned"lived through a few weeks"..Just as an example if I was to germinate parnip seeds today, pop them in the loo rolls once sprouted , how long could they be in there before they would have to go in the ground...days...weeks  etc

Thank you all  again.

I think I will put a loo roll request in our apartment newsletter, I probably would have loads in a week....I am going to try making them too...raiding the recycling bin tonight for newspaper.

XX Jeannine

[goodlife]

Jeannine..I hope you don't mind..you asked question from Triffid....
I do parsnips in loo rolls too..most of us seem to ::)..as soon as they have germinated the root will be pushing through bottom of the loo roll..so there is not much waiting time...that's why I did mine into 3/4 lenght kitchen rolls...and it gave me a bit of extra time before planting..not much though..week maybe..but better that than nothing.. ::)

[Jeannine]

THANK YOU xx JEANNINE

[Paulines7]

..... twist and poke up the bottom. Having re-read that it sounds very rude but you get the idea. ;D ;)

;D ;D ;D

I expect you remember how to do the twist Jeannine!!   ;D