I'd be interested to know whats good and not so good in loo rolls.
Sweet peas looking good at present, anything if you don't want to disturb the roots.(paper pots serve the same purpose if you have a small household and normal bowel movements ;D)
I have read about using loo rolls and have been saving them up from friends and family (it's lucky they already think I'm nuts, as this would get them worried!) and plan to grow my sweet peas and peas in them but wasn't sure on the finer details, like...
When you plant them out do you put the loo roll in too, or pull the seedling and soil out?
Don't they go all soggy and fall apart as the seedlings are growing?
Does it make for a better plant?
:)
You just plant the whole lot Sally. That way nothing is disturbed and the loo roll disintegrates in the earth. Some have been known to go soggy and disinegrate here but I think I was a bit too enthusiastic with the watering. As long as your compost is good your plants should be fine. ;)
I love loo rolls, great for any plant with a tap root ( long root) does not disturb them you just plant the whole thing in the soil and the cardboard just breaks down after time.
Runner beans, french beans and pumpkin seeds. This year I am trying parsnips two seeds per roll. For flowers sweet peas and hollyhocks etc. But you can use them for anything.
I normaly put my big seeds between damp tissue and a plastic bag or lunch box to germanate then plant up in loo rolls.
I have a large tray with compost on the bottom and the filled rolls go on top so after the first watering from above I just water from the tray afterwards.
I hope this has helped it works for me.
just the job for sweetcorn
Great! Thanks guys, looks like I'll be able to use all the tubes I've collected (there are a few!!) as I plan to grow sweet peas, peas, sugar snaps, sweetcorn, and climbing beans. My OH is getting a bit miffed at loo rolls falling down on him every time he opens the airing cupboard!! :D :D
I've spent the last 6 months collecting loo rolls. ;D
Be glad to plant them up and have the space. I've just used them for beans but sweetcorn and parsnips sound like a good idea.
They keep their shape quite well if you don't go mad with the watering.
:) Oh I just love this site, now I found something else to collect from the family, other than jars (for chutneys and jams) large plastic bottles (mini cloches) :D :D I learn something every day ;) :)
I grow Broad Beans, Sweetcorn and Sweet Peas in mine.
Have my Mum and all her mates collecting them too........have had to tell them to stop for a while cos I have so many! :o ;D
If anyone is interested, I fill mine then tamp the soil down with an old rolling pin that just fits the hole, it seems to stay in the tube this way! Sow seed then top up with soil, then wedge them into a seed tray. They do go a bit mouldy but never seems to affect the plants!
teresa will have a go with french beans this year then if it works for them! ;D
DP if you pre chit the FB seed you will be surprised how quick they germanate and grow on.
I must admit to using seed compost and I dont firm down just let the water do it for me after the growing seed is planted.
I'm going to start my onions off in loo rolls.
Somebody said that the birds tend to pick them out if you plant them directly in the soil.
Used loo rolls for the first time last year for parsnips. Many reports of poor germination in '06 & '05 so thought it worth the effort.
Lots of effort with still only a 30% success rate - but worth it!
dtw one tip for onion sets is to pull off the dried top ( the shriviled bit) as this is what birds think good nesting material. If you pull it off it does not effect the bulb and birds leave them alone. Worked for me and told to me by a old gardener on lottie.
we put leeks in last year.. ;D
Quote from: teresa on March 02, 2007, 21:10:17
dtw one tip for onion sets is to pull off the dried top ( the shriviled bit) as this is what birds think good nesting material. If you pull it off it does not effect the bulb and birds leave them alone. Worked for me and told to me by a old gardener on lottie.
Thanks, I'll give that a go, now I have to figure out what to do with my loo rolls. ;)
dtw,
with the amount or rather vast, huge, various, ginormous selection of seeds that you have, i am sure they will come to use.
I have no idea what you mean. :P
(http://www.davethewave.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/noz/few-packets.jpg)
;D ;D ;D ;D
I made a funnel from a litre pop bottle-chopping off both ends - for filling said loo rolls with compost, but I still need to poke it through with a chopstick.
Hi, Being a Newbie to this site I wanted to say thanks for the great tips on this thread, Let the loo roll collecting commence !!! :P
Quote from: Emagggie on March 03, 2007, 21:07:47
;D ;D ;D ;D
I made a funnel from a litre pop bottle-chopping off both ends - for filling said loo rolls with compost, but I still need to poke it through with a chopstick.
Brilliant. Main problem I've had with using loo rolls is the compost going everywhere when I'm trying to fill them.
Mm,
Cut a cross in the intended base & fold the quarters in.
Quote from: telboy on March 04, 2007, 18:15:55
Mm,
Cut a cross in the intended base & fold the quarters in.
Erm............... ???
I think Tel thinks you mean about the compost coming out of the bottom, not getting it in the blessed things. ;D
True!
;D
There's a house with 5-6 girls living in it. I am just about to raid their loo roll collection as they're already saved for recycling!
Ha haha, you'd better hire a skip if mine are anything to go by. ;D
STHLMgreen any spare rooms. :P ;D ;D ;D
nope! an apartment in the city means there's barely an extra cupboard! ;D
I love starting off my seeds in loo rolls. It's one thing you will never be short of! ;)
It helps that my family have an ice cream addiction. The blue plastic Walls ice-cream tubs hold a dozen loo roll inners a piece. They are nice and deep, so they give good support to moist cardboard tubes. And they fit nicely, side by side, on a windowsill too.