Allotments 4 All

Have loads of loo rolls which all my neighbours have been collecting for me and just wondering if an idea i have is ok.

I'm going to make a 1 inch slits up and 1/4 inch apart around the bottom of the roll and just bend them in as a base so the compost wont drop out.

When I end up putting them in the ground will the roots of the plants have enough strength to push through ?

If you have a loo roll give it a go and see what you think.

Hiya,

My Dad and I tried this a couple of years ago but instead of folding the bottom over Dad stood them in shallow plastic crates and filled them.  I tried putting mine into growbags with minimal success! Made quite a mess over the kitchen floor as I recall!
We started off peas and sweetcorn in them and then just transplanted them straight into the soil. The cardboard was very soggy and practically falling to bits on mine but Dad's were more successful. It did make handling them a bit easier but we haven't done them since.

Good luck with them.  :)

Have started sweet peas, broad beans, peas and sweetcorn in them. If you squish the compost in firmly from both ends when you start, the compost stays in without having to fold the bottoms over.
By the time you get to plant them, the roots should hold it all in.
The roots of the sweet peas and the broad beans grew through the cardboard  :o

I am trying this method for the first time this year and I too have firmed the soil slightly before planting to stop it falling out.
I have stood the filled rolls in a seed tray on a bed of sharp sand which should retain a bit of moisture... this is because I can't always get down the lottie and therefore it (hopefully) buys me a little extra time....we shall see

Derek

I've never found the need to squish up the bottoms - if you firm the compost in, and stand them up together - I use huge elastic bands and big icecream containers to keep them all snug.

As you will see in other recent threads many of us have had mould/fungus/mushrooms growing out of the bottom of the rolls - doesn't seem to cause any growth problems - apparently too much watering can encourage the fungi.