Please do not leave tube exposed abouve ground. It will act as a wick and remove moisture from around the plant. Val

You don't even have to stuff it with newspaper. If you will smash if flat and crease it good, turn it half way smash it flat again. Then take your scissors and at one end, cut up on each fold about 1/2". Fold in and overlap, folding them in like you would a box top, tucking the last flap under the first so that they hold themselves... tadaaa...you have a 4-sided container with its own bottom. Then plant the whole thing.

hey i thought i was the only one who thought of that. it's also great for kids. when they transplant they won't have to worry about ripping the roots

I have done this for a long time. I thought everyone would think of it. I cut the tubes to the right size, pack it with potting soil and put my cuttings or seeds in the top. I line them up in an old aquarium and wait until I see roots coming out of the bottom. I then peel the tubes down below the level of the potting soil and pot them up. Easy, clean and if you are starting cuttings for trade - easy to ship! nova

Well as my Dad used to say, "I don't have a lot of good ideas but I know one when I hear one." No sooner had I read the tip about creasing the toilet paper rolls and folding the bottom in and I was in the bathroom rescuing the last discarded roll for a trial run. Really cool and frugal idea. Thanks.

I've shipped plants in them, but I never thought of this. Don't know why. Thanks!

I didn't like them, they mold on the outside, and if you cram them right in close together in a flat or etc, they crumble, decompose, and the plants root together if you leave them in there too long. Sorry to rain on your frugal parade....

Great idea! I've also used strips of newspaper to make seed starting pots. I wrapped the strips around a fish food can and folded and taped the bottom down. Put soil and seed in. They hold up quite well until planting time.

How do you get them to stand up? When something dies or simply won't germinate, I pull it out of the tray. The toilet paper rolls just fall over. I had the same problem with newspaper pots made with that little wood device (or soup can). So I make my pots out of paper using origami techniques. With about 3 layers. They hold up pretty good and stand up on their own.

Well, so far, so good. I have plenty of regular plastic cell packs for my seeds, but decided to sow something using the toilet paper tubes as an experiment. This is what I did.

Took a small aluminum tray with a plastic dome cover - that some Chinese takeout came in - & measured it so I'd cut my tubes the correct size to allow for dome covering. I was able to get 4 rows of 3 tubes across to make 12 snug-fitting containers. I left them bottomless & simply filled each little cut tube with potting soil. I sprinkled some Escarole seed into each one & then poured warm water into the tray to bottom moisten the mix. I then placed the plastic dome over the tray & waited.

Even though the seeds were from 1996, within 4 days I had 100% germination. The seedlings are about 1/2" tall, the tubes have held up perfectly, even with additional watering, & I can move them about without even the soil coming out of the bottomless bottoms. None have fallen over.

Since Escarole is a cool-weather crop, I'll be putting them out into the cold frame tomorrow to continue growing on a bit, & then I'll gently peel off or cut off the tubes & stick them out in the garden.

Would definitely use this method again. I think that if you're having trouble with them falling over, you aren't cutting them short enough.

A friend of mine did this with her elementary school class (2nd graders, I think). They were cut about 4" long, and the kids had a lot of trouble with them falling over. When she cut them an inch shorter, at about 3", even the little kids could keep them standing tall.

She didn't have any trouble with them rooting together because each kid held onto his or her own, but maybe make sure to stuff/cover the bottom with newspaper like the first post said? I really don't know, as I've never done it personally... just wanted to report how L. fixed the "falling over" problem.

Mine are even shorter than that - about 2 to 2-1/2 inches; pretty much the same size as a cell in a regular plastic cell-pack, which is what I believe you should be trying to duplicate. Three to four inches is ridiculous to expect to stand on its own filled with soil & a plant.

I don't consider these "better" than a plastic cellpack, just a frugal way of duplicating a cellpack.

ah, thank you!

I am having trouble with mine molding as well. I even have a white podery substance coming on top of my soil in most of the toilet rolls.

I read somewhere to put a layer of vermiculite on top, so I started doing that. It does seem to help prevent the white mold.

Hi, fellow rollers

as a tube user from way back, some tips to the newcomers:

1. don't bother cutting in half, too much trouble.

2. They need no bottom other than tamped down moist potting soil

3. Put them in something to keep from flopping - I use the trays you get from nurseries when you buy a bunch of small plants.

4. A little white mold on the side? don't sweat the small stuff - I've started seeds for 35 years and have never had any losses from white stuff on the side of the pot

5. If you get a bit of mold/fungus on the seed medium, pinch it out - ditto on the losses in #4

6. Plant them out when they start to melt (or before)

so maybe tubes aren't useful for plants requiring long germination - but they are perfectly appropriate for anywhere you would use peat pots, and better for the environment AND your health

happy potting

Newbie here - just reading about the tubes and can't wait to try. Being basically a cheapskate - I've been using empty (ofcourse) yogurt containers but have run into a little problem getting the seedlings out when I want to plant. Lost one of my little tomatoes that way this year. Killed me to buy a plant when the seeds are still sitting in my kitchen but it's too late to plant them. jjSaving my tubes as I write.

Another helpful tip I've discovered that makes using the tubes easier is to save the plastic "clamshell" containers that strawberries come in these days. The sides are high enough to help keep a full complement of tubes upright & the bottoms already have plenty of drainage holes. If you cut your tubes short, you can even close the top to make a "mini-greenhouse".

I am also finding these plastic clamshell containers invaluable as "mini greenhouses" for seed starting even without using the tubes. Just fill with your soil mix, plant, & close the lid.

Not only do these containers work great, but they are durable enough to be used several seasons. I have quite a collection now in all different sizes.

I've used the tp, paper towel tubings this year, I think they work wonderfully. I put mine right into the ground making my work so much easier! I, too just put a little xtra potting soil in bottom, had no trouble separating and they stood together all comfy in their container.

I don't cut the toilet paper rolls down and I use the box-top folding method for the bottoms, so that I get a rectangular pot with an enclosed bottom. Mine don't fall down because I turn them into 6 packs. -This is done by lining the tubes up 3 by 2 after they've been planted, wrapping some saran wrap around the sides and then tying a strip of panty-hose around the whole thing. (The plastic wrap helps keep the pots from drying out.)

I have pics of the ones I used for winter sowing a couple years back

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I cut slits on the bottom to make tabs and folded them over like a box-top to help hold the soil in.

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Then put them in a milk jug =)

I was thinking about reading this thread when I finished wrapping a present in some gift wrap this weekend. Since X-Mas is around the corner you'll probably end up with lots of tubes the paper come wrapped around. So don't throw them out, you can use the cardboard tube to make more seed pots.

Great suggestions, thanks!

I just finished reading this whole thread, what a wonderful idea! I am going to go dig some out of the trash soon as I get off the computer! Then I'm going to share the idea with some of my gardening friends! Thanks so much for sharing!

This is a great idea! I'm going to reclaim an old baby wipes box to use as a greenhouse/tp roll pot carrier.

Another use for the tubes is growing leeks. When you transplant the leeks, slip the tube over them and pull the dirt up. Does a nice job of blanching the stalk and no dirt inside the leek.

Great tips! I've been saving the rolls to use for cutworm protection, but this is even better! I will definitely use them for my tomatoes and other veggies.