How to Start Seeds in Toilet Paper Rolls

Seeds toilet paper: a concise orientation before we get practical.

Seeds toilet paper: Quick notes

Every year, I strive to be more sustainable than I was the previous year. Using toilet paper rolls to start seeds is a great option when I want to reuse items that would otherwise be thrown away. If you haven’t tried this yet, here’s your chance! 

The great thing about using toilet paper rolls to start seeds is that they’re always around. While a larger bout of seed starting requires more than a few, having one gives you at least two containers to start seeds in. You can combine these containers with other reusable items for a fully refurbished seed starting operation. 

There are a few particulars involved with using toilet paper rolls for starting your plants, and we’ll discuss those at length. For now, gather a few toilet paper rolls and some seeds, and let’s get this spring season started!

Bull’s Blood Beet

Bull’s Blood Beet Seeds

Buttercrunch Butterhead Lettuce

Buttercrunch Butterhead Lettuce Seeds

Celebration Swiss Chard

Celebration Swiss Chard Seeds

Seeds That Work and What to Avoid

Avoid seeds that need high moisture levels to grow well.

It’s important to consider the types and varieties you’re growing when you start seeds in toilet paper rolls. The paper is not suitable for seeds that need a lot of moisture to germinate and survive, because it is prone to mold with excess moisture. 

Stick to your basic seeds, like lettuces, chard, and beets. Squash, cucumber, and bean seeds are great as they are large and already primed to sprout. All these need is a little moisture to get going. 

If you want to start seeds in your toilet paper rolls that require a lot of moisture to thrive after sprouting, have a plan to move them once they’re up. Avoid moving plants that are prone to transplant shock, though, as this could kill them.

Gather Materials

Collect a few toilet paper rolls before you start seeds.

Once you’ve determined which seeds you want to use, it’s time to get your materials together. You don’t have to worry about the type of rolls you use when you start seeds. Toilet paper rolls of all types are fairly equal. If you’re really worried about it, use a roll from a sustainable brand.

Similarly, you don’t have to stick to toilet paper rolls. Paper towel rolls and gift wrap rolls work too. As long as the roll can be cut and folded, it’s good for starting seeds. If it’s inflexible, skip it. With your seeds and this in mind, gather the following:

Prep Your Rolls

Use a seed starting mix to fill the roll sections.

Using your scissors, cut your rolls into four to five-inch sections. At the base of your sections, cut four one to one and a half inch slits. Then fold the sections into a spiral so the base of your starter pots is covered. You’re halfway ready to start seeds. Toilet paper rolls need just one more thing.

Fill them with seed starting mix, which is soilless or soil-based, depending on what you’re growing. If you plan to grow your seedling in its starter pot for some time after it sprouts, a soil mix will have the nutrients it needs.

Then place your filled starter pots in your tray, plate, or bowl (depending on what you have on hand). They’re ready to hold the seeds you want to grow!

Start Seeds

Sow according to the instructions on the seed packet.

Now that your station for seed starting is set up, plant your seeds. Remember to plant seeds that don’t need a ton of moisture to grow and thrive in their starter pots, as this prevents mold. Plant your seeds, and use a spray bottle to moisten the soil surface. 

If you are growing seeds that need light to germinate, place your tray, plate, or bowl under a grow light. For seeds that need heat to germinate, use a heat mat, and place it under your non-porous tray.   

Maintaining Your Pots

Check continuously for mold and other issues.

If they did not need light to germinate, move sprouted seedlings under your grow light. For warm-weather plants, ensure they grow on a heat mat if they’re in a space that dips below 60°F (16°C). Continuously water them so they remain moist down to two inches. 

If any of your pots take on mold, dispose of them – seeds, soil, and all. The mold can transfer to your garden or other starter pots. When you remove the molded pot, carefully check to ensure others haven’t taken on mold as well. 

Transplanting

The toilet rolls will break down in the soil over time.

At a certain point, your seedlings are too mature to keep growing in your station. Toilet paper rolls are great for transplanting in the garden directly due to their propensity to break down over time. To transplant your seedlings, cut the folded base of the roll off, and remove any of the roll that sticks up above the soil. This can wick moisture away from seedlings as they establish roots in the garden. 

If you need to up-pot your plants because the season isn’t quite suitable for the plants you want to grow, do the same thing, but gently lower the rolls into larger pots or starter pots. 

Key Takeaways

When it’s time to start seeds, toilet paper rolls are an affordable and sustainable option. As you prepare to start seeds for the upcoming growing season, remember to follow these steps!

We reference Seeds toilet paper briefly to keep the thread coherent.

• Consider which seeds you’d like to grow, and determine which are appropriate for seed starting. 
• Gather your materials and prep your toilet paper rolls. It’s as easy as cutting four to five-inch sections and cutting slits to fold bases for your starter pots. 
• Start your seeds and maintain the integrity of the containers. 
• When your seedlings are mature enough, transplant them into larger starter pots, containers, or directly into the garden. 
• Remove the bases and any roll that remains above ground at transplant.