ChrisJoWD (@ChrisJoWD)

Holy Crap, It’s Useful: 10 Genius Ways to Reuse Your Toilet Paper Rolls in the garden Every time you toss an empty cardboard core into the bin, you are throwing away garden gold disguised as bathroom refuse. Most things you buy have a second life if you look past their primary duty, and the humble toilet paper roll is the undisputed champion of upcycling. Instead of feeding the landfill, use those sturdy little cylinders to shrink your trash output, save on nursery supplies, and build healthier soil. Biodegradable Seed Starter Pots Snip four vertical half-inch cuts around one end of the roll, fold the flaps inward like a cardboard box, and fill it with seed-starting mix. Once your seedlings outgrow their temporary home, plant the entire cylinder directly into the soil, no root disturbance, zero plastic waste. The Sneaky Earwig Trap Dampen a roll, stuff it with rolled straw or shredded newspaper, and tuck it near vulnerable crops at dusk. Earwigs flock inside for shelter overnight; come morning, shake them out into soapy water. Gourmet Worm Food (Vermicomposting) Red wigglers love carbon-rich bedding. Shred your unprinted rolls into thin strips and toss them into your worm bin to balance out wet kitchen scraps and keep your vermicompost smelling fresh. Pot & Container Base Filler Deep planters require massive amounts of potting soil that roots never even reach. Line the bottom third of large containers with whole or crumpled cardboard rolls to bulk up volume, improve drainage, and cut soil costs. Compost Pile "Brown" Booster A healthy compost pile needs a steady balance of nitrogen (greens) and carbon (browns). Cut rolls into rings or tear them up to prevent matting; they break down quickly and supply much-needed aeration. Cutworm Armor Cut whole rolls into 2-inch rings and press them into the dirt around tender stem bases. These protective collars form an impenetrable barricade against hungry surface pests. Root-Crop Training Tubes Plants with deep taproots—like carrots, parsnips, or sweet pea vines—hate having their roots bent. Starting them in full-length cardboard rolls encourages straight down-growth before outgrowing the tube. Tidy Twine & Cord Organizers Prevent garden twine, drip line leftovers, or stakes ties from tangling into a knot. Wind surplus string around the outside or bundle loose cords inside a labeled roll. DIY Fire Starters for Outdoor Fire Pits Stuff dry rolls tightly with lint, dry leaves, or pine needles. They light easily, burn long enough to ignite kindling, and keep synthetic chemical starters away from your backyard space. Plant Tags & Row Markers Cut cardboard rolls into flat vertical strips, write crop names with a marker, and stake them into the soil. They will naturally decompose by the end of the season without leaving plastic behind. #upcycling #resuecardboard #composting #gardenhacks #cardboard #toiletpaper