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peas in toilet rolls

• Message 1.Ìý

  Posted by also (U14824616) on Wednesday, 18th April 2012

  Hi all,
  firstly I must say how sad that the message board is closing. hopefully we can all find an alternative somewhere.
  Back to the subject.
  I planted some peas in toilet rolls in January and raised them in my mini greenhouse. They grew o.k. and I then put them in a bed in February. They have all grown to about 6 inches high, but are now looking very pale green, almost yellow.
  I then planted some peas directly in the same bed in early March which are nearly as big as the first lot and looking very healthy.
  My question is, should I have taken the plants out of the toilet rolls before putting them in the bed ?.
  I thought the roots would grow through the rolls, as I have done this several times with many other plants with good results.
  Anyone have any thoughts?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by lovespumpkins (U14259050) on Wednesday, 18th April 2012

  I've tryed this method in the past and not liked the results.
  
  Have you checked the rootball ??? Have the roots penetrated through the cardboard or are they still inside......... if they're not doing very well, you got nowt to lose, if you check.
  Pull the cardboard off and backfill with a bit of fresh compost and wait a few weeks, in the hope of improvements.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by also (U14824616) on Wednesday, 18th April 2012

  Hi
  lovespumpkins
  you must have read my mind as that's what I was thinking, so will give it a go tomorrow.
  thanks for reply

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Ellenwilkinson (U14513657) on Wednesday, 18th April 2012

  Totally agree with you - such a shame this message board is closing, I've learnt loads from reading other people's posts - and occasionally been able to contribute something useful myself!
  
  Would love to hear from anyone who is using the toilet roll method of planting - i am attempting to grow courgettes in toilet roles - according to a Gardener's World magazine article this means you can pot them on without disturbing their roots. They are in large pots in the greenhouse (South East England) and I am waiting for them to germinate. Ho hum.
  
  All advice welcome.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Lorea (U14415784) on Thursday, 19th April 2012

  Hi Teresa,
  
  I do use the toilet roll method, but I think how successfully they grow on once you plant them out depends on the roots' ability to "get through" the cardboard tube. So, the wetter they are the quicker they're going to disintegrate. I think some people don't close up the bottom of the roll when they sow, just make sure they're on a flat surface, then presumably the roots system will keep the soil in place when you come to move them. With courgettes, I've tried sowing direct, toilet rolls and sowing in pots and then planting out, and I've had mixed results with all of them!
  
  By the way, as you may have discovered by now, a lot of members from here have gone over to the GW forum:
  
  
  
  See you there!

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by also (U14824616) on Thursday, 19th April 2012

  Hi Lorea,
  I didn't realise I had to close the bottom of the toilet roll.
  When I put the peas in the bed, lots of roots were hanging out of the bottom of the roll, so I thought that they would be good.
  With regards the tubes disintegrating, Some of the plants I grew last year still had the tubes intact when I removed them at the end of the season, although some roots had grown through.
  Furthermore I put a lot of discarded tubes on my compost heap last year and when I turned the heap over recently some of the tubes were soggy but intact.
  So may be I will have to re-think about using tubes, or at least break them up a bit before putting them in the ground.
  We live and learn.
  
  am now trying www.wellieswheelbarrowandwildlife site
  but will give G.W. site a go.
  many thanks

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by Lorea (U14415784) on Thursday, 19th April 2012

  Hi also,
  I usually fold in the bottoms a bit, just to stop the compost falling out, but I would imagine it's better if you don't, so the roots have a free run when you plant them out. I have planted some things out where the toilet roll was falling apart due to having started to biodegrade. Others I've pulled apart when planting out, to make it easier for the roots to develop. I think there are different types of toilet rolls - some seem to biodegrade quicker than others.
  Hopefully see you on the GW forum!

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by Italophile (U12516505) on Thursday, 19th April 2012

  As suggested above, the rolls have to have been damp enough in order to start breaking down. If I come across rolls that I think haven't broken down sufficiently, I tear them gently - without disturbing the roots inside - to give the roots an exit point.

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• Message 9

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by also (U14824616) on Thursday, 19th April 2012

  I've tryed this method in the past and not liked the results.
  
  Have you checked the rootball ??? Have the roots penetrated through the cardboard or are they still inside......... if they're not doing very well, you got nowt to lose, if you check.
  Pull the cardboard off and backfill with a bit of fresh compost and wait a few weeks, in the hope of improvements.Ìý Hi again.
  I tried your suggestion on a few of the peas, and surprisingly there were no roots anywhere near the sides of the tubes, as they were all coming out the bottom of the tube.
  I find this hard to believe but having seen it, I cannot dispute it.
  So I decided to leave the remainder as they are and see what happens.
  I will however check other seeds which are also in tubes and see what has happened to them.
  As I said before , we live and learn.
  Thanks again
  
  Thanks also to the others who contributed to this discussion.

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• Message 10

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by MrsBeginner (U15188446) on Friday, 20th April 2012

  I've heard before about growing stuff in loo rolls but I've never tried it. It might be a daft question but if you put compost and seed in a loo roll, then water it, won't the loo roll come 'unravelled'? I confess I'm intrigued by the thought of a limitless supply of free, biodegradeable modules.

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• Message 11

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Friday, 20th April 2012

  Yes they do- it is not ideal-
  
  the method is to stand them close together so they support each other-when they go in the soil you plant the whole thing- but they need to be quite soggy-no root disturbance and the roll disintegrates over time.

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• Message 12

  , in reply to message 11.

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Friday, 20th April 2012

  I used to pot up alot of plants in them when I first started sowing seeds. Also tried home made paper pots. I tend just to sow peas/beans in them now so they have long roots before planting out.
  
  They do go soggy but packed together in the half sized trays keeps them up right and stops the rolls falling apart.
  
  They never seem to bio-degrade in my garden so I now take the whole roll off when planting out and can't say it has ever affected the plants.

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• Message 13

  , in reply to message 12.

  Posted by Don Kidick (U13987773) on Monday, 23rd April 2012

  Here’s what I do,
  
  I cut about 4 or 5 slits in the roll about a quarter way up the tube, I then fold the flaps over like a box top effect. This creates a bottom to the tube and helps keep the compost in (I know this sounds time consuming, but if you cut them as you obtain them i.e. one at a time then store them till ready for use you will have quite a few when sowing time comes around).
  
  I then stand the rolls up in a seed tray fill with compost and sow. When I come to plant out I open the flaps and fold outward, thus creating an opening for the roots in case they do have a problem.
  
  This has always worked for me; I have never had any problems and the rolls always bio-degrade.
  
  Cheers. Don
  

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• Message 14

  , in reply to message 13.

  Posted by also (U14824616) on Monday, 23rd April 2012

  Here’s what I do,
  
  I cut about 4 or 5 slits in the roll about a quarter way up the tube, I then fold the flaps over like a box top effect. This creates a bottom to the tube and helps keep the compost in (I know this sounds time consuming, but if you cut them as you obtain them i.e. one at a time then store them till ready for use you will have quite a few when sowing time comes around).
  
  I then stand the rolls up in a seed tray fill with compost and sow. When I come to plant out I open the flaps and fold outward, thus creating an opening for the roots in case they do have a problem.
  
  This has always worked for me; I have never had any problems and the rolls always bio-degrade.
  
  Cheers. Don
  Ìý Hi Don,
  Sounds good to me , I'll give it a try as I'm always open to new idea's.
  It should save a little on the compost as well.
  thanks

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