Seed Starting Using Toilet Paper Rolls

Seed starting using toilet paper rolls is a fun little garden project that your kids will love! Whether your growing flowers or veggies this is a great way to repurpose something everyone has around their home.

Last year was our first attempt at a cut flower garden. I love, love, love having fresh flowers in the house but I’m not a fan of spending money on them. They can be so expensive and with a full house of mouths to feed it’s hard to justify the extra cash. So last year we picked up a pack of zinnia seeds for $3 and planted them directly into the soil of a raised bed. Just a few weeks later we had beautiful fresh flowers to enjoy all around our home!

This year I definitely want more variety so I’ve been reading and researching what works best in a cut garden. Some seeds should be sewn directly outside and some grow better if started inside and transplanted. I happened to have a pack of seeds we didn’t use last year and I remembered hearing someone say they used empty toilet paper rolls to start their seeds. Since that’s something we can easily collect, we got to work quickly.

You’ll need 4 things…

packet of seeds
potting soil
toiletpaper rolls
cookie sheet or muffin tin

How to start seeds using toilet paper rolls

First, prepare your empty tissue rolls. You can cut and fold the bottom in to prevent the soil from falling through, or you can tear a small piece of paper towel to stuff inside. We were able to cut our rolls in half because our seeds needed very shallow planting and we used a paper towel on the bottom.

empty toilet paper rolls next to pack of seeds

Then you’ll add your potting soil. We filled each tube to the top because the soil will settle after watering.

Next, add your seeds to each roll. Be sure to read your seed packet to determine planting depth. Cover with soil and place each tube on a cookie sheet. We happened to have an old muffin tin that worked perfectly.

girls adding seeds to soil inside toilet paper roll

Water them well and place your cookie sheet somewhere in your home that gets plenty of sunlight and watch them grow.

pouring water on tissue roll filled with soil

The best part is the entire roll can be planted directly into your garden when your seeds are ready to be transplanted!

I’ve found that tiny hands are helping hands so let your little ones be in charge of this fun little project. I can’t wait to pick up a few more packets of seeds when we’re out. If you’re looking for flowers that work well for cutting you might try sunflowers, zinnias, peonies, daisies, chrysanthemums, etc. You don’t need a lot of space. You could even grow a few in pots if you prefer. Of course you can start any seed in the rolls including seeds to start a veggie garden. With a little time and very few dollars you’ll have beautiful flowers to display and share with others.