Protect Spring Seedlings From A Cold Snap With A Toilet Paper Solution

Working out when to plant your tiny seedlings out into the garden can be quite tricky in spring. It's really important to correctly time and prepare your garden after the last winter frost, so your plants are able to thrive. Let's face it — you've spent all that time nurturing them inside or in your greenhouse by keeping them nice and warm, and making sure they don't dry out. Then, you've carefully hardened them off, so there's less likelihood of transplant shock. What you don't want to happen is having those tender little plants get wiped out by a sudden and unexpected cold snap. There's an easy solution that will protect your young plants, and it's probably hiding in your recycling bin: toilet paper tubes. When placed around seedlings, these convenient cardboard tubes can provide some insulation and shield their delicate stems from chilly winds while still allowing fresh air and sunlight.

If you're into repurposing things in the garden, you might have discovered that these little cardboard tubes actually make great seed starting pots because they can be planted straight in the garden without disturbing the roots. Plus, there are plenty of other genius ways to use toilet paper and the tubes in the garden. However, they can also provide some much-needed protection for your spring seedlings if the weather suddenly turns cold after you've carefully planted them out into the garden.

Using empty toilet paper tubes for this project is really easy. All you have to do is plant your seedlings in the ground after you've prepared the soil. Then, carefully position a tube over each small plant and wiggle it into the soil a little to help keep it in place. Make sure that the plant is contained within the tube and you haven't accidentally bent any leaves while you were positioning it.

It does help to add a layer of mulch, such as straw, which is the best type of mulch for your veggie garden, around the seedlings and their protective tubes. This will not only keep the tubes in place a little better, but it will also keep the soil warmer and slow down evaporation. Plus, toilet roll tubes can keep the seedlings from being smothered by straw and give you a quick visual as to where you planted them, which can help with watering and feeding when needed. 

You may not even have to remove the tubes as the plants grow. With enough water, they will eventually break down on their own and dissolve into the soil. Of course, you can also cut them away once your plants are more established or the danger of frost passes. An additional benefit of using toilet paper tubes for cold protection is that they should also protect your tender seedlings from pests such as slugs and snails by creating a physical barrier. It may not keep all critters out, but it can make it more challenging for them to munch on your leaves.