Stop Tossing Toilet Paper Tubes: Turn Them Into This Garden Staple Instead

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Empty toilet paper rolls are the living embodiment of the adage 'one person's trash is another's treasure.' The average American goes through over 80 rolls of toilet paper in a year, so it doesn't take long for these diminutive cardboard tubes to pile up. While dealing with this seemingly endless stream of waste can be annoying to some, others who are familiar with the many effortless DIYs to upcycle toilet paper rolls around your garden are happy to have them on hand. In fact, this bathroom detritus is so popular, you can even buy packs of empty toilet paper rolls on Amazon! One of the lesser-known ways to use this free gardening resource is to turn the cardboard into mulch.

Mulch is used in garden beds to smother weeds and keep the soil moist. You can use organic or inorganic materials for mulch — think grass clippings, colored wood chips, gravel, and recycled rubber chips. Prices vary dramatically depending on whether you can make the mulch yourself (so it's essentially free) or have to buy it in bags and haul it home. Turning your empty toilet paper rolls into mulch doesn't just reduce waste; it may also save you money.

However, that all depends on how you shred the toilet paper rolls. If you don't already have one at home, a Bonsaii 12-Sheet Cross-Cut Paper Shredder will set you back around $56 (and that's on the cheaper end). A Seyvum 15-Amp Electric Wood Chipper costs almost $90 on sale. You could, of course, simply cut the toilet paper rolls up with scissors or tear them into small pieces for free. Additionally, shredded toilet paper tubes are biodegradable, releasing nutrients back into the soil as they break down. When applied in a thick layer, they can also successfully suppress weeds.

As discussed, the only real way to transform empty toilet paper tubes into mulch is to shred the cardboard. Which brand of toilet paper you use doesn't really matter, though you may want to try Who Gives a Crap. It was dubbed Consumer Reports' best toilet paper and it's also eco-friendly. White tubes may be chemically treated, so it's better to stick with brown cardboard tubes. Once the tubes are shredded, evenly distribute the mulch over the soil. While you can use just shredded toilet paper rolls, you can also beef up the nutritional value by adding other materials, such as fallen leaves or grass clippings.

Don't apply shredded cardboard mulch — or any mulch for that matter — too close to the stems or trunks of your plants. It can lead to rot or encourage disease. Do you get a lot of wind in your area? Prevent this lightweight mulch from blowing away by applying it to moist soil and watering the area again after application. You could also top it with a layer of something heavier, like wood chips. If there's any downside to this free garden resource, it's that shredded toilet paper tubes are highly absorbent. Use the material with caution during rainy periods. It can trap too much water, resulting in soggy plant roots and, in the worst case, plant death. All that being said, if you have empty toilet rolls in abundance and a way to shred them quickly, there's simply no need to splurge on expensive garden mulch.