Should You Throw Toilet Paper Tubes In Your Garden? Here's What The Experts Say

If someone told you that they throw their used-up toilet paper tubes outside, your initial thought may shock that they are littering. But it turns out that one man's trash may be your garden's treasure ... or at least a surprisingly effective and cheap fertilizer for your vegetable or flower garden. In fact, toilet paper tubes actually have a couple of different benefits other than just being an easy way to reduce, reuse, and recycle, so there are several good reasons to try this trick out. (Though, you really shouldn't just throw the tubes outside!)

According to agricultural experts at Heifer International, cardboard is actually commonly used in gardening as it is a compostable material, meaning that it will break down in the soil and become organic matter. This helps to enrich the soil by adding nutrients and improving drainage. 

It also tends to draw in earthworms, as they are attracted to the dark and moist environment found in compost or rich, organic soil. The USDA found that earthworms have a twofold benefit — they help to aerate the soil and allow water to infiltrate more easily, and the castings they leave behind also add additional nutrients to the soil. Like anything though, they can be a pest if there are too many of them in your lawn. So if you are trying to get rid of earthworms, you won't want to add toilet paper tubes (or any other cardboard) to your garden. 

There are two ways to use your toilet paper tubes: bury them directly underground or compost them first. The quickest way is through burying: simply place them a couple inches under the ground in your soil and plant and water as usual. They will break down over time, but don't be concerned if you see some larger pieces as it is in the process of breaking down. If you want to compost them first, moisten the tubes and layer them in your compost alongside your food scraps. This can also help to aerate the compost which allows it to break down faster. When the compost is ready, spread it around the plants in your garden.

Although there are benefits, there are also some concerns about using toilet paper tubes in your garden — and some say you shouldn't put it in your compost. The main concern is that cardboard leaches chemicals into your soil. Horticulture expert Linda Chalker-Scott says, "Cardboard does not belong in your soil. Period." Her concern mainly centered around PFAs, dioxins, and other "forever chemicals" which can be present in cardboard. By incorporating it into your soil, you could risk it transferring to your plants. 

It's important to note that this tends to be an issue more with corrugated cardboard. If you are concerned, look for dye-free or recycled options. She also noted that the use of cardboard in gardening and landscaping is significantly under researched, noting that her own research published in 2019 was the only peer-reviewed study to explore the effects of cardboard on soil health.