Toilet rolls and mould

[Carrie]

Since the autumn I've been saving used toilet rolls (3 boys in house - that's alot of rolls) to plant my seeds. Did so a couple of weeks ago, and the seeds are bginning to germinate, but so is lots of grey furry mould growth. Is this a big problem, and does it mean that the health of the seedlings/eventual plants will be affected? Some of the seeds I've planted (leeks, sprouts and peas) I have enough over to plant more in other pots, but all my tomato seeds are in the loo rolls, and I'm wondering if I should get some more seed in?
Can anyone help me flush this problem away? Is it a problem?

[retropants]

Hi Carrie,
I'm new here, but getting into the swing of things!

I had the same problem a couple of years ago, when I used newspaper and a groovy gadget called a paper potter to make little newspaper pots. I sowed sweetcorn in them, and although they grew, the paper went mouldy. I don't know whether they were adversley affected, as I planted them out anyway, and my memory is not what it was!!.....

[Chantal]

I had the same problem when I tried a few years ago and was advised to use Roseclear. I did and it worked but I'm not keen on chemicals so I've not bothered with the toilet rolls since.

[Johnboy]

I think that you will get mould on the bottom of loo Rolls when there has been a tendency to over water.
I had the problem some time back and it didn't seem to affect the Parsnips that were in them as the final crop was great and no losses along the way.
Thereafter I have always placed the rolls on good free draining horti-grit and watered individually and I have not had the problem again.
Carrie if you think 3 Boys use a lot of loo rolls image three Girls plus wife use! They kept me poor for years buying loo rolls!!

[Beccy]

As Johnboy says drainage is important, but the moulds that grow on dead cardboard are not the same as the ones that will attack growing plants, so you are probably fine.

[Carrie-but-not-logged-on]

Thanks for the replies. Drainage certainly seems to be an issue. I've wedged the rolls tightly into plastic container to stop the compost falling out the end, and what I've noticed is while the water pools at the bottom the top is dry and still needs watering. I wonder if this is a combination of using the toilet rolls and using some peat-free compost from B&Q which claims to be suitable for seeds but is actually rather lumpy.
PLUS I've discovered in some of them tonight that tiny little mushrooms are growing!
Will keep the ones I've used so far, but the rest of the rolls can go in the compost bin. Had been feeling very virtuous about recycling in this way - no longer!
Johnboy - toilet paper usage peaked for us when the boys went through a dressing-up-as-Egyptian-mummies stage

[Beccy]

I put the rolls in normal seed trays of various sizes (depending on how many plants I want) and then tie round the tops with string so they don't splay out.

I have not found that any of the fungal growths that have appeared on rolls I have used have troubled the seedlings at all. They are disconcerting I agree, but probably not be harmful to the plants.

[Allan]

Is it really sensible for the pro-Organics to avoid all sprays then raise plants in cardboard whose chemical content one knows nothing about.
Plastic pots and Rootrainers for me.

[Carrie]

Allan, I'm not doing it for organic reasons, but with the object of using something that would otherwise go straight in the compost bin, thus recycling and avoiding the cost of plastic pots from Wilkos. And I'd prefer not to use peat pots because I believe there are ecological reasons not to do so. I referred to feeling virtous with tongue in cheek.

[Compo]

Allan......who said that people that avoid using chemicals are organic ? You choose to use them, which is fine, but some of us do not....for the home grower it is possible to avoid pesticides and herbicides and have a good healthy crop of many different vegetables, you do not always know what is going into the ground from a multitude of sources, timber, plastic seed trays etc, but you can try and avoid things if you don't need em. Many postings here have advised herbicides and pesticides, I would never go on to the forum and go against that advice but I might offer an alternative...........where is the lassez faire approach ? (Expect I have spelt that wrong!!)

[/list]

[Allan]

The point about plastic containers is that, apart from the obviously one-season types (like Wilkos?) mine have lasted many seasons so the cost is negligible. I bought a box of LBS square pots many years ago, cost about 2p each, that box will see me out.
Let's get this straight.Signed-up Organics claim not to use chemicals but people who don't use chemicals on any large scale aren't necessarily classed as organic.
I'm not going to haggle again about what is Organic or organic. It is obvious that there are very few fanatics either way on this forum, maybe we just don't hear from them.
Now you tell me what degree of certainty is there in the composition of toilet rolls in the many brands as a reassurance that things cannot go wrong, compare that with the fanatical statements from some quarters about total elimination of 'chemicals' in gardening from some quarters. We see respected seed varieties banned from use just because there are insufficient users to finance extensive testing for genetic purity, and at the same time people using products for gardening when they haven't been tested in any relevant way whatsoever.

[Johnboy]

Allan,
You are documented as not being able to use Loo Rolls and that they are better added to your compost heap. To suggest that there maybe something untoward in their make up is very wrong of you.
I am cynical enough to believe that you are trying to put a scare into Organic users and I think that is very wrong of you.
May I ask why you add them to your compost if you can condemn them as being unsafe recycled as Carrie suggests? Because you cannot get used to them and will not listen to anybody's advice, other than your own, they've got to be wrong. Well many hundreds of people annually, in this instance, put you in the wrong buddy boy!
Some people care about the enviroment and if they can use something other than an inject moulded plastic pot which is adding to pollution in their manufacture and have to be disposed of other than by composting then so much the better.
Johnboy.

[Allan]

To Johnboy.You are at it again.
I'm not for or against. I'm just pointing out an apparent contradiction in peoples thinking. Make what you will of it.
Allan

[richard p]

there are problems with plastics, the first is that most plastics go brittle in sunlight, clear plastic sheet being one example, with black plastic carbon is added which slows down the process somewhat but doesn't totally stop it. the other problem which is probably more applicable to food storage than garden use is that molecules of the plastic will detach and contaminate the stored product , this is a particular problem with oils, cheese and milk as their fat content seems to assist the process. chilling slows it down. it can also happen with plastic linned cans. there is no argument that it does happen , the grey area is what level of contamination of the stored produch is potentially harmfull.

[Johnboy]

Allan,
I may well be at it again and I refer to pointing out the inconsistencies of your postings.
It is not a matter of what I make of your comments but what people who are new to gardening will make of them.
I am of the opinion that ALL household products are tested and if there is a hazard of any kind it must be declared on the product label. I have yet to see anything on the wrapper of a loo roll that says it is in the slightest way hazardous.
Your comment 'plastic pots and rootrainers for me' tells all. Because you do not reuse loo roll centres it appears that you think everybody should follow you. Thankfully it doesn't work that way!
Johnboy.