Sweet Peas in mouldy loo rolls...

[Bluemchen]

In a neffort to be organised, I planted my sweet peas in carefully saved loo rolls a couple of weeks ago. I put them in my greenhouse in a seed tray, and watered them by filling the tray. They've now germinated nicely, but the loo rolls are disgusting - black, tarry mould, and some white furry patches too.

I'm not sure I want that in my greenhouse. Will the loo rolls last, or do I have to start again?/???

Thanks.

[zazen999]

Can you pop them into proper pots, for the duration? Loo rolls really are only temporary and do go mouldy if wet quite quickly. Same as newspaper pots. Just transfer them, loo rolls and all, into pots, with compost of course! The loo roll will soon disintegrate into nothing anyway.

[nick the grief]

If you have cold frame then you could move them into that as they are quite hardy and will make nice short jointed bush plants. If you do transfer them into pots they need to be deep ones as they really need a long root run. I suspect that the reason the loo rolls are black and mouldy is that they are kept wet all the time - they don't need a lot of water this time of year as they won't be making vigorous growth like they would in spring so let them dry out a bit and only water them when they need it.

Another approach would be to make some of the old sweet pea tubes but use an old compost bag. Make them about the size of the loo rolls ( or a bit longer if you want) and then add some fresh compost to the bottom and then slip the loo roll in to that an it will break down inside the plastic tube.

If you want to be a flash git then get some plastic pipe from a plumbers merchant about the same diameter as the loo rol and cut it into lengths then you'll have some that last for years. If you get some a bit bigger in diameter you could use them for your runner beans

[vicky]

I have heard of sterilising loo rolls in the microwave - but on trying this managed to start a small fire...beware!
Strangely this method of sterilisation was suggested by Health and Safety at my daughter's school when asking for loo rolls...

[Two_Sheds]

While I agree with watering pots from the bottom - it's not suitable for something biodegradable like loo rolls. As you've discovered.

In future, water them in the top, till just moist.

I only use loo rolls for quick-growing things in the spring, so they don't have a chance to rot. I wouldn't use them in cool temps.

[andrewo]

I just don't use loo rolls, they have a tendency to do this. You can get root trainers or just use deep pots that are reusable. It is so disheartening, I know from experience, to find all your homemade pots and loo rolls swarming with white fungus as they rot. I just don't go there anymore and in my experience proper pots still work better than loo rolls - if you want to recycle them, then compost them and save the heartache.

[Bluemchen]

Thanks all. I think I'll go with the pipe idea, thanks Nick - I found some behind my newly demolished shed which should be just perfect.

[BrideXIII]

I just don't use loo rolls, they have a tendency to do this. You can get root trainers or just use deep pots that are reusable. It is so disheartening, I know from experience, to find all your homemade pots and loo rolls swarming with white fungus as they rot. I just don't go there anymore and in my experience proper pots still work better than loo rolls - if you want to recycle them, then compost them and save the heartache.

I was saving all mine for the spring, but after readning this i don't think i will bother. Instead I think I will use yoghurt pots and cream pots with the bottoms sliced off, at least they won't rot.

[piskieinboots]

I know our mantra is to make do and reuse but my preferred choice for Lathyrus odoratus (forgive me, I made a promise to me tutor!) is rootrainers - they last for ages and are just perfect for getting a great long root run with virtually no disturbance

[andrewo]

I agree with Suzie, I brought some root trainers 3 years ago and they were expensive but are still going strong and great for sweetpeas. Pipes and yoghurt pots (with bottoms cut off) are great too. A great tip with yoghurt pot is if they become too fiddly to slide out, is to cut them open with a knife and then reuse the plastic as plant labels.

[nick the grief]

I was saving all mine for the spring, but after readning this i don't think i will bother. Instead I think I will use yoghurt pots and cream pots with the bottoms sliced off, at least they won't rot.

They are ok for runner beans etc, as they won't be in them for too long as the warmer weather/rain means they can go out sooner.

I agree with Andrew and Suzie regarding Root trainers my original lot have just given up the ghost after 15 years service. SO I may be dropping hints for Christmas and birthday pressies

[di]

So as someone who's packet of sweet peas stayed on the breadbin for most of last year!!(so I wouldn't forget to plant them!!)Do I take it from this thread that now's a good time to be starting them off??(I soo want pretty/smelly flowers next year!!)

[andrewo]

You can start them now undercover and over winter in a coldframe. I plant mine in spring, there is a few weeks difference in the flower but I still have flowering sweet peas in my garden at the moment.

[di]

Cheers Andrewo!

[piskieinboots]

yep - get 'em planted up now, keep 'em undercover tho!

Not sure if you remember my sweet pea picture posted earlier this year - I was having masses of peas really early - but then if you plant in spring you will have peas flowering long after my autumn sown ones have given up....so do both