Toilet roll containers HELP NEEDED

[spadlet]

I'm sure I saw a thread on this on the previous forum, but I cant find the list of threads like I was used to with the old set up, so I'm risking it and starting a new thread.

I've just developed a really useful system for germinating my parsnips, involving planting the seeds in old toilet rolls and keeping them on the radiator until they germinate, then hardening them off outside. The theory is that I can just stick the toilet roll in the ground when the plants are big enough to tollerate slug (and other pest) damage.

THEN one of my toilet roll donors listened to Gardeners Question Time/World/ something like that and apparently they said there were some chemicals in the toilet rolls to make them moisture resistant and it was bad for my wee plants.

Does anyone know anything more about this? The toilet rolls soak up the water pretty quickly and my plants seem quite happy in them. Is it maybe just some manufacturers that put the chemicals in? Also when they say bad, how bad do they mean? If it's just that spending loads of money on some fancy planters will be even better I think I can cope with some trace elements, but if I'm gonna be poisoning somebody......

[debsgreen]

I use chlorine free toilet paper, and I can not imagine that they put harmful chemicals in the toilet paper rolls.
You can call them at 888-478-8131
It's Green Forest out of Victoria, B.C. Canada
Or email contact@greenforest-products.com
I would think they would know what their stuff is made out of. Or at least could find out/point you in the right direction.

[Claire]

It was on gardener's question time spadlet - which is repeated today (I missed it on Sunday). I will attempt to summarise below, but you can also find it on the bbc radio 4 listen again feature 'til sunday I think. It was the very last question.

The question was from a lady who'd been starting parsnip and carrot seedlings in loo roll middles because of poor germination rates outside - but she said that they seemed to show patchy germination and some did better than others.

Bob Flowerdew said that he'd used this method before but had heard that some brands of loo roll middles were treated with an anti-fungal... err.... treatment? and found that some of his seedlings didn't germinate either and he thought this was the cause. He suggested instead using newspaper wrapped around a wooden former to make a little pot (you can get these from a number of gardening or green stores - I've definitely seen them but can't remember where! - or you could probably improvise something). He also said that the cardboard or newspaper might rob the seedlings of nitrogen so it's a good idea to mix in some blood fish and bone.

Basically it sounds like you're not going to poison anyone, and if you are happy with the germination rates and have a single-source supply of loo roll middles (and the company doesn't suddenly decide to change to "new improved anti-fungal-middled loo rolls" of course...) you should be OK.

PS I think maybe I've seen those kits in Lakeland....

[forfi]

You can form your newspaper planters around the bottom of a hokie cokie bottle,but I think that I mentioned elsewhere in the forum that parsnips are poor germinators anyway.I always put 4 seeds at each station and thin out the weaklings.Also stagger the planting over a week or so.Plant 3/4 inch deep and move as soon as possible as the tap roots are brittle.This is a biennial plant wot we grow as an annual and they really needs a bit of frost just before harvest which helps to make them sweet.

[Claire]

Oooh, that reminds me - Bob Flowerdew also mentioned that one theory about poor germination of carrots (and presumably parsnips) is that if you sow in situ and it rains between sowing and seedlings emerging you get less seedlings, presumably because the seeds get washed too deep into the soil - so if you sow outdoors you could try covering with clear plastic sheeting until the seedlings are big enough to cope.

[spadlet]

Thanks everyone

I had a listen to the programme when it was up and it doesn't sound to worrying. I've been using toilet rolls and also some rooting pots that I found lying around from an old present. So far the toilet rolls have produced better germination rates than the rooting pots, though a few in the rooting pots have just started to wake up.

I curretnly have a few different toilet roll sources as I realised at the last minute that I need LOTS. It's the first year I've tried it so if all goes well I should be much better organised next year.

I might try to email that company you suggested DebsGreen to try and get a bit more info. It would be great if I could find out why they decided they needed fungicide and get info on which companies do and don't use it, then I can bore my suppliers with the info

[Wobs]

Originally Posted by Claire

Bob Flowerdew said that he'd used this method before but had heard that some brands of loo roll middles were treated with an anti-fungal... err.... treatment? and found that some of his seedlings didn't germinate either and he thought this was the cause..

Hope ours isn't anti-fungal, as beloved is trying grow mushrooms in some

[spadlet]

Originally Posted by Wobs

Hope ours isn't anti-fungal, as beloved is trying grow mushrooms in some

Don't worry too much Wobs. Nearly all of mine have germinated and some of the few that haven't yet have got a tiny bit of mould on the side, so I dont think the fungicide can be too strong.

[ellyrussell]

I don't know anything about chemicals in toilet roll holders but what a great idea....

[altyfc]

I wonder if you could use something else if they're a problem... like the tubes you get inside rolls of wrapping paper? (obviously they might need chopping into sections )