Indoor Gardening on a Budget

You hoarded toilet paper, now we have an idea for all those leftover tubes!

We've been indoors for weeks and now the sun is finally shining! Unfortunately we still have weeks to go in quarantine and I'm sure you've run out of ideas to keep the kids busy.

Re-purpose your recycling that's piling up instead of filling up the landfills.

So push those kids out the door and let them get dirty. Unfortunately, many people don't have yard space for a garden, so this project is the perfect mix of both worlds, the kids go outside and the plants come in.

First, I gathered 6 tubes and cut 4 slits, spaced evenly apart, about 3/4" down one end of each tube. Next I proceeded to fold down one flap at at time, being sure to tuck the last flap. Continue cutting and folding the remaining tubes. Now when folded the tubes will be able to hold the potting soil. The great part about using these tp tubes is that you can plant them straight into the ground once the seeds have sprouted!

(I also used a cardboard egg carton for extra seedlings that is also biodegradable.)

Holding the tubes together with rubber bands helps to keep them in place. I also found a plastic take-out lid to put them all in to keep the water from ruining the counter!

Now you can begin to fill the tubes about 3/4 full with potting soil. I got organic potting soil at the Dollar Store.

Next is the fun part, picking the seeds!

I used flowers, but you can use vegetables or a combination of both. Just remember flowers take about a year before they will flower and vegetables (depending on which kind) can be ready to harvest in about two to three months.

TIP: Vegetables such as carrots, lettuce and beets grow very quickly, while peppers, cucumbers and corn take a bit longer but are so much fun to harvest!

Once you have your seeds picked out, put a small indent in the soil with your finger. The kids will have fun doing this part, so you can keep your nails clean!

Be sure to read the instructions to see how deep to place the indent and then cover with soil.

Last step is to label and water. You can give the kids Popsicle's as a reward for all their hard work and then use the sticks to make markers.

They will have fun caring for their plants each day and the excitement on their faces when the first seed sprouts will be Insta-worthy.

Special thanks to @makenna__ for her help with this project :)