Watering your garden can be a surprisingly tricky chore.
How do you know the water got all the way down to the roots? And how do you know each plant got the right amount of water? Luckily, one TikToker solved that issue with a genius hack that also puts your old pots to use.
The scoop
TikToker notjustgreenfingers (@notjustgreenfingers) recently posted a video featuring their innovative garden. Their secret? Leaving watering holes in the soil so that it goes straight to the roots instead of having to seep down through the top.
To keep the holes from caving in, the TikToker reused the old plastic pots their seedlings came in. The pots are buried next to the plants, with the top exposed to the surface.
"If you have any doubt this method works … I have my first cucumber growing," they say in the clip.
@notjustgreenfingers #watering #savewater #lessweeds #organicgrowing #sustainability #allotmentuk #selfsufficient #growyourown #allotment #allotmentlife #simpleliving #kitchengarden #gyo #allotmentgrowing #fyp #lifestyle #reallife ♬ Magic Moments - Perry Como
How it's helping
The idea has endless benefits for your wallet and your garden.
Most importantly, it keeps the garden that you worked on healthy.
In the video, the green-fingered TikToker says it's harder for weeds to grow when the top of the soil is dry, with one commenter adding, "Don't forget it's great at reducing mildew and pests, especially on tomato plants!"
Plus, sending water straight to the roots also means that you'll use less water in your garden, and you'll be able to control exactly how much water your plants receive. That could lower both your water bill and your grocery bill, thanks to all the excess produce you'll get.
On top of that, growing your own food will also help to reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment. Agriculture makes up for 11% of carbon pollution, which is a planet-warming gas.
What everyone's saying
Comments on the post offered further advice and enthusiasm for the "brilliant" idea.
Some could relate to using the hack before. "I use bottles upside down, with the bottom cut off," one said.
Others expressed a resounding eagerness to try out the idea.
"FINALLY a use for discarded plastic pots I refuse to throw out!" one wrote.
"This is genius," another added.
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