There are an endless number of hacks to help you grow fruits and veggies, but one tomato tip from a TikTok user can save your produce and your water bill at the same time.
TikToker Huw Richards (@huwsgarden) posts gardening tips on his page, and one of his videos revealed a hack that will help your tomatoes to stop splitting — mulching your garden with grass clippings.
The scoop
A tomato that has split typically looks like it has a crack in the skin with brown edges — it's still perfectly edible, but the fruit will go bad much faster.
Splitting happens when gardeners can't keep the soil consistently moist, a problem that can cause other issues such as blossom end rot, which makes the fruit inedible.
Richards' suggestion to place grass clippings around the base of the plant helps to hold the moisture in the soil.
"I haven't watered these for about a week, and I can see that there is still moisture right on the surface of the soil," he says as he tests the soil with his hand. "That is very much going to benefit your plants and also reduce the amount of watering."
@huwsgarden Free Tomato trick to save water! 🍅 #permaculture #mulching #gardeningtips ♬ original sound - Huw Richards
How it's helping
This cost-friendly hack is a great way to grow your tomatoes more effectively while saving water and putting your lawn clippings to good use.
Plus, there are other benefits to growing your own food. The Guardian reports that it's cheaper to grow some produce at home given the increase in food prices, and it will allow you to have an abundance of your favorite fruits and veggies on hand.
Growing your own produce also helps to reduce food waste, as food picked from the garden stays fresh longer. Each year, approximately one-third of the food in the U.S. ends up in the garbage, so even cutting down the slightest bit of food waste can make a difference.
What everyone's saying
Commenters on the video were thrilled to hear about the hack.
"Glad I saw this as I am just about to mow the lawn," said one, while another added, "Huw, you are a genius."
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