Quick Tip: This Simple Trick Helps Plants Water Themselves (2024)

FAQs

Quick Tip: This Simple Trick Helps Plants Water Themselves? ›

Fill your bottle to the top with water and place the cap back on. Then flip the bottle upside down and bury it about two inches into the soil. As the soil dries out from your last watering, fluid will slowly drip from the bottle into your soil, ensuring that your plant receives just the moisture it needs to thrive.

A basic self-watering system can be constructed using little more than a water bottle. All you need to do is cut the bottom off the bottle and poke a hole in the bottle cap using a skewer. Then, simply add the inverted bottle to a normal pot or planter.

Grab a plastic bottle with a lid and fill it up with water. Turn the bottle upside down and pierce the bottom of the bottle to let air in. Then pierce a few holes in the lid and place it down into the plant's soil. Don't get caught out here with water dripping everywhere.

Since we now know that using sugar in our waterings won't help plants effectively, we must also consider the potential harm. The number one effect that most studies have found is that sugar can reduce the plants' ability to absorb or take in any water.

Use a watering wand, drip irrigation or soaker hoses to direct water right to the root zone. Watering early or late in the day minimizes moisture loss due to evaporation from the soil surface. Shielding plants from wind will also reduce moisture loss.

Take an appropriate size plastic water/soda bottle and poke a bunch of holes in it. This gets buried along side your plant(s). Fill it with water and the water slowly escapes through the holes to quench your thirsty plant. The size and amount of holes you poke will dictate how often it will need to be filled.

Installing drip irrigation is easy. First, drill some holes all the way around an empty soda bottle's sides and in the bottom using a 1/16-inch-diameter drill bit. These might seem like tiny holes, and they are, but you want the water to drip slowly into the roots.

Place a large jug of water near your plant pot, then insert one end of a length of twine into the jug and the other into the soil of your plant. Puncture holes in a plastic bottle, fill it with water, and bury it next to your outdoor plant. Wrap your entire plant in a plastic bag to create a mini greenhouse.

Bottom watering is an effective technique that waters plants from the bottom up. This is typically achieved by placing a planter or vase (with drainage holes in the bottom) in a bowl or tray of water and allowing the soil and roots to soak up the moisture from the base.

Use a Rain Barrel and Soaker Hoses to Water Outdoor Plants

For longer trips, watering and mulching may not be enough to keep your plants healthy. A rain barrel can provide a continual supply of water. Attach a soaker hose to a rain barrel and snake the tubing through your garden.

What is the best plant self watering system? ›

Watering globes are an all-in-one solution, and many have a pretty blown-glass look. Depending on the size of your container, you may need several spikes or globes to keep your plant evenly watered. These are best for plants that like to stay continually moist. Try the Hydrospike line of plant waterers.

I think the simplest way is to just stick your finger into the soil beside the plant and see how damp it is. If it's dry, it's time to water. If it's wet, it's not. You can also use a stick or similar probe to see how damp the surrounding soil is.

Test by squeezing a handful of soil together. Open your hand out giving it a small shake as you do. If the soil mostly holds together and a few crumbs fall away then it's perfectly moist. If it holds its shape and you can infact shape it into something – way too wet.

As long as you have a drainage hole in your planter (which you should have anyways) and a shallow dish you are good to go. Simply take a shallow dish or pot and fill it up halfway with water. Then place your plant in the dish. Let the plant sit for 30 minutes to an hour depending on how big the pot is.