A SAVVY gardener has shared an easy trick that makes watering your plants a breeze – and it’s all thanks to an empty wine bottle.
Fellow green-fingered Brits will know just how difficult keeping up with your watering schedule can be – which is why it’s best to come up with an easy system that will do the job for you.
But although garden centres and home goods stores are full of different solutions to tackle this problem, these are often pricey.
Luckily, one gardening enthusiast, only known as @thebalancedfoodsblog, has revealed how to keep your precious plants hydrated this summer – using nothing but an empty bottle.
The green-fingered woman said her outdoor space doesn’t ”have a fancy irrigation system” and a lot of the times she doesn’t have the time ”to water on a daily basis”.
To save money, she came up with a more purse-friendly alternative – using terracotta watering spikes combined with an empty wine bottle.
Available online on Amazon and Temu for as little as £12, these watering spies are said to be ”a must-have in the garden”, according to the TikTok user.
For best results, fellow gardening fans should soak the spikes in water for an hour prior to burying it, experts at Up on the Rooftop explained.
”This saturating of the porous terracotta ensures the spike will work quickly once in the soil.”
In her video, the woman used a slightly different approach, first soaking them in water and then also placing an old bottle inside the hole when the spikes were already in the soil.
”These terracotta watering spikes work so wonderfully,” she was raving over the bargain buy in her video.
”You just want to soak them in water and then you’re gonna fill an old wine bottle with water.”
This simple yet effective trick works wonders for ”garden beds” as well, she added.
”They are so efficient and so functional.”
She went on: ”For my planters they last for about a week and for my garden beds, about three days.”
However, as they ”can get clogged”, the gardening enthusiast advised to ”check inside every once in a while”.
The Sun's Gardening Editor Veronica Lorraine, has shared the tasks you need to tackle this July in your garden.
1. Prune Wisteria
You should only prune back Wisteria twice a year – and July – or mid summer – is one of those times. After flowering cut back long side shoots to around seven buds.five or six leaves.
2. Pinch out tomatoes
Your tomatoes should be really picking up – so pinch out all the side shoots without flowers – and remove all the leaves that are shading the tomatoes – this will give them maximum light and energy.
3. Keep weeding
Hand weeding and hoeing the surface of the soil will keep your weeds under check.
4. Feed Dahlias
To keep Dahlias flowering until Autumn, you must keep feeding them weekly with a liquid fertliser high in potassium – which encourages blooms.
5. Keep deadheading plants
Keep up with deadheading your bedding plants and perennials – so they keep coming back for the season. With roses make sure you’re deadheading back to a set of five leaves, giving you the best chance of them flowering again.
6. Check on your pond
If you’re lucky enough to have a pond – make sure it’s clear of algae, which can really bloom when the sun beats down.
7. Feed your lawn
Whether that’s with a liquid feed or granules. If you’ve chosen granules try to get them down before the rain comes, so they soak into the soil.
8. Tend to strawberry plants
Cut the leaves off strawberry plants after you’ve picked them – leaving the crown untouched – which should help with next years fruit.
9. Sow extra seeds
July weather is a great time to sow seeds as the warm soil and sunshine is great for germination. Try carrots, winter broccoli and other brassicas.
10. Move young plants into soil
Get any young plants you’ve got left in the greenhouse – like courgettes – into the soil.
The best part? Not only will your plants and soil be hydrated but this trick also means you get to recycle your old glass bottles – a win-win.
The hack, dubbed ”genius” by many, had clearly impressed thousands of TikTok users who raced to share their thoughts and tag their pals.
One joked: ”Oh, so you’re telling me I need to drink more wine to help my garden grow!! Done.”
Another was stunned by how easy it was, writing: ”The most genius thing I have seen in a while.”
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