GARDENING experts have shared a ‘magic’ trick that will make your plants flourish – and it’s easy too. Watering plants, whether indoor or outdoor, is crucial, especially in the warmer months – but it can be quite tricky to get it right every time. Giving plants too much hydration can be detrimental for their growth […]
GARDENING experts have shared a ‘magic’ trick that will make your plants flourish – and it’s easy too.
Watering plants, whether indoor or outdoor, is crucial, especially in the warmer months – but it can be quite tricky to get it right every time.
Giving plants too much hydration can be detrimental for their growth – and just as important is watering enough.
Luckily, two gardening experts have revealed how a cheap plastic bottle could solve all your worries.
Speaking to The Express, Tom Hilton and Sara Dixon shared the most effective ways to use water bottles to perfect your watering routine.
”It’s important to water your garden efficiently to ensure your plants are healthy and flourish throughout the season,” said Sarah, UK and International Marketing Manager at Hozelock.
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“Using a plastic water bottle to create a simple, yet effective, watering system is a great solution to repurpose an item that could otherwise end up in landfill.”
HOW TO USE PLASTIC BOTTLES TO WATER PLANTS
Many will usually stick to a watering can when it’s time to hydrate thirst plants.
But Tom, a gardening whizz and director of hydroponic specialists, National Greenhouse, believes there are countless reasons to switch to a plastic bottle.
As well as self-watering and better drainage, he also noted that these can be repurposed in multiple ways to suit the needs of individual plants.
BURY A BOTTLE
Sharing his tricks, Tom revealed: “A popular method among keen gardeners is to bury a plastic bottle inside their plant pots.
“By piercing several small holes in the bottle, and covering it completely with fabric or preferably a sock, this acts as an irrigation system.”
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If you want to give this a go, the pierced water bottle should be buried inside the planter, with the opening visible at the top of the soil.
The small holes means the bottle will act as a r a slow-release watering system.
A very similar method involves burying the top half of a bottle just below the surface of the soil.
For this, Tom explained that you would need to cut off the lower half of a bottle and poke a few holes in the cap.
“You can then place the bottle upside down within the first four inches of the soil, therefore when the bottle is filled with water it will leak out of the cap and water your plant.”
Both methods are perfect for plants that like constant moisture, including hostas, hydrangeas, candelabra primula and pothos.
HANG A BOTTLE
Just as effective is hanging a plastic bottle over your plants.
Simply take a bottle, pierce tiny holes in the bottom half and then enclose the bottle in a sock – other fabric should work just as fine.
You can then hang this above your plant by securing it to a stick that rests inside of your plant pot – but make sure it’s done so securely.
Just like with the burying method, the plants will have a steady flow of water.
LINE PLANTERS
For a good drainage in larger planters, all you need to do is line the bottom with water bottles, according to the gurus.
Not only will this prevent the roots from rotting, but it will also make the plant pot lighter, explained Tom.
A SELF-WATERING PLANT
“Everyone wishes they had a magic plant that watered itself, and this bottle trick could be the closest you get,” said the whizz.
For your own DIY watering plant, cut a plastic bottle around two thirds of the way up, and poke a hole in the cap.
Carefully thread fabric through the lid, and fill the cap half with soil and a plant of your choice.
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The remaining half, he explained, should be filled with water, and the fabric from the cap dangled into the water.
This simple trick means the water will be soaked up through the cap and into the soil of the top half of the plastic bottle.
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