Summer calls for extra care for your plants. Read on to understand some of the simplest self-watering hacks that you can try at home to keep your plants healthy.
With this sweltering summer heat, your plants need extra care and watering to avoid them withering away. But if you are worried about finding that extra time for watering your greens, we got you covered.
Take a look at these easy, do-it-yourself (DIY) techniques where your plants can water themselves.
1. Bottom watering method
An easy method for indoor plants, the bottom watering method allows the soil and roots to soak in water from the bottom. In this method, it is important to make sure that the pots have drainage holes at the bottom.
- Take a bowl or a tray and fill enough water in it so that it can soak the bottom of the pot that is going to be placed in it.
- Let it sit for a few minutes as you observe the water level in the bowl going down gradually.
- Touch and check the topsoil if it has become moist. If yes, then remove the bowl or replace it with another plant.
- It also helps in the consistent distribution of moisture throughout the soil and retains the salt and minerals that accumulate on the topsoil.
- The method can be adapted whenever the soil turns dry.
2. Water wicking method
Another easy self-watering method, the water wicking is very simple and convenient, to keep the plants moist, if you are unable to water them frequently.
- Take a large container filled with water.
- Wicks can be made using cotton clothes, shoelaces or even jute threads/twines.
- Make sure that the wicks are long enough to reach the plant from the water-filled container.
- Tie a weight at the end of the wick that touches the plant container.
- Then the wick can be pushed into the soil not too deep but just a few inches deep.
- Slowly, it will transfer moisture from the container into the plant.
3. Plastic bag mini-greenhouse method
- An uncommon method where a plastic bag/cover is used to cover the pot and the plant thereby setting a mini-greenhouse to retain the water content.
- Take a clean and clear plastic cover that is big enough to cover the plant.
- You can add some stakes to prevent the plastic bag from clinging to the plant.
- Cover the plant using the plastic bag and fix it around the pot using tape.
- Make sure that the plant is kept in indirect sunlight because direct sunlight could heat the plastic bag.
- This mini-greenhouse setup helps in capturing the water that evaporates and the water drops drip back into the plant.
4. Bottle drip method
One of the most common methods used, the bottle drip method is also a great way to reuse plastic bottles. Though it doesn’t last for long, the method proves to be very effective in cases where you are unable to water the plants for a few days.
- Take an empty and clean plastic bottle.
- On the top side of the bottle, put a few holes for the water to drain from it.
- Fill the bottle with water and then turn it over and immediately push it into the soil not too deep, just a few inches and a bit away from the plant.
- Make sure that it is deep enough that all the holes are covered by the soil.
- Water the soil before setting up the method, so that the plant won’t draw all the water immediately from the bottle, allowing it to last longer.
- You can also use glass bottles instead of plastic ones.
- While using glass bottles, the bottle filled with water can be turned over and plunged into the soil without putting any separate holes for the water to drain.
5. Earthern pot method
Another method similar to the bottle drip method is the earthen pot method where a traditional terracotta pot is used to supply the required amount of moisture to the plants.
- Take an unglazed terracotta pot.
- Burry the earthen pot into the soil, with their necks protruding slightly.
- Fill it with water.
- Close the mouth of the pot with a sturdy material like a tile.
- The water would seep into the soil from the pot thereby retaining the moisture in the soil.
- Refill the pot when it’s empty.
Edited by Yoshita Rao
