Every summer gardeners are left with the dilemma of what to do with their beloved plants while they abandon their homes for one or even two weeks away.
Green-fingered fans can sometimes call on reliable neighbours to pop around and water their flowers, but this is not always an option. Most greenery will require watering over 14 days, especially during the hot summer months.
Now a genius gardener has shared the perfect solution to this reoccurring predicament. Joe, who posts on TikTok under the name JoesGarden, shared a hack using just a regular pot from your kitchen and some twine, which the keen gardeners among us likely have on hand anyway. If you don't, you can get one from Hobbycraft for £3.80 or from Wilko for £1.50, reports MyLondon.
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Joe, who has 1.5 million TikTok followers, explained that you need to put the string in the pot of water on one end and then put the other end into the soil. The water impressively absorbs through the string and into the soil.
He said on TikTok: "If you're going away but still need to water your potted plants, then I've got a cool trick you can try. Containers are a great way to grow crops and house plants, but they often need regular watering.
"So if you're going away, try placing a container in an elevated position and fill it up with some water. Cut some lengths of cotton yarn or string and soak it in the water. Then attach one end to a weight to keep it submerged."
The video then shows Joe tying the string to a metal spoon. He then adds: Place the plants you wish to water around the container, making sure that they're lower than the water and drape the strings into the plants, poking the end into the soil.
"The string will absorb up the water, helping to give your plants a constant trickle of moisture, preventing them from drying out."
A large bucket works best for this method, but you can try it in a saucepan.
He added: "Obviously this method is designed for plants inside or in a greenhouse, but if like me you have no rain forecast while you are away, you can use it for your outside plants too."
Scores of people responded to the clever video, with many sharing their tips. One person wrote: "We use used bottled water fill just enough water with string to water the plants."
Another said: "Omg!! I needed this advice so much! How long will this last for?"
A third penned: "My mother always sets up a paddling pool and puts her plants in there if she's going to be away for over a week!"
