A gardening expert has given some tips on what to do if you’re going on holiday but still need to water your plants.
For some people, gardening is part of their regular routine and it can feel rewarding to have a flourishing garden. There are many different kinds of plants and trees you can grow but they all need to be looked after.
You might have a holiday coming up soon and are wondering what to do about your plants. Joseph Clark, known as Joe’s Garden on social media, has been offering a monthly sustainable gardening kit over the past two years and is the author of Garden To Save The World.
Boasting more than a million followers on TikTok, he often shares gardening advice and tips on social media. He recently shared a video on TikTok sharing how he likes to keep his plants watered while he is away on holiday.
Clark said: “This time of the year loads of us are going away on holiday but it’s important we still keep our garden and house plants watered so simply gather up a few different size bottles and start to heat up an old metal fork. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each bottle and another small hole in the cap.”
His next step is to gather up some Q-tips or cotton buds and cut them in half before placing one half in the bottle cap and the other in the bottom of the bottle. Then, he instructs to fill each bottle up with some water.
Clark added: “After a few minutes you’ll notice some small droplets from the bottom Q-tip and if you remove the swab or the cap from the top it will release the pressure and speed up the flow of water. Place these bottles around all of your plants then let drip irrigation work its magic and keep them well watered for a good few days while you’re away.”
In the caption of his TikTok video, the gardening fan mentioned where possible, it’s best to ask family and friends to look after your plants while you’re away but when this isn’t an option, this method is his “next best solution to help give your plants a slow release drink.”
This can “buy you some time until you get back home” but he noted that it’s important to remember that this will only work on your plants for “around two to five days depending on a few factors, such as the flow, weather and the size of your bottle.” Clark explained: “This method of watering, which is commonly known as drip irrigation, is used around the world in most farms, plant nurseries and garden centres as it is a super targeted way of getting water exactly where you need it, helping not only to water each specific plant, but also to reduce water waste.”
He also shared that when he goes away, he likes to “set the flow to its slowest possible setting to prevent water running out too fast” but if you are using this method for containers, he urged to check they have drainage holes in the bottom to stop the pots from becoming waterlogged as this can “kill your plants just as fast as no water can.”
Clark’s TikTok video has received praise from viewers. One said: “This is a fantastic tip! Works better than praying for rain.”
Another commented: “This is a really great solution! Thank you for sharing.” Others chimed in with “what a great idea, thank you”, “brilliant” and “very clever.”