Gardening tips and tricks are a favourite among green-fingered Brits who can’t seem to get enough of handy methods to make their lives easier when out in the garden. From throwing used tea bags onto the soil, using potato water to watering plants and even singing to plants, there are a host of handy and often outright bizarre gardening tips out there. Gardeners often try quirkier gardening tips as they embrace their natural ability to experiment while also providing a thrill when finding something that works.
One such unusual tip involves ice cubes and was found after a social media user asked the burning question: “What are some unusual gardening tips?”. A host of strange answers came about, with one stating how ice cubes helped with potted plants.
Gardeners are drawn to the potential of unusual tips to achieve results which might seem counterintuitive or unconventional.
Ice cubes are certainly one unconventional tip and are said to be ideal when it comes to watering.
The answer for unusual gardening tips was posed on Quora with a person answering: “For potted plants, use ice cubes to water them slowly.
“This prevents overwatering and allows the soil to absorb moisture gradually.”
Turns out there is a method to this ice cube madness as it helps prevent overwatering and is said to be best for orchids.
Ice cubes for watering provide a slower and more controlled release of water. This slow melting allows the soil and roots to absorb water gradually.
This gradual process means a reduced risk of root rot, which often comes from overwatering.
Experts praise the idea but offer a note of caution: The ice cubes should not be in direct contact with the plant’s leaves or roots.
This direct contact could potentially cause a temperature shock for some plants and could lead to cellular damage, reduced growth, and possibly death.
Other interesting and unusual tips featured on Quora included eggshell fertilisers, coffee filters in pots, and even planting by the moon.
One user explained: “I found adding Epsom Salt as a fertiliser substitute, 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt to a gallon of water.”
Another added: “No time to weed or are overwhelmed by weeds? Bury your weedy garden patch with a generous layer of mulch – it will deprive the weeds of sunlight and most will die.”