A gardening enthusiast has shared a video explaining how placing washing up sponges in your garden could be a “powerful ally” for your plants and help keep them watered and fed
Washing up sponges have their uses in the garden(Image: Kinga Krzeminska via Getty Images)
Gardening can be a bit of a puzzle for many, particularly when it comes to keeping plants healthy. With summer in full swing, our green friends need extra care. But something as simple as a dishwashing sponge could make a world of difference.
A gardening expert on the YouTube channel Simple & Fast has uploaded a video imploring gardeners to “never” bin their washing up sponges, claiming they are “worth pure gold for your plants”. Discussing the common mistake of discarding them, the green-fingered expert remarked: “We don’t know that what we are doing is wasting a powerful ally for our plants, our garden and our pots.”
READ MORE: Pet owners rush to claim free flea treatment as UK heatwave sees pests rise
The initial step involves soaking the sponge in water with a “little bit of soap” for an hour. The gardening expert continued: “These sponges are incredibly useful for all kinds of plants.”
Then, snip the sponge into tiny fragments using scissors, reports the Express. The gardening expert added: “Once we have all our sponge cut, we are going to start using it to benefit the soil of our pots and plants.”
Stir the chopped sponge bits into the plant pot’s soil. The gardening expert explained: “What happens is that they have already begun to absorb the nutrients from the soil itself and the moisture from the soil that I have added to the bucket.”
The gardening pro concluded by saying that sponges will assist in maintaining moisture for the plants and ensure the water endures much longer.
They explained that it is perfect for plants that dry out quickly, or if you have to go away on a trip and want to make sure they are kept well watered.
The gardening expert even claims that the fertiliser will last much longer as the sponge will be in “charge of dosing the fertiliser little by little”.
They added: “We will not have to worry because the earth will always have the right amount of moisture and adequate water and that’s thanks to the sponge.”
The sponges act as water retention, feeding your plant, until being composted over time, breaking down and turning into plant food.
Simple & Fast has over 526,000 subscribers, with thousands often tuning in to watch their life hacks and this video has attracted over 21,000 likes, and over three million views.
Over a thousand people also rushed to the comments section to share their thoughts. One wrote: “I love tips like this, have always been a recycle nut.” Another added: “Genius idea! Why on earth didn’t I know this before?”
However, some were concerned with the advice, especially for plants that people were planning to eat. One warned: “I would be very careful not to use this in anything you plan to eat, like herbs and things because of the plastic from the sponges getting into the food.
“That’s usually why people grow their veg/fruit/herbs is to avoid the nasties like microplastics and pesticides. But it looks like a good idea for normal plants. I think it works well for drainage, as well as stopping the soil coming out the holes in the bottom of the pot.”
Others shared their own gardening hacks. One person posted: “A trick I use when potting a plant is to use the original pot to make a space in the new pot.
“Put a layer of soil in the new pot. Take the plant and root ball out of the original pot. Place the old pot inside the new pot and fill it with soil. Take out the old pot and you now have a perfect space to replant the root ball, after a bit of teasing. Firm in the plant and water.”