Stressed Potted Plants

(concept can be applied to the garden too)

Are your potted plants drying out too quickly in the hot weather?

There's a solution to this! Perhaps you have seen Aqua Globes advertised on Tv; these are hand-blown glass ornaments that can water your plants up to two weeks. These are available in boxes of two at Garden Ridge for 9.99 (or four for $14.99 online plus $7.95 shipping & handling).

However, you can accomplish the same thing by recyling used, individual-size, plastic, water bottles or clean glass pop bottles. Fill a bottle with rain or tap** water, invert, and stick into the soil beside the plant. The water will slowly drip into the soil-- creating less soil erosion than handwatering, and allowing the plant roots to absorb the water you are providing.

• Though the bottles can be simply inverted and their noses (tops) stuck in the soil, some people prefer to purchase a spike that the bottle can screw into; this helps stabilize the bottles. (I have not seen these available, but online, it is mentioned that Harbor Freight carried them at one time).
• Some people just put the bottles in the soil. However, others cut the round bottoms off the bottles so they can easily add more water as needed. I prefer to leave the bottoms on because on very hot days- like we've been having lately- there is no evaporation of water inside the bottle.

You can also apply this same concept to your garden plants by using 2-liter soda/pop bottles. For more information and different versions of pop bottle "irrigation", click here, 2, 3, 4.

- - - - - -

** Filling the bottle with water and allowing it to sit at room temperature for 24 hours makes the water better for your plants. See a brief explanation of city water & plants here.