A bit of sunlight and warmth can benefit plant growth, but when thermometers creep higher, plants risk succumbing to the heat.
One TikToker has provided a simple solution that might just save your parched plants from perishing.
The scoop
Allison (@allison_rae23) noted that their cucumber plants were suffering in the southern Ohio heat.
@allison_rae23 My cucumber plant was struggling earlier from this sun and heat...good night its hot as hell here, this little trick helped so much. I am not a real gardener, I do not know if you should do this but I'm telling you that two hours ago I didn't think my favorite cucumber was gonna make it ans now he is very thankful! #gardening #garden #plants #cucumbers #ohio #theheat #cucumberplants #gardentip #gardenhacks ♬ original sound - Allison
"About two hours ago, my cucumbers were really struggling," they said, with the video showing a healthy looking, sprawling plant after the quick remedy took hold.
"I learned this trick when we were going away for the weekend last summer, and it really does work," Allison continued. "You take a water bottle, and poke a few holes in the bottom. And then you put water in it and put the cap on really tight, and water just kinda drips out slowly."
Allison said that you can open the cap slightly to increase the water flow, but a steady stream of hydration seemed to do the trick. After looking like it wasn't long for this world, the cucumber plant made a remarkable recovery.
"So if it's hot where you are, give it a try," Allison concluded.
How it's helping
Gardening's popularity is already on the rise as a proven stress reliever and health-booster, so tips like these can help you maximize your returns. This hack gives your plants a steady stream of water that keeps soil moist without the need for constant attention — and it doesn't break the bank, either.
It's likely you have an empty plastic water bottle that's due to be recycled, or you can easily find one. Repurposing it as a plant life-saver can keep your garden greens from drying out and give a second life to an item that could just as easily end up in a landfill rather than an appropriate recycling center.
A United Nations University report, summarized by CNN, found that more than 1 million bottles of water are sold every minute worldwide, and 85% of them end up as waste. They can take around 1,000 years to degrade, and they can also find their way to water sources, polluting oceans and streams and harming marine life, as well as reducing drinking water quality.
Of course, we should be steering clear of single-use plastic items as much as possible, with reusable bottles a much more planet-friendly solution.
But if you do have a plastic bottle lying around, finding a purpose for it rather than letting it cause further environmental damage is a smart solution. Whether it's as a slow-drip plant water supply, a makeshift watering can, or a personalized greenhouse, TikTokers are sharing innovative ways to use old plastic containers that can benefit your plants and save you money.
What everyone's saying
"That's so cool," one TikToker said about Allison's hack, with another adding, "That's such a great idea!"
"Great way to reuse water bottles," said one grateful commenter. "Thanks for sharing."
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