Many people don't have outdoor faucets, making springtime watering more challenging. Instagrammer Martha (@marfskitchengarden) suggests a 30-second solution to make a watering can from an old milk bottle.
The scoop
The only things you need besides the milk bottle are a large wooden skewer and a match or lighter. Start by heating and charring one end of the skewer by carefully putting it into an open flame. Then, while it's still hot, poke it into the milk bottle's cap to make several holes.
Fill the bottle with water, gently squeezing it to release the liquid and increase the flow if needed. This easy solution even works well for freshly planted seedlings or other delicate plants, including those in your house. Martha proved its versatility in her short video by trying it on foxgloves, potted plants, and more.
How it's helping
This hack saves time and money. You don't need to make a special trip to the gardening shop to find a watering can that can handle all types of plants. Instead, you can spend less than a minute using what you probably already have.
Since milk cartons have the perfect designs for pouring liquid, they're ideal to be transformed into your next watering can. Even basic products for hydrating plants typically cost from $5-$10. Those amounts can quickly add up, especially if you keep the containers in several places for easy access.
This gardening hack is great for the planet, too, because it reuses an item you'd otherwise discard. Statistics suggest only about 9% of plastics get recycled. That low percentage results in too much plastic ending up in landfills or polluting oceans.
Many scientists are investigating new ways to turn plastic waste into new products, but finding viable, scalable solutions will take time. By trying this milk carton hack, you're keeping the container from becoming litter that harms our planet.
What everyone's saying
People loved the creativity of this gardening tip:
"Such a good idea!!" one said.
Another mentioned how the hack prevented her from buying something she no longer needs, noting, "Love this! Was about to buy a small fine watering can for seeds/seedlings on window sills."
A user also joked that this tip will smooth over some family dynamics, clarifying, "This is so smart! Finally, I can stop stealing my daughter's little plastic watering can that I use on seeds and seedlings because of its light flow rate. She will be pleased."
"I would advise not trying to do this outside in the wind like I did," Martha suggested, "and then you're good to go."
If this gardening hack inspired you to think differently about recycling and repurposing, consider checking out companies such as For Days and ThredUp, which make it easy to recycle your clothes. Also, browse TCD's guide to getting smarter about recycling options. Happy watering!
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