Summer is the perfect time for growing plants and food. But summer vacations or extended periods of time away from your garden can be tough, especially when your plants need water. Instead of asking your friends or neighbors to check in, you can create your own water irrigation system with a recycled plastic bottle, thanks to this TikTok creator.
How it works
In a TikTok video, Simon Akeroyd (@simonakeroydgardener) shows a step-by-step guide on how to water your plants by using recycled materials.
@simonakeroydgardener Recycled plastic bottle. Make a self watering, drip-irrigation system to water your plants whilst you are away enjoying your holidays. #recycle #repuropse #reuse #gardening #summerholidays #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ This - Megan McKenna
"Recycled plastic bottle. Make a self-watering, drip-irrigation system to water your plants whilst you are away enjoying your holidays," the caption reads.
Simon takes viewers through the process, beginning by burning (or simply cutting/piercing) holes near the bottom of the water bottle and in the lid. Then Simon cuts a "cotton bud," or Q-Tip, in half and places one section in each hole.
The cotton bud acts as a sort of faucet that allows the water to drip slowly out of the bottom of the bottle, making a functioning irrigation system for your plants, big or small. You can adjust the flow with the half of the cotton bud in the lid.
How it's helping
While this system may not be practical in large-scale situations, this hack is an easy way to create an affordable irrigation system for smaller or medium-sized gardens.
Watering your plants can be expensive, but systems like this can help you save money on your bill and declutter. And you don't have to pay someone else to water your plants while you are away.
This system also can help reduce plastic waste in landfills and the oceans. According to Statista, humans create almost 400 million tons of plastic waste each year. Around 1.9 million tons end up in the ocean annually, according to Our World in Data.
Even recycling your plastic bottles can help make our planet healthier and cleaner. With less waste and production of plastic, there is less toxic contamination, as well as less pollution linked to an increase in extreme weather events.
Apart from this hack, there are plenty of companies helping to give our environment a boost. ThredUp helps consumers reduce waste in the fashion industry by providing them deals on secondhand items, while Ecoplantia has pre-planned biodegradable gardens to help you grow native plants.
What everyone's saying
TikTok users were excited by this neat hack.
"This is amazing!! Thank you for sharing," commented one person.
"Loving your content. You're giving thousands of people a newfound love of gardening!"
Other users were excited to use it with their own gardens.
"Literally was stressing because I have two trips this month and my garden is thriving," commented another user. "First-year gardener and I want it to succeed."
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