Plants stay alive while you’re away with simple watering method

A green-fingered gardener has shared how to keep plants watered while you’re on holiday. Each summer, many homeowners face the same dilemma: how to keep their plants hydrated when they’re away. Thankfully, there’s a simple method anyone can use to fix the problem, and fans of the idea claim it ‘really works’.

Gardening enthusiast Michael Griffiths shared the tip on TikTok under the username @Themichaelgriffiths. Michael is a content creator and author of The Easy Garden. He has over 700k followers across his accounts, where he posts beginner-friendly advice and gardening demonstrations.

Michael recently posted a video captioned: “Water your plants while you’re on holiday — with a bucket, string and a rock, no gadgets, no neighbours.” He demonstrated the quick, easy, and free method in his video.

He explained: “Water your plants while you’re on holiday with just a bucket, some string, and a rock. Start by filling up a bucket of water. Grab your string and cut some long strips. One by one, soak your string in the water until they’re fully saturated. Once they’re fully soaked, take them out and tie them around your rock.

“Once you’re done, throw the rock back in the bucket. Make sure your bucket is higher than your plants, and then place each piece of string into your pots. Push the ends into the soil and the moisture wick will automatically water your plants when the compost is dry.”

The video impressed social media users. To date, the post has gained almost 70,000 views. It also gained thousands of likes.

Replying to the video, a commenter wrote: “I tried this but the string just dried out.” Michael replied: “It needs to be cotton or an actual wicking string. Other materials will dry out.” Someone else shared: “I use this method, it really works but use the right string. I heard twisted kitchen roll also works but I haven’t tested it.”

The Royal Horticultural Society shares a similar tip online, also advising people to give plants a thorough watering before holidays and to move indoor plants away from bright windows whenever possible. This helps to prevent the plant from drying out.

The video impressed social media users. To date, the post has gained almost 70,000 views. It also gained thousands of likes.

Replying to the video, a commenter wrote: “I tried this but the string just dried out.” Michael replied: “It needs to be cotton or an actual wicking string. Other materials will dry out.” Someone else shared: “I use this method, it really works but use the right string. I heard twisted kitchen roll also works but I haven’t tested it.”

The Royal Horticultural Society shares a similar tip online, also advising people to give plants a thorough watering before holidays and to move indoor plants away from bright windows whenever possible. This helps to prevent the plant from drying out.