Shoutout to my friend in Portland for the tip on using old milk jugs

Last month, I was really struggling to keep my balcony tomatoes watered during a hot week. My friend in Portland told me to poke a tiny hole in the bottom of an old plastic milk jug, fill it with water, and bury it next to the plant. I tried it with two of my plants and it worked so well. The water seeped out slowly right at the roots, and the soil stayed damp for days without me having to water every morning. It saved my plants when I had to be away for a weekend. I felt like a genius for using something I was just going to recycle. Has anyone else tried a simple trick like this to make watering easier on a small balcony?

3 comments

3 Comments

noahs821mo ago

I mean, milk jugs work fine but it's kind of just a slow drip from a plastic bottle. Not exactly rocket science. People act like they've discovered irrigation when really it's just water sitting in a container with a hole. Maybe it's just me but I've had the cap threads get all gunky after a week and the flow stops anyway. Not saying it's bad, just don't think it's that serious of a breakthrough.

nathan_patel3mo ago

Got a similar tip from my uncle about using old soda bottles for herbs. He cuts the bottom off, flips the top part into the soil like a funnel, and fills it with water. It works okay but sometimes the soil clogs the cap threads. My basil seems happy with it though.

jade2213mo ago

Try putting a coffee filter between the cap and the soil. It lets water through but keeps the dirt out of the threads.