A Simple Self-Watering System You'll Want To Try Out In Your Garden

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Watering plants in the garden can be an enjoyable way to connect with the nature around you, but that's not always the case when it's too hot to set foot outdoors. It's also easy to forget about watering, especially during a busy week. Some plants also seem to continually need more water than others, making taking care of them feel like more of a chore. Wouldn't it be nice if thirsty plants could water themselves? In a way they can, with a fairly simple, timed self-watering solution that also repurposes things destined for the recycle bin. 

When paired with empty glass or plastic bottles, terracotta watering spikes soak the ground surrounding your plants when the soil is dry enough to take on more moisture. Plant spikes are a modern riff on the olla, a plant-watering method that goes back centuries. An olla (a term also used for ancient cooking and water storage vessels) is an unglazed, usually bulb-shaped terracotta pot with a lid. It's buried in the ground up to the top, then filled with water and capped off. The surrounding soil draws moisture from the olla when it needs it, but won't absorb more when the soil is already damp, such as after heavy rains or a good soak from a hose. Besides being generally less expensive than an olla, a plant spike makes it easier to see when it's time to top off the water, thanks to the clear bottle used as its reservoir. Plant spikes are sold in multi-packs — such as the Reifier 10-pack natural self-watering spikes — so you'll have plenty to go around. Under-watering is one of the biggest mistakes beginning gardeners make way too often, so these spikes will help ensure a better outcome for your plants. 

To use watering spikes, test fit one over the neck of a clean, long-necked bottle to ensure a good pairing. Once you find a good match, use a narrow trowel to make a hole for the plant spike next to the plant. Soak the plant spike in water for an hour or two, or as directed on the package label. Place the spike securely in the ground, burying it to its lip. This keeps it from wobbling while also ensuring there's not much exposed terracotta, so the moisture goes into the ground and doesn't evaporate. Water the surrounding soil if it's dry; this way the soil won't immediately absorb the moisture from the plant spike. 

Fill the bottle most of the way with water, place a finger or two over the mouth of the bottle, and flip it so the neck sits upright in the plant spike (removing your fingers at the last minute). Use one spike per plant, or per plant pot if growing a container garden and the pot is relatively small. The plant spike only distributes however much water is in the bottle, so you'll still need to keep an eye on things every few days. Some gardeners say bottles will hold a couple weeks' worth of water, which is ideal when planning a vacation. 

If you're using wine bottles with the watering spikes and have plenty left over, repurpose extra wine bottles into DIY garden edging that plays off the vino theme. Using bottles with your plant spikes is another way to repurpose things that are generally discarded, helps you avoid some of the major mistakes when watering your garden, and you'll save a little money in the process.