Watering hack stops your house plants from dying

While house plants have become more popular than ever, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, many of us still haven't quite figured out how to keep them alive longer than a few weeks.

It's not easy being a plant parent - maybe we're forgetting to water them or it could be that we're over-watering them.

A recent survey by OnePoll in conjunction with Article found that nearly half of millennials are refusing to own house plants because they don't know how to take care of them, or experience "foliage-fear" when they do attempt to keep a plant alive.

It seems the two biggest anxiety-causing factors are trying to figure out how much sunlight a plant needs, followed by confusion over how often to water it.

But, we may have found a way to eliminate that plant dread you're facing.

The ice cube hack might not be a new trend, but it's been resurfacing lately on social media, just in time to save the plants you bought during lockdown.

So, how will the ice cubes help? Well, one of the main reasons so many plants end up dead is because of over-watering.

Chris McIlroy at The Grass People explains, "For those who can be a little heavy handed when it comes to watering their house plants, the ice cube method can be a great way to deliver just the right amount of hydration for your plant’s needs."

"The slowly melting ice cubes result in the soil not becoming oversaturated with water, which can be damaging to the health of a plant, and is a major cause of plants failing to thrive."

As the ice cubes melt and slowly release liquid, the soil and roots are given enough time to absorb the water to give the plants the correct level of hydration that they need.

Chris also adds that ice cubes could also be useful when it comes to watering harder to reach plants, such as those in hanging containers.

However, he stresses that not every plant will be receptive to this method of watering.

Chris continued, "Orchids are known to thrive with this method, but other tropical plants may not take kindly to the cold temperature and should only be watered with room temperature water, or misted with a spray, to avoid shock."

However, if you're the type of person who forgets to water your plants, he has another handy tip.

"If a plant needs regular watering and you’re likely to forget to keep on top of it, or if you’re away from home for a period of time, you can use the upside-down water bottle trick.

"Simply fill up a plastic bottle with water, leave the cap off, and quickly turn the bottle upside-down and push down into the soil of the plant.

"The water will slowly be absorbed and keep it moist at the roots for a happy, well-watered plant. There are also specially designed plant spikes on the market that can also do the same job if you’d like a more visually appealing option, but the water bottle method is good in a pinch."

With additional reporting by Marie Claire Dorking.

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