This Easy Self-Watering Hack Will Keep Your Garden Watered All Summer
Updated: Jun. 23, 2023
You can't beat the simplicity and low cost of this DIY irrigation system.
Everyone knows proper watering is the key to garden health. But watering by hand can take a lot of time and fancy irrigation systems often cost a lot of money. Fortunately, this season, TikToker jbmaniseng (@jbmaniseng1) has a solution for gardeners on a budget. With just a few simple materials, they create a DIY self-watering system for their garden. It costs less than $10 and takes less than 10 minutes to set up—here’s how you can try his handy hack for yourself!
What You Need to Create a DIY Self-Watering Garden System
Jbmaniseng introduces the video by saying, “Let’s create a cheap watering system on a budget. All you need [is] a terracotta pot, saucer, glue and a plug to cover the bottom hole. This is great for your garden.”
As they speak, the video scans over the collected materials. For the “plug” to cover the hole in the pot, Jbmaniseng uses a bag of glass rocks. These can be purchased at a craft store like Michaels or on Amazon.
@jbmaniseng1 #diy garden watering system for less then 10 dollars… #garden #gardening101 #gardeninghacks #budgeting #love #plants #plantsoftiktok #tipsandtricks #backyard ♬ SHIMMY SONGTRADR 30 HIT WONDER – Artist manager manager
How to Make a Self-Watering Garden System
After going over the materials, jbmaniseng places one glass stone at the bottom of the terracotta pot to cover the hole slightly. They do not show themself gluing the stone in place, but this is presumably how to get it to stay put while watering. Additionally, some water should still be able to seep out, so glue the stone gently to allow for a partial plug.
Then, they simply place the terracotta pot in the garden box in the middle of their plants. When trying this hack yourself, be sure to place the pot in a central location, with each plant only about a foot away from the pot. This will allow the plants to get sufficient watering.
Next, jbmaniseng fills up the planter with water and covers it with the saucer. Slowly, the water leaks into the garden, watering the plants without any hassle or effort. Repeat this process regularly to keep the soil moist and be sure to check out more of our favorite garden watering tips.
