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This Popular TikTok Shares the Most Stress-Free Way To Water Houseplants

Inigo Del Castillo
Inigo Del Castillo
Inigo is a content writer at Apartment Therapy and previously for Lost At E Minor. A few years ago, he wrote an article about baby bats, which was so cute, Buzzfeed took a screenshot of the headline and cover image, then made a listicle about weird but adorable things. He…read more
updated Sep 28, 2020
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The app has become known for its clever life hacks—ranging from cleaning greasy plastic containers to unshrinking clothes—but its latest hack might be the most useful to plant parents yet: how to perfectly water succulents.

A TikTok user named Hilda recently went viral after she shared a watering method so simple, it has people wondering why they didn’t think of it themselves. It doesn’t involve a watering can or even one of those fancy moisture meters, but rather, it simply uses a bucket of water. 

As you can see, you’ll only need to dip the pot into the bucket, wait for about 10 minutes for the plant to sip water from the drainage hole. You’ll know it’s hydrated when the topsoil is moist to the touch. It’s said that this method allows water to spread evenly, so it encourages the roots to grow stronger while avoiding sensitive leaves from getting wet.

This technique is not new at all. It’s something called “bottom watering”.

Be warned, though. The method isn’t perfect. According to Planet House Plant, mineral and salt deposits could build up in the soil if you never water from the top (the key is to alternate between the two techniques). Twitter users also noted that you should be careful about root rot and contamination.

Despite some disadvantages, you might want to try this hack at least once as it’s not only helpful but also entertaining.