Tips For Growing a Bountiful Garde
Elijah King
Published Apr 05, 2026
21/22
Convert Milk Jugs into Extra Watering Cans
Yet another use for the handy, reusable milk jug! Sometimes you don’t want to pull the hose out, or there are places you’ve planted beyond the reach of the hose, but the plants need water now. For moments like this, I keep several milk jugs at the ready for my driveway containers and parking strip plants which our hose barely touches when fully extended.
How it works:
As mentioned above, milk jugs full of water also warm the air and soil slightly. If you’ve done this for some seedlings you have some at the ready. You may want to drill holes in the caps to create a gentle rain-like pour for smaller plants.
Why we like this:
If watering is easy, I’m more likely to do it, even when in a rush. This way, it’s easier to take care of thirsty plants, no excuses.
22/22
Water Plants While on Vacation with a Kiddie Pool
If you’re going away for two weeks and you don’t have an irrigation system, you probably need a helpful friend to water your potted outdoor plants. However, if you are going for five to ten days, this method is here for you.
How it works:
Jentz puts a kiddie pool to work in these instances, and you can, too. Simply fill it with the water hose and move your plant pots into the kiddie pool for an extended soak. The water will gradually wick up to the plants’ roots through the drainage holes in the bottom of their pots. How long the water lasts depends on the sun, heat, wind, and the thirstiness of the plants. If you put the pool in the shade, it will last longer.
Note that this even, regular watering method wouldn’t be recommended for desert plants like succulents and agaves, which prefer to go dry between waterings. For those, I’d keep them in their original location and water them if needed before leaving.
Why we like this:
You don’t want to spend your vacation tracking the weather report back home fretting about your dahlias.
About the Experts
Kathy Jentz, author of The Urban Garden and Groundcover Revolution, is editor and publisher of Washington Gardener magazine and the Green Media columnist for the Mid-Atlantic Grower newspaper. She is also the host of the podcast, GardenDC, which received a GardenComm 2023 Laurel Media Awards Gold Award.
Erica Browne Grivas is a lifelong journalist and gardener based in Seattle, Washington, whose writing appears in Horticulture, Midwest Living [can change to the American Gardener if you prefer], and the Seattle Times, as well as green industry publications. She has studied landscape design at The New York Botanical Garden and worked for nine years at nurseries in New York City and Seattle, Washington.
