6 clever ideas for plants to water themselves

Potted plants make a gorgeous addition to your home and outdoor spaces, adding color to their surroundings. But busy lives often makes it tricky to remember to keep them watered so they flourish.

Simple to put together using basic items found around your house, these genius ideas will self-water your plants, making sure they stay beautiful and lush for you to enjoy.

Using a small, clean water bottle, carefully cut the bottom 1-2" off. Poke 8-12 small holes into the top and neck of the bottle by the cap where the bottle tapers. Flip upside down -- with the lid fastened on the bottle -- and insert it into the soil surrounding the plant, angling the cap towards the roots of the plants. Fill the bottle with water as needed.

Using a nail, poke a hole through the center of a clean wine cork, creating a hole that goes all the way through. Fill a recently cleaned (and preferably sterilized) wine bottle with water and insert the cork into the neck. Flip the bottle upside down to make sure water flows through the hole and then place the neck into the soil, angling it towards the roots. If you've accidentally gotten rid of the cork you can quickly flip the bottle over uncorked and jam it into the soil, yielding a similar effect.

For this hack you will need a mason jar, a container that can set/rest in the mouth of the jar (a tea strainer works well), and cotton rope/string. Stick the end of the rope in the small container and then plant a small plant or herb over it, filling the "pot" with soil. Fill the bottom of the jar with water, allowing the free end of the rope to dangle into it, and then place the potted container in the mouth of the jar, securing with the ring if applicable.

Fill a container with water and place next to the potted plant. Using a piece of cotton twine/rope place one end in the water, and bury the other end 2-3" from the plant in the potting soil. Water will be wicked from watering container to the plant as needed. Placing the water above the potted plant will allow gravity to assist water movement.

Thread a fine needle (#8-10 works best) with a length of cotton thread, doubling the thread up on itself. Knot the two loose ends together 2-3 times in the same spot, creating a larger knot. Put the needle and thread inside a plastic zip-top baggie, and gently poke a hole through one of the sides using the needle. Pull the thread through the hole and then snip the thread, removing the needle. Fill the baggie with water and place in the pot so the thread can act as a wick, touching the soil. Allow the side of the baggie with the thread to lie on the soil surface.

Poke holes in the bottom of a plastic milk jug or juice container. Bury the jug in a hole slightly larger than the container, next to the plant you want to water. Make sure the top is above the ground and then fill the soil back in around the container. Remove the lid and fill with water, capping tightly to keep soil and debris out.

Watering your potted plants can be much easier when you try one of these self-watering hacks! Simple items from around your home help keep your plants looking green and healthy without needing to remember to water them constantly.

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