11-05-2025
Garden expert reveals why you're watering your plants all wrong
With the sun beaming, it's the perfect time to get out back and do a spot of gardening - but one expert has warned that you could be doing it all wrong.
British garden enthusiast and content creator, Joseph Clark, says one of the most common ways we water plants is likely causing them more harm than good.
Known as Joe's Garden on TikTok, the expert showed viewers the incorrect way to tend to potted plants before revealing his genius hack for ensuring their soil gets an 'even drink' of water.
He said that most people often watered plants 'from the top', meaning they stand above the plant and spray water downward, allowing moisture to collect on its surface.
Although quick and convenient, Joseph warned that this method resulted in 'bone dry' soil beneath the surface, which could have serious consequences for the health of the plant.
In a video shared on the platform, he could be seen using a plastic watering can to water a potted lemon plant.
He watered the plant in a circling motion while placing the can just a few inches above its surface.
'If you water your potted plants like this then you may be causing more harm than good' said Joseph.
He said that most people often watered plants 'from the top', meaning they stand above the plant and spray water downward, allowing moisture to collect on its surface. He added that this method could cause serious harm to your plants
He then discussed the difficulty of effectively watering potted plants, before admitting that potted types were most convenient for those who shared spaces, didn't own their home or had to work with 'limited spaces'.
However he warned: 'But be careful when you're watering your pots from the top.
'Although the soil may seem saturated, dig a little bit deeper and it can often be bone dry'.
He further explained: 'Most containers will have a slight gap between the soil and inner side of the pot, this is especially the case with plastic pots.
'As water will always travel down the path of least resistance, it will funnel down the sides of the pot and out the drainage hole in the bottom.
'This can sometimes leave the middle of the root ball dry.'
To remedy this he revealed a genius hack that involved filling up a large tray or container with water and placing the potted plant inside it.
To demonstrate, he filled up a large transparent plastic bowl with water to about halfway before carefully placing a potted plant inside it.
'The soil will absorb up the water through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, helping to give your plant an even drink all the way throughout,' he explained.
However he said that for larger potted plants, a slightly different method would have to be employed.
'Bury a smaller pot in the middle [of the potted plant] and water directly into this - this will get the water straight into the roots.'
A clip showed the expert place a small-to-medium sized funnel-type container into the centre of the large potted plant.
He then pushed it deep into the soil of the potted plant before filling it entirely with water.
Elsewhere, an avid gardener has revealed the beginner-friendly jobs you can complete to make your patch looks its best this spring and summer.
Vicky, who is based in the UK and has transformed her new build garden using a variety of tips and tricks, has shared a bunch of advice for those just starting out.
Gardening advice may often seem intimidating to the real beginner - and a seemingly endless list of jobs may appear daunting.
In a video posted to her TikTok account, @therosetintedgarden, Vicky took her followers back to basics to describe only the essential jobs to consider when the weather gets warmer.
The gardener showcased her bright and colourful plants in the first year of having her own garden last year - and has come up with more ideas for summer 2025.
'If you're looking to get into gardening, I think the best thing you can do is build an understanding of the calendar and what happens when' Vicky explained.
She added: 'Here are some of the jobs I got up to this weekend as a beginner getting my garden ready for spring.
'I like to do gardening jobs little and often to help me stay on top of everything, especially as we head into much busier seasons - spring and summer.'
She went on to share beginners tasks like mowing the lawn, feeding roses, weeding, watering pots, seed sowing and jet washing.
