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home ›   tip library ›   How to care for houseplants

Is your glass half empty?

The Bite

If you're a houseplant, it probably seems half-full. If you have leftover water in your glass, collect it in your watering can so you can give your houseplants a sip during their regular watering schedule. But note: we hear African violets can't handle their liquor, so make sure you don't slip 'em vodka by mistake.

The Benefits

  • Feed thirsty plants, which help indoor air quality. In one NASA test, plants removed 96% of harmful carbon monoxide from a closed room.
  • Save a little water. Using H2O you're gonna get rid of anyway is better than filling up your watering can from the tap.
  • Save a few pennies on your annual water bill.

Personally Speaking

Heather occasionally leaves glasses full of water hanging around the house. Fortunately, her African violets don't seem to mind that it's totally stagnant when she feeds it to them a few days later...

Wanna Try?

This might be the most self-explanatory tip ever.
  • SoHo Watering Can - 2-qt stainless steel watering can from eco-conscious Smith & Hawken ($29).
  • Eco Spout - made from recycled plastic, this attachment turns milk jugs into watering cans ($3).

Apr 13,2007


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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.


“I’m Meeeellllllting, I’m Mellllltttiinggggggg…”

Try as I might, I'm lacking in blogging inspiration at the moment.  Every time I think about the fact that I pour my used water glasses into my watering can, I just start thinking about the M. Night Shyamalan movie "Signs."  Hey, I mean water glasses were dead useful there.  Apparently in the movies, water will off everything from wicked witches to aliens. But amongst us non-puce, earthbound folks, water is a bit more of a necessity for life.

In any case, since I'm finding it slightly difficult to find a blogging angle regarding saving your unsipped water for your houseplants, I figured I'd wax nostaligic about the days when my African violets would actually bloom...

Read more at:

 http://www.idealbite.com/blog/comments/just_call_me_the_angelina_of_african_violets/

-Heather... off to sing some spirituals or something to convince the little pretties to flower...


Biter Comments...
I also save water from water glasses for my house plants. But never use water from a hot water bottle for your plants. I tried that once, and one of my favorite plants died!! :(

Posted by: sunni | April 13, 2007 at 07:15 AM

Another good use for unsipped water is pouring it into your humidifying pot on your woodstove.

Posted by: Andrea Semerad | April 13, 2007 at 07:57 AM

Plants will also appreciate bring fed less harmful chlorine by allowing it to evaporate from tap water left out overnight. This practice is called "aging the water."

Posted by: brien | April 13, 2007 at 09:11 AM

I am on it! Thanks for the tip...

Posted by: Pascal | April 13, 2007 at 09:56 AM

Thanks for highlighting this one. I've been doing this for many, many years, and include my pups 'old' water (I give them fresh water frequently during the day when I'm home, or as soon as I get home at night). I also get more houseplants (or outdoor plants) when I find I fill up a milk jug so much that the plants can't handle all the water. My wife finds this practice a bit odd, but I love plants in the house. She has, however, speculated upon this useful endeavor as we prepare for our outdoor garden on the deck, the fruits of which she eagerly awaits.

Posted by: Chris | April 13, 2007 at 04:16 PM

This is about the bulk food comment you made about Toshio looking around and then sampling the food from bins at the Health food store. It burns me to a crisp when people do this because..if we all did it the price would continue to balloon, his hands aren't clean, and stealing is just that! Stealing! Kids should be taught NOT TO STEAL!

Posted by: Torchy | April 18, 2007 at 02:06 PM

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