Omg, you answered my question--thank you so much! And so sorry I'm a month late! Thank you for talking about hydrospikes and humidity mats. I hadn't heard of those, but now I'll definitely be purchasing a bunch. I went on a cross-country road trip right before this video went up and I took most of my plants with me. I'm about to go on another two-week trip, and I'm so glad I watched this just in time. Your videos are so helpful, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge with us :)
To straighten out the curling hydra-spike lines without weights use a hairdryer to warm the dry empty lines while straightened and allow to cool down while straightened.
Hydrospikes! They are exactly what I've been needing! I've been trying to grow my plant collection but I get worried about my plants drying out if I get busy or when I go away for awhile (they are my little plant babies)! I am glad to hear that they are so cheap too! I adore Homestead Brooklyn (both insta and youtube) and have been adding some of my favorite "Plant One On Me" episodes to a personal playlist I proudly call "Plantucate" yourself :) I love, love, love you and your plants and have been so obsessed with your at home jungle! Can't wait for new episodes!
Finally! Someone that actually knows about plants 😅. A lot of plant channels are host by people that know as much as I do about 🌱 🤣. But you Mrs. Summer know what your talking about 👍🏼... Awesome educational information 👌🏽 not to mention your beautiful plants. Good job, keep it up!
I think it would be important to mention that these watering systems are only good for those plants that like their soil constantly and evenly moist. However, they would be a death sentence to those other plants that like to dry out in between waterings. For example Oxalis, like the one next to your maiden fern.
Thank you for saying this! I couldn't work out whether the capillary action meant the plant would drink when it needed to or if it the soil would be continuously sipping it up. Wondering now if would be a good way to water my succulent when it DOES need water, and to only leave it in for X amount of time on the days it needs a drink or whether its a not-at-all/no go
Little tip that I am using, if you don't have fishing weights, put the tops and the tubs of the hydro spikes in some hot water. The tubing will relax and straighten out. Love the hydro spikes!!!!
Doing a little binge watching of some of my plant RU-vidrs, and I found this one of yours, this has got to be one of the most brilliant things ever created, I always wondered how in the world you kept up with the watering of over 700 plus plants, and I think it is ingenious, I will try to in corporate this into my own plants, and I thank you for sharing this is amazing. You are such an inspiration and I am truly glad I found your channel. Bye for now.
So I watch your video and thank you for the inspiration. I did a DIY version of the hydro spike and used cotton string from a re-purposed work shirt pulled apart into string. The fern is in a 3 inch nursery pot. I removed the plant from the pot and wrapped the cotton string around the root ball and dropped both trailing ends into a 6" tall jar that the nursery pot fits into like semi- hydroponic system would look but with cotton string instead of LECA balls. Just did this so hope it works. Again thanks for the idea and I love your work.
so i saw this video and got some hydrospikes and i have a string of pearls plant and was super dehydrated so these babies took the guessing when to water away.... it brought my string of pearl back to live and she actually started to grow which is ironic since they are succulents. I use hydrospikes for my monstera, fiddle leaf fig and other plants and i am soooooo happy i found them thank you soo much for the video!!!!!!
PS Big thank you for the tour, very inspiring. I've painted a verandah wall in a very (!) bright green after seeing your kitchen on a previous vid. My idea is to mount a wattle trellis and grow a creeper in that area. Any advice on creepers for indoor & semi-indoor areas? Thanks Summer!
So, I'm pretty sure you're going to end up saving my life, and in turn, my plants' lives; I feel like instead of a green thumb, I have a thumb of decay. This is the first video of your channel I have watched, and already I'm learning some key things, so I'm going to thank you in advance for all the help your videos are going to provide me in the future--thank you!
Very informative. I did buy some hydro spikes after your first video, have yet to try them out just yet. Tell me, do them work well with Hoya’s? I usually fill a flat bowl with water and let my Hoya’s soak up the water. I put a tiny rock under to help top the pot so it can drink up the water. My Hoya’s really seem to be drying out more now that that a/c is running. We’ve been in the low 90’s here in central Cali. That’s not even our highest temp 🥵. Not looking forward to that 😐. This year it seemed like Spring was so short, we skipped to summer weather in April 🤭. Love to follow your videos, love your travel editions the best. I’m so amazed by Mother Earth 🌏 she has created some of the most unique plants. I’m literally is awe 🥰. Thanks again, Happy Planting 💜🌺🌸
Please pardon the hijacking but please walk with me here... Open business proposal: I've been saying for a while now that I wanna work out in a gym in a botanical garden. Short of that, I'd love to learn your techniques to curate optimaI plants for a space meant for sweaty humans... We can franchise under the name "Urban Jungle Gym" and take over the industry! I imagine shakes made from spinach growing in the gym and best of all just walking into a fresh smelling space. Again, pardon the hijacking. Love the content! Keep it up! Water spikes are a revalation!
You are awesome for sharing these tips. SOOO helpful. I did order some of the watering spikes because I liked that method best and would have not known how to properly use them since they came with no instructions. I am testing them out now to see how fast the water is used up so that when I go on vacation in the next month or so I will have an idea of how my plants will do. My only problem now is making sure the plants get enough light. I have plant lights but they are not on timers. I think I'll just leave the blinds slanted and hope for the best. Watering was the main issue. Thanks again for this video!!! EDIT: I didn't have any weights for the lines so I used some tin foil around the bottom part of the line to sort of keep it stretched out.
I got some wicking cord and LOVE those. They actually work. I plan to put the plants in the bathroom shower with the cords and just have the one plant light attached to a timer & hope it works. I guess water will be the most important thing.
Hi Summer! I just found your channel, and I WISH I had found it sooner!!! We moved from NJ (Tinton Falls) to SC (James Island ((right off the coast of Charleston))) a few years ago, and I TRIED to achieve what you have accomplished in your home in both locations with mixed results. Now, with a change of jobs fir my husband, we just bought a farm in Alabama and I have FINALLY been able to achieve my garden dreams (I even built my own greenhouse!). Regardless, your channel is SUCH an AWESOME resource!!! Xoxo
Today was a fun day received first order from 'Steve's Leaves' thank you so much for doing his video interview look forward to more in the future. Begonia 'Fremantle' & 'Ice Castle' were introduced to home plus Pilea glauca, Peperomia cubensis & Tradescantia fluminensis 'Tricolor'. Each a new adventure for me. I watched you open your order from 'S-L' my order was just as nice. A big difference from some other vendors I have deal with, not one broken stem no soil spilled only a very few leaves were bent. I was very impressed no question I would highly recommend 'Steve's Leaves'. They even worked with me combining two orders and saving on S/H.
Hey Summer! Thanks so much for these hacks! I live in Arizona, so I'm always looking for more efficient ways of watering my plants and increasing humidity. I'm definitely going to use these hacks!
The felt is called capillary matting, is used a lot on benches in greenhouses, to m the plants moist , a strip of it is used to go into the water reservoir
My husband watched this video last week with me and he surprised me today with 30 hydro spikes! He loves me so good :) I was wondering if you still water your plants with fertilizer in additional to their daily hydro spike sips? So plants that are spiked, do they still get a full water with 20 20 20 (or whatever fertilizer) every couple weeks or when it's feeding time? I would be afraid of overwatering if they are already plenty hydrated from the spikes.
I love fertilizer spikes they are amazing! I also like the ones that have the higher middle number for flowering plants. I even started to use them on my annuals that I plant in the ground! I also every once in awhile in my outside garden use the Miracle Grow. My houseplants right now get the leftover water after I water my twenty-five orchids. I soaked my orchids and the fertilizer solution eye makeup for 20 minutes or half an hour and the water are uses for my dehumidifier. I also add Epsom salts and seaweed fertilizer to the mix Epsom salts once a month and the seaweed fertilizer every week. They're all diluted doses and after the orchids soak up what they need out of the big plastic Tucker tub I then put that in my watering can and water all my houseplants with that water. If I still have some leftover I was taking it outside this winter and watering the pansies that were planted along the sidewalk. The pansies look amazing big thick leaves and big thick beautiful blooms. Pansies are at their Peak and the spring if they've been planted in the fall. All winter long they're growing lots of good healthy roots and as soon as the weather gets warm they start to bloom their heads off
Summer, many if not all fishing weights are made with Lead. I use rocks with a little "waist" on them, so the rubber bands won't slip off. The lead WILL contaminate the water, soil, and possibly you. 👍🏽🌻
I just love you so much.. you are great, I been learning a lot from you. I am building a plant business. I live in Jamaica.. I swear I have to meet you one day.. in the near future.. I am not able to watch you and IG as yet. when I get me a new phone I will install IG. Love you.
Just wondering if you have tried "wicking" as explained in many videos on Africn violets. All you need is string, a long needle (as used for sewing leis) and a lidded container in which you cut a hole in the lid for the string and a hole near the edge for adding water. You thread the string from top of soil down through the pot and out the hole in the bottom and trail it into the water container through the hole in the middle of the lid. Or, when repotting, you can place the string as you repot. Then just sit the pot on top of the water container lid.
Id recommend using non-lead fish sinkers. Even though the plants wont absorb a whole lot of the lead, its still a better/safer option especially if you have kids.
Hay great video. I have a few water spikes but then I found plant nanys and started using them also didn't know where to get the water spikes . I have over 20 plants in my place love your video .
Okay, so far I've only been able to keep ferns alive in terrariums (& even then, some have died!). I love ferns, they're my favorite plant! But I can never keep them alive (outside of a terrarium)...so I'm def. going to check out those hydrospikes! I can't wait 'til you do a video on ferns! Also, I loved the mini tour! I liked that sled you hang your pots off of, & seeing all the plants & how they grow.
Amy P. Same I can't seem to keep a fern alive. My saddest death was an adorable button fern in a terrarium which seemed to be doing fine but suddenly began to die.
I always put my plants in my bathtub after filling the tub a few inches. I put a towel in the water to put the pots on. I’ve been gone 3 weeks before and never lost a plant.
Thank you for this great video! The hydrospikes I got because of your video dramatically improved how my maidenhair fern is feeling. What I do not understand is why every couple of days the water inside my hydrospikes completely disappears overnight (I keep the water source always full). Is that normal? Also, please be careful with the fishing sinkers/weights, they are very often made of lead. I know how conscientious you are about the water you use. Right now I use 2-3 new steel screws to weight the capilar down. I hope they don't get rusty too quickly, but so far so good.
Fishing weights are usually made of lead and that will leach into the water so you wouldn't want to use them with plants that you are consuming. I'm sure it wouldn't be a significant amount but lead is cumulative in the body so the less the better.
Just a guess here....hard water may clog the spikes? I use trays with fluorescent lighting grids and pieces of cheap polyester blankets on top dropping into the trays at the edge for my violets. It waters and humidifies them.
Looking at the hydrospike reviews on your link, seems one out of four report a total fail, while many others, like yourself, swear by them. Could you do a review and tutorial on hydrospikes, and show the pitfalls to avoid in their use?
The best watering hack I know is to use soil moist crystals which I buy it Lowes. Home Depot doesn't carry them I'm not sure about Walmart some nurseries and garden centers carry the soil moist crystals. It's a polymer that absorbs 50 times its weight in water. When they swell up with water that they absorb they look like little crystals or little chunks of clear jello. I love using them and all my pots and my hanging baskets and I've even started to put them in the ground when I plant my annuals. I like to take cuttings of coleus in the spring to extend my ability to fill up more pots. I grow those cuttings in water if I then transplant them into my potting soil that has the soil moist crystals in the pot the cuttings take off immediately. The cuttings grow from a couple inches high 2 a foot or 18in by the end of summer and our maybe 10-12 in in circumference. When I take the dead coleus out of the plants after the frost hits little chunks of those crystals the soil moist crystals have Roots growing through them if it's just rained in the soil is pretty moist because the crystals have been absorbed water. Sometimes I forget in the spring which pots had the soil moist crystals in and I add more. It doesn't make the soil soggy but after a hard rain it's funny it looks like little chunks of clear Jello are growing in my pot. I think besides holding water and reserved for the plants and believe me it doesn't make the soil soggy like the Miracle Grow potting soil that has the polymer in it. The crystals with their expansion and contraction when they absorb water and then release it to The Roots When The Roots suck it out it aerates the soil and keeps the soil from getting compacted. I think the difference in the polymers and soil moist crystals and Miracle Grow potting soil is the fact that there's two different kinds of polymers used. I think what's in the Miracle Grow potting soil must be similar to what a baby diaper has in it. A baby diaper doesn't have crystals when the baby what's the diaper because if it was little Crystal chunks and something happened to that pamper and it got ripped then you'd have little chunks of crystals with urine in them everywhere. But the Pamper has a polymer that sticks together like Oozy glue or something. It doesn't form chunks. But the polymer of that's in the soil moist crystals doesn't stick together it stays a crystal shape it looks like little clear chunks of Jell-O but they don't stick together. If you put them in a vase and you have enough of them in the vase that they swell up they can squeeze out in the air spaces but they're still individual Krystal's. My plants love NE place that I plant them that has those crystals in it. They grow bigger the soil is lighter and never gets compacted and I think it's the best invention ever. Hanging baskets that are in the sun don't need to be watered twice a day in fact you can skip a day or so these crystals are fantastic. In fact I'm trying an experiment in my seedless mix that I'm growing coleus seeds and I just put angel trumpet or the datura seeds to start to plant outside and just a couple days the angel trumpet seeds have just sent out there Fuzzy's root hairs from the seed. And that was just a couple days ago I can see the chunks of Krystal's swollen with water but the soil mixture or I should say soilless mixture is not soggy I'm anxious to see how it works out with these crystals in the seed starter. I've never tried it there before. I've never had luck with maidenhair Ferns and other firms except Boston Ferns in the summer on my porch. I'm going to buy a maidenhair fern again and repot it using these crystals and see if finally I can keep my maidenhair Fern alive. I also haven't tried it in the bark that I grow my orchids in. I've 25 orchids and I grow and bark and Clay Orchid pots. But that's another long comment on how I take care of them but they've been blooming since December and this is mid April so I must be doing something right with them. Take care I like your videos and it's amazing to me how you remember the Botanical names of all the plants hopefully someday I'll be able to do what you do but I'll be 70 years old in May so I don't know how much longer I have to learn those names. Thank you for making these videos
Checking out the cost of hydrospikes with your link to Amazon, they are actually $3.50 to $4.50 a piece. Not cheap. I will definitely start with just a small order. Great idea, though.
Thank you for the watering tips! Did I see Spanish moss and a pilea peperomioides in your tour? Your apartment is a dream! Your videos have been inspiring me to incorporate more plants into my apartment. It faces northeast and we do not get a lot of light, so I had been somewhat discouraged, but now I am finding new ways to adapt to bring the outside into our home. I started out the season with 23 plants and now I am up to 39 with 14 species on my balcony...so far. Also, it gets super dry in here and I just bought a tiger fern, so I was not so sure how it was going to do here. I think I may get some of the hydro spikes that you mentioned, so that I can be sure it is evenly moist. It seems that the item on your link is currently unavailable, but I will keep my eye out for them. I did recently get a humidifier as well, so that has been helping. Thank you again for the tips and inspiration! I loved seeing your watering hacks a little closer.
Hi Rayne, first of all thank you for sharing this wonderful series of videos about plants! I really enjoy watching them ;) Concerning the humidity I was wondering if you are also using humidifiers for tropical plants. I guess a lot of these plants like the calathea's really enjoy a humid environment and I don't know about your room but my one suits best for the cacti and other desert species if it comes up to relative humidity.
Do you use regular tap to water? Cause the minerals might not be good for indoor potted plants. Also check out Sarracenias cause they are some of the coolest plants in Earth!
I save my dehumidifier water from the two basement dehumidifiers in a tall wastebasket. I use that water to water all my plants. I even try to use it on my plants outside if I have any left over. In fact the cat likes that water better than she likes what comes out of the faucet
