Woman reveals hack to water houseplants using a tampon

You'll never unexpectedly kill a houseplant again. (Getty Images)
You'll never unexpectedly kill a houseplant again. (Getty Images)

With all the best intentions, sometimes we just can’t keep our houseplants alive.

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying your very best to nurture your new addition only to find it shrivelling up before your very eyes.

Of course, for some, it’s a case of remembering to water their beloved plants. But others are guilty of over-watering. There is such thing as loving that green companion of yours a little too much, you know?

Well, no more. As one woman has devised a rather clever hack for the over-waterers among us, and it involves a rather unusual gardening tool - a tampon.

Read more: Beginners gardening questions answered

Next time you inadvertently give your plant a little bit too much love (read: water) you needn’t fear that it’s game over for your fragile friend.

Simply stick a tampon right into the soil and let it do its magic. The tampon will soak up all of the water your plant doesn’t need and leave it thriving.

Empress Eyrie even went as far as creating a whole YouTube video on the process, for those who need a little more convincing.

It’s fair to say that Eyrie was a little skeptical at first, too, but after giving the hack a go, she has converted.

Read more: Is this Britain’s most dangerous plant?

The plant consultant initially shared a post on Facebook alerting people to her new hack and after the post gained plenty of likes and shares, she decided to create a YouTube video showing people exactly what they need to do.

In the facebook post, Eyrie wrote: “Well. Need a laugh AND a hack?

“I overwatered a few of my hoyas of late and I was worried about these new ones having the same issue. I saw this tip in the comments of another group and decided to try it myself.”

As if by magic, Eyrie’s plants were revitalised and people were keen to give it a go themselves.

Read more: Could pineapple plants be the next interiors trend?

“Omg I need this hack!!! Hahaha I think I have some old tampons laying around somewhere,” one convinced plant-lover wrote.

“So many ways to recycle stuff. I had to put some bicarb on one of my plants as it was getting too much moisture and not enough sun, then it started getting mouldy,” another shared.

We don’t know whether this hack works on other plants, but Eyrie’s hoyas were certainly grateful.

If you’ve found yourself a little bit more green-fingered during lockdown, these top tips will help you keep your plants alive and (hopefully - with an occasional addition of a tampon) thriving.