5 Genius Gardening Tips I Learned from TikTok

Do you find yourself scrolling mindlessly on TikTok while waiting for someone or something? One video after another and another and another…

Tik Tok may be discounted as a waste of time or even maligned (sometimes rightly so), but if you use it properly, you can find real gems with helpful information. The key is to search—don’t scroll. I typed in #garden, then #gardening, #gardeninghacks, #gardeningtips, #gardeningtricks. And then I fell down the rabbit hole…

Here are five ideas I discovered on TikTok that every gardener should know.

1. Turn plastic bottles into ollas.

Ollas are terra-cotta watering pots that are buried beneath the soil, where the water is slowly released through the pot’s pores. They deliver water directly to the roots, where it’s needed, and not on the surface, where it evaporates. While we love clay ollas, fitting out your entire vegetable garden with them may get a tad pricey. Instead, you may want to follow the lead of gardening TikTokers and repurpose plastic bottles as ollas in your garden, keeping plastic out of the waste stream while keeping your tomatoes watered. All you need to do is poke some holes and bury them in soil before you plant (so as not to disturb the roots; if you’ve already planted, just be very careful)—and fill with water as needed. Two liter soda bottles are great for thirsty plants and 16 ounce water bottles can work for about everything else. 

2. Build a raised bed with cinder blocks.

Cinder blocks can be found at any big box building supply store, and while they may not be the first thing you think of when picking out a material to build a raised bed, they work quite well. They’re sort of like a hypertufa that doesn’t require a mold. You will need to do a bit of research, but once you have the right tools (a spirit level is probably the single most important tool for this), invite some friends over for pizza and beer and build yourself a gardening bed!

3. DIY a tomato cage.

Sometimes you see something and think: Why didn’t I consider that?! Tomatoes can grow out of their cages and out of control. Here’s an easy and fast hack to create a simple but supportive trellis using stakes and twine. The real beauty is at the end of season, all you’re storing are the stakes, not bulky and bent aluminum cages. 

4. Water seedlings from underneath.

Starting seeds for the first time? Water like a pro and water from underneath. Wait? What? What do you mean from underneath? This trick saves your seedlings from getting moldy and dying. It’s easy-peasy. 

5. Space your carrots correctly.

Do your carrots rows look like a drunken sailor planted them? Make a carrot board for even spacing and straight rows! Properly spaced carrots are yours! Simply take a flat board and glue on bottle caps, topside down, about two to three inches apart in a single row for a board that is 12″ wide. Carrot rows should be planted 12″ apart, but you may be able to make the rows closer for some varieties. The video also shares a good trick for giving your carrot seeds the best chance at germinating. This one is worth 40 seconds of your time.

See also:

• 5 Old-Fashioned Tools for the Modern-Day Gardener
• Landscaping: 10 Clever Gardening Tips to Save Time
• Water Wisely: 6 Tips on How to Water Your Garden Without Waste