This Bathroom Staple Is A Lifesaver For Overwatered Plants
We know that feeling of panic when you water your plants and suddenly, the planter starts overflowing. You can rush it to the sink or tub, but even once the excess water is drained out, the plant is still sitting in soggy soil. The planting medium used makes a big difference in whether or not it will dry out quickly enough to avoid root rot. If you're dealing with a swampy pot, all you need is a tampon or two to soak up that excess water.
Peat or soil-based planting mediums are great for retaining water to keep plant roots consistently moist, but they can also cause the most damage when a plant is overwatered. Orchid mixes are chunky enough to let extra water flow through with no problems other than a puddle to clean up. Succulent and cacti blends don't often hold much moisture. If you generally use standard potting mixes, this trick can help save your plants from overzealous watering.
Use a tampon to absorb excess water
You've certainly seen the commercials touting the absorbent properties of tampons. Those small fabric tubes are manufactured to hold up to 4 ounces of liquid. That's almost half a cup! If you've overwatered your plants, the ability to remove that much excess water could be the difference between a healthy plant and rotting roots. 5-Minute Green on TikTok shows us how easy this process is.
To use this trick on your soggy soil, a tampon with an applicator will work best to absorb water deep down in the soil. Simply insert the applicator into the soil, being careful not to damage the plant's roots. Then, insert the tampon, and remove the applicator. Leave the absorbent material in the soil for a few hours or longer until the soil no longer seems to be soggy. If you are dealing with a large planter or a lot of extra water, you can use two or three tampons to ensure all the excess moisture is absorbed. When the soil is no longer soggy, carefully remove the tampon and dispose of it in the garbage.