Use A Pipe And Spigot To Turn Glass Watering Globes Into Twinkling Garden Lights

Even if you love gardening, watering your plants can be a little tedious sometimes. Fortunately, though, there are simpler ways to keep your greenery moist — without using a hose or a watering can. One of those methods? Using an irrigation globe. Also known as a watering globe, these little waterdrop-shaped devices release a slow, steady supply of water to give your plants the hydration they need. Even better? They're incredibly stylish — and can even serve as garden decor. Just ask Handan and Greg, the couple behind TheNavagePatch on TikTok, who brightened their yard by filling watering globes with solar string lights and attaching the globes to a pipe and spigot.

If you're a fan of fairy garden ideas that are downright magical, this DIY project is perfect for you. Between the delicate glass globes and the twinkling lights inside, it's an eye-catching piece of decor that brings color and whimsy to your outdoor space. To really nail that vibe, you could put it alongside miniature mushrooms, gnomes, frogs, cottages, or a bird bath. Another option? Decorating it with fake moss or dainty little flowers. Handan and Greg also provided a tutorial on how to make this craft with mushroom lights instead of watering globes, offering a nice alternative. All in all, this isn't an overly complicated project, but you will need a number of supplies to pull it off. We've listed them below, along with step-by-step instructions on how to make your own.

For this craft, you'll have to visit Home Depot, Lowe's, or another hardware store to pick up some supplies. These include a spigot, black pipe, and 90-degree elbow — all with ½-inch fittings. You'll also need watering globes. These are available on Amazon or at gardening supply stores. Something like the Maxam Wyndham House 4-Piece Watering Globe Set ($17.95) would work well. On a tight budget? You can snag an affordable alternative to glass plant watering globes at Dollar Tree and save a pretty penny on this DIY lighting project.

To connect the globe and the pipe, you'll need a product called Aves Apoxie Sculpt, which costs about $35. It's a two-part compound that takes about 24 hours to cure, so keep that in mind if you want to get these lights up and running before a big event at home. Other essential tools and supplies include a pair of pliers, solar string lights, tweezers, a slim metal stake, metallic spray paint, tin foil, masking tape, and a mallet or hammer.

Heads up — there will be a small black solar panel attached to the strand of solar-powered lights from Amazon you want in your backyard. For a more polished look, you'll probably want to conceal that somewhere. You can hide it behind plants, either some you already have in your garden or new ones. Alternatively, you could put the panel inside a fairy house or behind another piece of decor. No matter which concealment option you choose, ensure you add the necessary materials to your shopping list.

Get started by running the strand of solar lights through the metal pipe and elbow. Then connect the pipe and elbow by screwing them together. Grab your pliers and loosen the spigot's handle nut until you can remove the handle. Feed the string lights through the back end of the spigot, then use tweezers to pull them out of the hole where the handle was. Screw the spigot onto the elbow, then push a small piece of wire into its front end. Loop the string lights over the wire and pull them through the front end of the spigot. Screw the handle back in place, leaving it in the open position.

Next up is inserting the string lights into the watering globe. To do that, push them through the stem and into the bulb of the globe until it's full. Don't use too much force because the globe is made of glass and could break under pressure. Now, connect the globe to the front end of the spigot with the Apoxie Sculpt. After you've waited the required 24 hours for the Apoxie Sculpt to cure, cover the globe with aluminum foil and tape. You can now spray paint the pipe, elbow, and spigot in your preferred color. Once the paint is dry, grab a metal stake, pound it into the ground with your mallet, and slide the pipe over it. All that's left to do is wait until it gets dark so you can enjoy your sparkly new outdoor solar lights.