DIY garden tricks: inverted bottle watering and trpotec ointment for summer care

A simple low‑cost watering method uses an overturned bottle filled with water and buried near a plant’s roots. The bottle creates a slight vacuum that releases water gradually as the soil dries, keeping plants evenly moist without daily attention. Experts advise cleaning the bottle, filling it, watering the plant first, then inserting the bottle at a slight angle.

Another easy summer remedy involves the common herb trpotec (tussock grass). Leaves are dried, infused in oil, and thickened with beeswax to make a soothing skin ointment for minor scratches, insect bites and irritations. The preparation requires clean, dry leaves, a carrier oil such as olive or sunflower oil, and careful drying before maceration.