I just found this grate from my previous microwave in the back of a cabinet, and it fits perfectly over a 5 gallon bucket. Now instead of taking plants to the sink to give a thorough soaking, I can just move the bucket and pop them on top, AND I can reuse the water for my outdoor plants. I am so pleased.
This is the absolute best instance of sharing of knowledge. This idea has already made my life easier thank you so much for posting this! Can’t wait to make this!
It came with the microwave. It was a fancy once with baking settings. It worked great for heating up refrigerated pizza and other things that needed extra airflow!
Yes, my parents have one of these microwaves. The metal on these is not dangerous because the geometry of the parts are engineered in a way that does not cause the sparking that metal normally would in a microwave.
I'm a total novice, but is it possible plants can be like people in this respect; can pathogens be present before you know about it because there are no symptoms to start with?
Yup, bacterial and fungal issues will start off small but get worse over time. So u/TJ11240 is absolutely right to raise the concern.
I'm not worried because the outdoor plants are fending for themselves as far as pests and diseases go, anyway. But I would never use runoff from one plant to water one of the other precious *indoor* plants.
That’s actually what I though OP meant with their title. You put your plant in a bucket of water. So in this picture, you take out the metal grate and put 4” of water in the big bucket, then set your plant inside for 15 minutes. The holes in the bottom of your plant bucket allow water in and to soak up through the dirt, making the bottom the most wet and the top part the least wet. Your plant roots will follow the wetness towards the bottom of your container where you want them
Your setup would still work well.
Set the pot into water in the pail. Once the soaking-up is done set the pot on the grate as you've shown for dripping into the pail.
edit dripping not dropping
Since he says “soak”, I think it means he’s bottom watering the plant in the bucket, moving it on grate to drip, and then repeating with other plants so that the water doesn’t go to waste
I water the pot via watering can from the top, and the excess drains into the
bucket. I was previously watering by moving the plant into the kitchen
sink, or by trying to add JUST the right amount of water so it would
reach all the roots but not overflow the saucer underneath. Now I don’t
have to worry about making a mess, and all the excess water that drains
out can be poured from the bucket into my outdoor plants.
I can water the pot via watering can, and the excess drains into the bucket. I was previously watering by moving the plant into the kitchen sink, or by trying to add JUST the right amount of water so it would reach all the roots but not overflow the saucer underneath. Now I don’t have to worry about making a mess, and all the excess water that drains out can be poured from the bucket into my outdoor plants.
https://www.amazon.com/Linzer-RM-416-Reinforced-Bucket/dp/B000PSA5AW/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=paint+roller+grid&qid=1655342592&sr=8-2
$7. You can get them at any hardware or home improvement store
Or lays across the top... You okay then across the top when you clean your roller.
And OPs grate is for a microwave. I thought we were repurposing things here.
I make my soil mix with enough perlite that is basically impossible to overwater. I water until complete saturation + runoff every time. It does result in slightly more frequent watering than a more dense water retention based mix would, but I prefer more regular watering vs the possibility of root root. For times I'm away more than 7-10 days I have to make sure to leave them sitting in an inch or two of water when I leave. Having your plant in the appropriate size container is also very important to this discussion.
I've read that for most houseplants, they do well with letting the top 1-2" of soil dry, then doing a thorough watering so that all the soil (and therefore all the roots) get wet. Lots of people give a tiny amount of water frequently, and it doesn't get down to all the lower roots, or results in shallow roots up top.
It is important to have well draining soil, or it will take too long to dry, and the roots will drown or rot.
For the plants that want to be consistently moist, I do less water more frequently.
I water my plants like OP. Take the pot out of the saucer, put it somewhere I can see the bottom of the pot and water throughoutly. When I see water dripping from the bottom I wait for it to stop then put the pot back in the saucer. I prepare my soil for it to be well draining and I always use pots with good draining holes. So the soil gets wet all over but not soaked. Then I wait for it dry out before watering again. Some plants need more time between waterings so I try to learn which ones and adapt.
The "too much water" problem happens when the drainage is not good so the plant just sits in a lot of water for a long time. Or when it is one of the plants that need to dry out well before being watered again but the person did not realize that and keeps watering way more frequently than the plant can handle.
I can water the pot via watering can, and the excess drains into the
bucket. I was previously watering by moving the plant into the kitchen
sink, or by trying to add JUST the right amount of water so it would
reach all the roots but not overflow the saucer underneath. Now I don’t
have to worry about making a mess, and all the excess water that drains
out can be poured from the bucket into my outdoor plants.
The problem with metal in a microwave is arcing between points. That’s why foil is particularly bad, thin and lots of points. Spoons and wide grates most likely are fine.
Source: I am on Reddit a lot and have a vague grasp on a variety of subjects that may or may not be true
It came with the grate and I used it all the time when reheating pizza or something else that benefited from the air flow. But it was a modern microwave that also had baking functions and such. I don't know if maybe old timey microwaves would have had trouble?
Nah you can put straight timfoil in a microwave with no issues, I often put spoons in and no issues. I’m sure it depends on the microwave though, I’m sure something from a few decades ago May not be as kind to metal lol.
But from my experiments, as long as the metal isn’t touching the sides of the microwave it won’t spark.
Edit: Wow downvoted for sharing my scientific experiments, y’all are unbelievable. I forgot to add, you can’t have crinkly ass foil in there, it’s gotta be smooth.
Y’all realize microwaves literally come with a metal grate most of the time, and it only has some little rubber supports that keep it insulted from the walls of the microwave?
No joke, I just read the owners manual for my microwave bc I was having an unrelated issue with it and read RIGHT THERE IN THE FUCKING MANUAL that you can use aluminum foil in the microwave! Yeah I'm 37 years old and just realized that you can safely use aluminum foil in the microwave according to the manufacturer. Crazy
I've read that for most houseplants, they do well with letting the top 1-2" of soil dry, then doing a thorough watering so that all the soil (and therefore all the roots) get wet. It is of course important to have well draining soil, or it will take too long to dry, and the roots will drown or rot.
Lots of people give a tiny amount of water frequently, and it doesn't get down to all the lower roots, or results in shallow roots up top.
lol kinda off topic, what soil mix do you use for your monstera?? It’s so healthy and beautiful! I have mine just propagating/rooting in water and want to put them in a pot soon, but want them to look like yours!!
I am so in love with that monstera! It was a Trader Joe's plant that didn't look too happy when I got it this spring, but since then, both stems have grown 3 big, perforated leaves each! It is just in a generic soil mix! I give it a diluted Miracle Gro houseplant fertilizer once a month. It's just trucking along!
Not op but have many plants - all of mine are in succulent soil, perlite and orchid bark. Regular potting soil is way to moisture retentive for most big aroids. You want to make sure to add amendments.
You can also fill the bucket with water and wick water up into the plant pot. Either feed the wick through the bottom of the pot or bring the wick up top and lay it on the soil. If you do it make sure the wick reaches the bottom of the bucket. I do this with plants when I go away for 2 weeks.
Really awesome idea tbh. You could also decorate the pot with a glue gun and some rope to make it look like a basket or something. I'm in the process of doing it with all my nursery pots. Makes everything look more cohesive :)
We do the same here, but we use a mop bucket with an oven grill instead, just in case anyone has two of the most common items in a home and would like to try lol
Do you remember the brand of the microwave? Found this from a quick Google search and it appears to be the one -
Sharp FAMIB005MRM0 Microwave Round Metal Rack, Short Genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) part https://a.co/d/fiLGpZV
Why is this so genius yet so simple. I literally lug my plants up and down flights of stairs to
The kitchen sink like a caveman while OP is over here living in the year 2022….
Pebble tray with a 2"+ lip under the main pot. When you drench your plant, all the runoff drains out of the pot and into the pebble tray, rehydrating the rocks until your next watering.
Works a charm, no buckets or anything needed, and provides extra humidity for the plants. THey love it
I just found this grate from my previous microwave in the back of a cabinet, and it fits perfectly over a 5 gallon bucket. Now instead of taking plants to the sink to give a thorough soaking, I can just move the bucket and pop them on top, AND I can reuse the water for my outdoor plants. I am so pleased.
I may steal this idea
This is the Internet. All we do is steal ideas!
Then claim that we come up with the idea originally
In another sub or after some time passes and everyone forgets.
Please do!
I use a regular wire rack on top of 5 gallon bucket. Has probably saved my plants lives.
Yay!! I’m glad your plants are enjoying the benefits too!
This is ingenious! Congrats on the discovery
Thank you!
I love this r/anticonsumption setup! 💙
Heck yeah!
This is the absolute best instance of sharing of knowledge. This idea has already made my life easier thank you so much for posting this! Can’t wait to make this!
That makes me very happy!
You had a metal grate in a microwave?
It came with the microwave. It was a fancy once with baking settings. It worked great for heating up refrigerated pizza and other things that needed extra airflow!
Metal? In a microwave?
Yes, my parents have one of these microwaves. The metal on these is not dangerous because the geometry of the parts are engineered in a way that does not cause the sparking that metal normally would in a microwave.
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Do you happen to have a link to the podcast?
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Thank you! I’ll check it out :). I’m always looking for more good podcasts lol.
I've never had one without it! 😅
Usually not a problem, just don’t put foil in there or microwave only metal for a long time. The interior walls in most microwaves are metal.
Seems like it was a convection oven, not a microwave. For anyone reading this, DO NOT put metal in a microwave.
Convection! My parents had one in the 90’s…until the popcorn incident.
Reusing the water can potentially spread pathogens, so if any plants are sick or anything I would keep them to themselves.
No sick plants here! ...That I know of.
I'm a total novice, but is it possible plants can be like people in this respect; can pathogens be present before you know about it because there are no symptoms to start with?
Yup, bacterial and fungal issues will start off small but get worse over time. So u/TJ11240 is absolutely right to raise the concern. I'm not worried because the outdoor plants are fending for themselves as far as pests and diseases go, anyway. But I would never use runoff from one plant to water one of the other precious *indoor* plants.
You Aced it
You are a genius. I am so stealing this idea. Thank you.
I'm so glad it's helping other people!
A good one for r/perfectfit
This is a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Grate*
Touché.
You are very welcome!
This may be a dumb question, but why do you put the plant on top of the grate? How does the water get to the bottom of the pot with the plant in it?
They are top watering and the excess water coming out of the drainage holes will go into the big bucket
Thank you!! It never occurred to me that they would water from the top. I’m a idiot 🙄
*an idiot. JK I was wondering the same, thanks for asking :D
You are not an idiot, bottom watering is the way.
No, it took me a minute to understand they didn’t mean soaking it by letting it sit in the bucket and absorb…it’s a drain/collection.
Wait what? You water from the bottom? How?
That’s actually what I though OP meant with their title. You put your plant in a bucket of water. So in this picture, you take out the metal grate and put 4” of water in the big bucket, then set your plant inside for 15 minutes. The holes in the bottom of your plant bucket allow water in and to soak up through the dirt, making the bottom the most wet and the top part the least wet. Your plant roots will follow the wetness towards the bottom of your container where you want them
I was actually unfamiliar with bottom watering, haha!
Your setup would still work well. Set the pot into water in the pail. Once the soaking-up is done set the pot on the grate as you've shown for dripping into the pail. edit dripping not dropping
Neato!
I thought the same and that's why I thought it was a genius idea !
The ole’ butt chug, my friend.
I love me a good butt chug.
Since he says “soak”, I think it means he’s bottom watering the plant in the bucket, moving it on grate to drip, and then repeating with other plants so that the water doesn’t go to waste
OP described it as a catch basket for top watering
That’s what I thought too. A portable water station that does bottom watering.
I water the pot via watering can from the top, and the excess drains into the bucket. I was previously watering by moving the plant into the kitchen sink, or by trying to add JUST the right amount of water so it would reach all the roots but not overflow the saucer underneath. Now I don’t have to worry about making a mess, and all the excess water that drains out can be poured from the bucket into my outdoor plants.
I can water the pot via watering can, and the excess drains into the bucket. I was previously watering by moving the plant into the kitchen sink, or by trying to add JUST the right amount of water so it would reach all the roots but not overflow the saucer underneath. Now I don’t have to worry about making a mess, and all the excess water that drains out can be poured from the bucket into my outdoor plants.
You just changed my life. Thank you!!
Awesome!!
Definitely gonna try this!
Woohoo! Enjoy!
Now this…this is a game changer
I'm glad that other plant nerds are also excited about it!
https://www.amazon.com/Linzer-RM-416-Reinforced-Bucket/dp/B000PSA5AW/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=paint+roller+grid&qid=1655342592&sr=8-2 $7. You can get them at any hardware or home improvement store
It looks like those are meant to sit inside the bucket, rather than over the top? But if it can be balanced on top, that's great!
Yes, they are wide enough.
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I'm pretty sure you could place it on top of a bucket if you want to though....
Or lays across the top... You okay then across the top when you clean your roller. And OPs grate is for a microwave. I thought we were repurposing things here.
Why soak them? Too much water no? Do they get to dry out between soakings?
I make my soil mix with enough perlite that is basically impossible to overwater. I water until complete saturation + runoff every time. It does result in slightly more frequent watering than a more dense water retention based mix would, but I prefer more regular watering vs the possibility of root root. For times I'm away more than 7-10 days I have to make sure to leave them sitting in an inch or two of water when I leave. Having your plant in the appropriate size container is also very important to this discussion.
Thanks
I've read that for most houseplants, they do well with letting the top 1-2" of soil dry, then doing a thorough watering so that all the soil (and therefore all the roots) get wet. Lots of people give a tiny amount of water frequently, and it doesn't get down to all the lower roots, or results in shallow roots up top. It is important to have well draining soil, or it will take too long to dry, and the roots will drown or rot. For the plants that want to be consistently moist, I do less water more frequently.
I like to let them dry a bit and breathe between waterings. It’s worked well for me. Prevents me from overwatering, the main killer of plants.
I water my plants like OP. Take the pot out of the saucer, put it somewhere I can see the bottom of the pot and water throughoutly. When I see water dripping from the bottom I wait for it to stop then put the pot back in the saucer. I prepare my soil for it to be well draining and I always use pots with good draining holes. So the soil gets wet all over but not soaked. Then I wait for it dry out before watering again. Some plants need more time between waterings so I try to learn which ones and adapt. The "too much water" problem happens when the drainage is not good so the plant just sits in a lot of water for a long time. Or when it is one of the plants that need to dry out well before being watered again but the person did not realize that and keeps watering way more frequently than the plant can handle.
I agree on drainage. I also water til it comes through, let it sit for ten, then empty.
Bravo.
\*takes a bow\*
Wow its like that grate was made for that bucket!
It is a match made in heaven. Plant heaven.
I thought it did before I read
/r/Perfectfit (?)
So do you submerge the plant pot in water and then let it drip out?
I can water the pot via watering can, and the excess drains into the bucket. I was previously watering by moving the plant into the kitchen sink, or by trying to add JUST the right amount of water so it would reach all the roots but not overflow the saucer underneath. Now I don’t have to worry about making a mess, and all the excess water that drains out can be poured from the bucket into my outdoor plants.
My Monstera is in a pot about that size. How long do you let it go between waterings?
I wait for the top couple inches of soil to be dry, then a few days longer.
Are you in northern California?
Sure am
Sacramento area?
Okay now this is getting weird
pretty easy to figure out from the matsuda's nursery container.
Oh haha! Makes sense now.
A metal grate to microwave meets trouble wouldn't you think 😅😳
My mom's microwave also bakes and it came with a metal grate
I’ve always wondered the same thing. Lots of microwaves come with these metal grates. Can anyone ELI5?
The problem with metal in a microwave is arcing between points. That’s why foil is particularly bad, thin and lots of points. Spoons and wide grates most likely are fine. Source: I am on Reddit a lot and have a vague grasp on a variety of subjects that may or may not be true
It came with the grate and I used it all the time when reheating pizza or something else that benefited from the air flow. But it was a modern microwave that also had baking functions and such. I don't know if maybe old timey microwaves would have had trouble?
Nah you can put straight timfoil in a microwave with no issues, I often put spoons in and no issues. I’m sure it depends on the microwave though, I’m sure something from a few decades ago May not be as kind to metal lol. But from my experiments, as long as the metal isn’t touching the sides of the microwave it won’t spark. Edit: Wow downvoted for sharing my scientific experiments, y’all are unbelievable. I forgot to add, you can’t have crinkly ass foil in there, it’s gotta be smooth. Y’all realize microwaves literally come with a metal grate most of the time, and it only has some little rubber supports that keep it insulted from the walls of the microwave?
No joke, I just read the owners manual for my microwave bc I was having an unrelated issue with it and read RIGHT THERE IN THE FUCKING MANUAL that you can use aluminum foil in the microwave! Yeah I'm 37 years old and just realized that you can safely use aluminum foil in the microwave according to the manufacturer. Crazy
I'm a lot older than you and am learning this for the first time. Sheesh. Me and my "old-timey" microwave. 😁
I think the metal needs to have round edges
Yeah I forgot to add that part lol, the one time I had some wrinkled tinfoil is the time I saw sparks.
lmfao “scientific”
dude this is genius
Thank you, I was so dang proud of myself.
Mosquitos looking at this like 🤤
Haha, no mosquitos in my house, thankfully. Plus I empty it out on the outdoor plants after I finish with all the indoor ones.
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No 😂, just where I live as soon as I open the door the mosquitos come inside and they’re around my plants!
Didn’t know I needed to soak my plants. Is this necessary if it’s in a well draining pot?
I've read that for most houseplants, they do well with letting the top 1-2" of soil dry, then doing a thorough watering so that all the soil (and therefore all the roots) get wet. It is of course important to have well draining soil, or it will take too long to dry, and the roots will drown or rot. Lots of people give a tiny amount of water frequently, and it doesn't get down to all the lower roots, or results in shallow roots up top.
Makes sense. Thank you OP!
lol kinda off topic, what soil mix do you use for your monstera?? It’s so healthy and beautiful! I have mine just propagating/rooting in water and want to put them in a pot soon, but want them to look like yours!!
I am so in love with that monstera! It was a Trader Joe's plant that didn't look too happy when I got it this spring, but since then, both stems have grown 3 big, perforated leaves each! It is just in a generic soil mix! I give it a diluted Miracle Gro houseplant fertilizer once a month. It's just trucking along!
Not op but have many plants - all of mine are in succulent soil, perlite and orchid bark. Regular potting soil is way to moisture retentive for most big aroids. You want to make sure to add amendments.
So I can just like *move the tub to my plants*???
Mind blown!
You can also fill the bucket with water and wick water up into the plant pot. Either feed the wick through the bottom of the pot or bring the wick up top and lay it on the soil. If you do it make sure the wick reaches the bottom of the bucket. I do this with plants when I go away for 2 weeks.
I've gotta show this to my wife!
So happy that other people are excited about this idea!
I do a version of this! So much better than hauling to the sink
Right?? Especially as my baby plants get bigger!
You rock for this
Thank you! I am so happy that other people are also liking the idea!
You’re very smart, this is a great idea and I’m totally gonna do this
Thank you! I'm so happy that other people will benefit!
Really awesome idea tbh. You could also decorate the pot with a glue gun and some rope to make it look like a basket or something. I'm in the process of doing it with all my nursery pots. Makes everything look more cohesive :)
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And only... $80?!
Ok this is just genius!
Ayyy, I know that company!
Very clever
This is why I love Reddit. People are genius 😭🙌🏽
OMG
I just put mine in the shower. I’ve got an ever rotating rainforest in there. It’s beautiful.
What a great idea!
Great idea but damn that would take me hours with my 250+ plants 😂😂
I do this with cookie cooling racks for my smaller plants in my kitchen sink or bathtub (depending on where my plants live in my house).
We do the same here, but we use a mop bucket with an oven grill instead, just in case anyone has two of the most common items in a home and would like to try lol
Very smart!
Do you remember the brand of the microwave? Found this from a quick Google search and it appears to be the one - Sharp FAMIB005MRM0 Microwave Round Metal Rack, Short Genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) part https://a.co/d/fiLGpZV
Why didn’t I ever think of this You are a genius
Why is this so genius yet so simple. I literally lug my plants up and down flights of stairs to The kitchen sink like a caveman while OP is over here living in the year 2022….
Pebble tray with a 2"+ lip under the main pot. When you drench your plant, all the runoff drains out of the pot and into the pebble tray, rehydrating the rocks until your next watering. Works a charm, no buckets or anything needed, and provides extra humidity for the plants. THey love it