enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

a simple but life changing indoor plant tip.

Hangingplant

I have five hanging plants in my house right now. Three in our bedroom and two in our office. I love them an inappropriate amount. But they were always a hassle to water until my mom came up with the most genius idea.

Just throw a few ice cubes in there.

Wateringplantswithice

It's perfect. The ice melts slowly, giving the plant and dirt time to properly absorb the water. Ice cubes are drip free and spill proof. And best of all, I can reach up and drop in an ice cube (I can't just reach up and pour in water).

Waterplantswithice2

I love this idea so much that I've started throwing ice in all the plants. I just walk around the house with the tray and drop one cube in with the small plants and two in with the big ones about once a week. It's been months since I've had to hold a plant funeral so this is totally working. Thanks, Mom!

ps. another tip…turn your plants every few weeks or they'll grow toward the sun (like that one in the last photo) and here are a few more tips for raising indoor plants.

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46 responses to “a simple but life changing indoor plant tip.”

  1. Jodi Avatar
    Jodi

    that is BRILLIANT.

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  2. Ruth Allmart Avatar
    Ruth Allmart

    Brilliant tip Elise, now I just need some house plants 🙂 Any suggestions on what to start with? I’m kinda afraid I might kill them 😦

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  3. MK Avatar
    MK

    Your Mom is a genius. Mine is too. Isn’t it great that one day you will be one to Ellerie also?

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  4. Megan Anderson Avatar
    Megan Anderson

    I’ve heard that this works really well for orchids but never thought to do it for everything! Thanks for the great tip 🙂

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  5. Misty Avatar
    Misty

    Very handy idea!

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  6. Holly S Avatar
    Holly S

    So glad you learned this little tip! It surly is a time saver and keeps me from over watering my plants and making a mess! But I have to ask…who still uses ice cube trays?? LOL…just poking fun!! Hope your weekend is everything you want it to be and then some<3

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  7. Traci Avatar
    Traci

    Such a good idea! Pinning this so I remember it. I’ve also noticed plants turning toward the sun. I make sure to always turn mine.

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  8. michelle t Avatar
    michelle t

    Whoops I’m sorry I accidentally commented on the linked post. Just wanted to say this is such an ingenious tip. Thanks for sharing. Michelle t

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  9. Andi Avatar
    Andi

    They tell people with Orchid’s that to properly water them use ice cubes. I always do it with Orchids but never thought to do it with my other plants.

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  10. JC Avatar
    JC

    I’ve done this before, but I’ve had bad luck with it with warm weather plants, certain succulants, and cactuses, but that could have been over icing/watering too. Living in the northeast I tend to think my indoor plants need way more water than they do.

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  11. Fanny Avatar
    Fanny

    Did you know is not recommendable to have plants in your bedroom due to photosynthesis? During the day, plants absorb CO2 and produce Oxigen for us to breathe. At night, they do the opposite. They do the same us humans do: Inhale oxygen and exhale CO2.
    Thanks for the tip, though!!

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  12. Kasia Avatar
    Kasia

    great tip!!! no more paddles around my plants whhhhooooohhhooaa!!!

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  13. crystal Avatar
    crystal

    that is a genius tip! This might not work as well in CA but here in the midwest it is cold and dry… we put a small humidifier on a shelf above our plants. It’s tough to keep up with filling up (sometimes more than once a day) but the plants are going nuts!

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  14. Chels Avatar
    Chels

    I always worried that the ice would ‘freeze’ them or something (kind of silly to think about, in retrospect ha)

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  15. Miriam molloy Avatar
    Miriam molloy

    My dad does that! It’s a great trick! He’s a plant lover like you!

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  16. Tiffany B. Avatar
    Tiffany B.

    Love this trick! I remember hearing it before but never put it use. It makes total sense. Yes, I rotate my plants every time I water – once a week.

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  17. Kristy Avatar
    Kristy

    Elise – I saw your plants in my West Elm catalog this week!

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  18. Christa Avatar
    Christa

    This. is. genius.

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  19. Trina Curran Avatar
    Trina Curran

    Ha! GRAND idea! 🙂

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  20. Marilyn P Sushi Avatar
    Marilyn P Sushi

    What a brilliant idea! I’m going to do this with my plants starting this weekend!

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  21. Kerrie Avatar
    Kerrie

    Genius!

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  22. Kate Avatar
    Kate

    I have a number of plastic hanging planters that you water from the bottom (attached tray with water reservoir). They aren’t as pretty as ceramic pots but with my wild spider plants you can’t even see the planter. If you have a watering can with a small, thin spout these work perfect (no drip).
    Might use the ice cube idea in the summer – the cubes would take forever to melt in my icy winter CO windows!!

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  23. Welcome Home Taylor Avatar
    Welcome Home Taylor

    That really is a genius idea! I’ve been wanting to hang some plants up in our new home (for some reason, my boyfriend is a little against the idea, by my love for plants veto’s his opinion) and I can’t wait to try this idea out!!!
    xoxo
    Taylor
    http://www.welcomehometaylor.com

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  24. elise blaha cripe Avatar
    elise blaha cripe

    me! out fridge is old school. 😉

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  25. elise blaha cripe Avatar
    elise blaha cripe

    hi Fanny! Interesting! Do you have a link to a study or source on this? Google results seem to think no big deal unless its 100s of plants or you’re into feng shui. 🙂 elise

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  26. Diana Avatar
    Diana

    Amazing!!!! I’m always holding plant funerals in my house…
    xo
    Diana
    http://unusuallylovely.com

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  27. elise blaha cripe Avatar
    elise blaha cripe

    pothos are hard to kill and they get droopy when they need water. I’d start there and ask at your local garden enter or plant shop for recs. 🙂

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  28. Debbie Avatar
    Debbie

    That is a brilliant tip! I know in sunny CA, they will melt :). Here??? they at least will join in the beauty of the outside freeze. Ha!

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  29. Valerie Avatar
    Valerie

    Elise – Reading this I just thought that it would be a great chore for my toddler. Now that you’re a mom I thought you might want the thought. Obviously she couldn’t do the hanging plants but when she is big enough she could do the ones that are reachable for her.

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  30. suheiry Avatar
    suheiry

    This is a GREAT idea! How did I not think of it before! Thanks for the tip. 🙂

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  31. Fanny Avatar
    Fanny

    Hi, Elise!
    I studied it at school, way many years ago!!
    But I found this article online: http://www.askdrmao.com/questions-and-answers/plants-in-the-bedroom/
    Here in Spain they even remove plants from hospital rooms during the night.

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  32. skunkboy Avatar
    skunkboy

    That really did just change my life! Thanks, Elise– I’m running out to buy more plants now!

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  33. tiffany h. Avatar
    tiffany h.

    Moms are great resources! My mom shared the ice cube trick with me, too. In reading the other comments I had no idea about not having plants in the bedroom.

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  34. Brooke Meghan Avatar
    Brooke Meghan

    Thank you!! This is genius. You’re a life saver!… Or actually a plant saver.. 😉 haha! I’m a dork.

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  35. Kellie Winnell Avatar
    Kellie Winnell

    This is FANTASTIC! Life saver tip!

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  36. lindsey Avatar
    lindsey

    plant funerals. hilarious. i laughed out loud. then thought someone should bring a casserole and make it official!

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  37. Heidi Mortensen Avatar
    Heidi Mortensen

    Great tip! I’ve always been a little unsure whether I wanted hanging plants and one of the reasons were that I were worried about watering them and making a mess, but this is brilliant, I might consider hanging plants now.

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  38. Holly S Avatar
    Holly S

    Sometimes old school is best anyway! Love that you can laugh at yourself-a sign of a genuine person!

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  39. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    This is great Elise. I have Peace Lilly that is flowering at the moment and its so pretty. Do you have any advice for hanging plants for renters? Any way I can hang one without putting holes in the ceiling? Thanks!

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  40. Kaylee Farnes Avatar
    Kaylee Farnes

    This idea is brilliant!! I’ve been wanting to get indoor plants for my new apartment, we need something to add character to the new place. So smart!
    Please join my Valentine Card Exchange and Giveaway!
    http://whenthecowscomedancinghome.blogspot.com/2014/01/1st-annual-ultimate-valentine-card.html

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  41. Rachel Avatar
    Rachel

    Also, I bought myself a pretty watering can, so it sits out and reminds me.

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  42. Hollie@MiaFleur Avatar
    Hollie@MiaFleur

    What a fantastic idea! I have a very bad habit of killing all of my indoor plants, well done Mom!!

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  43. Sharon Avatar
    Sharon

    Laura, buy one of those poles that is a tension pole (ceiling to floor if your ceilings are not that high) drill holes in the pole and hang plants – Or if the bathroom ones are long enough they have little shelves on them. Thus no holes in the ceiling.

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  44. Saey stijn Avatar
    Saey stijn

    Dear Ruth,
    Orchits may be fine to have.

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  45. Petra Avatar
    Petra

    I used to do this in Germany many years ago…i had a huge apartment and it was full of houseplants…the hanging ones got the ice cube treatment…lol

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  46. Eva Saxell Avatar
    Eva Saxell

    What a great ” ice cube ” Tip. I will be using it this year!!!

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