This Genius Pool Noodle Hack Lightens The Load Of Heavy Herb Planters

Is this the year that you have decided to get serious about your herb garden? Congrats, friend! Maybe you looked up how to substitute fresh for dried herbs and can't wait to improve your meals, or you simply love the earthy, attractive look of potted plants on your patio or windowsill. Either way, you want to know all the best tips for helping your plant babies thrive. One that will improve your gardening experience involves cheap pool noodles.

Cutting up pool noodles — a budget variety from your local dollar store is just fine! — and using them to line the bottom of your bigger herb planters is the most genius idea you haven't tried yet. As seen on home and garden social media, the noodles will assist in drainage, extra helpful since knowing how often to water your garden is always a hot topic. Furthermore, displacing some heavy dirt with foam pool noodles will also make your planter(s) much lighter, which is good for your back when you have to move them around! Soil can be very weighty, but pool noodles are not. Your joints will thank you when you are rearranging your planters and not having to drag them laboriously across the yard!

To use these, simply coil a piece of pool noodle at the bottom of your pot. Alternatively, cut the noodle into short pieces and arrange them upright to take up even more room. How much pool noodle volume you use will depend on how big your planter is and how much root space your herbs need. This should work fine for many common herbs, like basil, rosemary, and mint.

There are some distinct advantages to potting your herbs versus placing them directly in the ground in your garden. The first, and perhaps biggest, is containment. Mint, in particular, is prone to spreading like wildfire in your herb garden if you don't corral its roots with a pot. Secondly, pots are portable. In the case of torrential rain, unseasonable cold, or a spot getting more sun than you banked on, potted herbs can easily be picked up and transported. You will better reap the best benefits of potted herbs — their ability to be moved! — when you utilize pool noodles. Your pots will weigh less and will be more easily transported, whether you are deciding on more aesthetically-pleasing arrangements or moving plants to greater safety.

Best of all, since pool noodles don't easily decompose, you can use them again and again, even if you unearth your plant and need to start over with a new seedling. A pool noodle that costs a couple of dollars can be a useful part of your home garden setup for a long time! The color or width of the pool noodle doesn't matter as long as you can place it in your planter, either whole or by cutting. If you need to cut your pool noodle, make sure to measure first. A nice, sharp knife is a great way to cut these accurately and safely, but, for good measure, make sure you hold it firmly to prevent movement.