Turn Old Solar Lights Into A Must-Have Watering Tool

Figuring out how to take care of plants when you're on vacation can put a damper on your excitement, especially if you've come home to crispy, dead leaves before. You could ask a friend to stop by, or try one of the watering globes and spikes designed to release water into the soil over time. Old solar lights can be turned into a similar tool. If you're scratching your head right now, hear us out — one DIYer found a way to repurpose part of a stake-style light as a small watering reservoir, giving the fixture another job instead of going in the trash.

TikTok user @redeux_style uses two pieces from the lights to make an automatic watering system for potted plants, the clear, cup-shaped section that once surrounded the bulb and the hollow tube beneath it. Once you separate it from the solar top and the pointed ground stake, the tube can be placed into the potting soil, leaving the clear cup above it to hold water. The small hole in the clear cup gives water a path to trickle down toward the soil below the surface.

All you'll need to try it is an old solar light with a removable top and stake, plus water, (and a plant, of course). Check that the clear cup and tube connect securely, and that water can move through the tube. Solar lights come in different shapes, so not every model will work the same way for this project. Just check to see how quickly it empties and how moist the soil gets before saying sayonara; you may still need to phone a friend.

First things first — separate the solar light's pieces. Remove the solar-powered top, including the bulb and any electrical components, and set those aside for proper recycling. You'll be using the clear cup-shaped cover and the hollow tube underneath it. Pull the pointed ground stake out of the bottom of the tube, leaving an opening for water to reach the soil. Wash the cup and tube thoroughly, then check that they fit together securely. Test it out over the sink to see how it flows through the tube. You want this to act like a slow-release watering globe, so if that water gushes out, it's not going to work. Just as you'd test the flow if you use aqua globes to water plants, keep an eye on this homemade version before relying on it while you're away.

When inserting, do so away from the plant's main stem and gently place the tube into the potting mix, taking care not to force it through roots. Whatever you do, don't keep pushing — this is supposed to help your plants, not kill them.

If the old light doesn't quite match your aesthetic, give it a little makeover before putting it to work. Spray-paint the outside of the clear cup with a water-resistant paint that works on plastic. Leave the tube and any surfaces that touch the soil unpainted, and let the finish cure fully before using it around your plant.