Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: I came across an idea the other day that might be helpful to plant lovers who overwater their plants, the ones that are in large, deep containers.

I could never tell if they needed water or not. I ran across an old curtain rod, the metal kind, that just slides apart. I pulled it apart and slowly ran it down the edge of the plant container.

The dirt will stick in the inside of the rod. When you pull it back out, the last part of the dirt will be the bottom of the container. So if it is still real wet, you know you won’t need to water. I use a nail to remove the dirt from the rod. - Bev Underwood, Cabot, Ark. xxxx