While walking through my local Home Depot a few weeks ago, I discovered a new gardening product that made me smile. It was called “Palm Rounds,” and when I looked into it, I learned it is made by a larger company called “Water Rounds” which produces the same basic invention for tomato plants, small trees, and all sorts of different sized shrubs. What struck me so much about this product was how simple it was. I felt like an idiot for not inventing it myself! All it really seems to be is the top of a pot that has been removed from the bottom half – in essence, a water retaining ring with teeth on it to dig into the soil below. I can see this turning into a popular new home for all sorts of plants just about anywhere.
Since I was not planning on purchasing any of these “Palm Rounds,” but instead buy some new flowers for my slowly expanding garden, I decided to only get one and test it out. I promptly took it home and looked for a place to use it since I don't exactly have any palm trees (or any other tropical plants) growing in my back yard for that matter. I ended up using it on some tomato plants instead which seemed to be in need of a little help. I decided to try it out and see if the retaining ring would in fact help them grow better. One of the problems I've been having with my tomatoes is that the soil where they were planted is slightly elevated from the rest of the garden. The dirt is very hard packed throughout. Every time I water these suckers, it seems to disperse everywhere, and I guess I've just been too disenchanted to do anything about it.
After installing the water round I decided it would be best to water all my plants as usual and see if there was in fact any difference. At first, I thought I may have drowned my tomatoes because of how soaked they were compared with how they had looked before. Then I discovered it. No, it was just because I drenched them with the hose and had the retaining ring way too high above the ground. I had basically created a miniature swimming pool for them by keeping my standard watering habits! I lowered the ring a bit deeper into the soil (which had now softened up a bit), and there it was. A Palm Round tomato plant! A seemingly ridiculous combination that would turn into a great success! About a week and a half later, and after reducing the amount of water I gave those specific tomatoes, they really started to come alive! It was amazing how that ring cut did exactly what it said (minus the instructions on how far above the soil it should be placed). My tomatoes are juicier than they have ever been, and the plant doesn't look like it's about to die. The best part about it is that I can still neglect it, and it can hold its own!
Even though I have experimented with many different watering systems and drip lines, I find this product to be especially interesting. It can be incorporated into anything I may have installed in the past and basically works as a catalyst to further their individual causes. I am definitely looking forward to purchasing more of these for the rest of my garden and the trees out in my front yard. I have always been a man looking for new ways to improve the planet around me, and keep money in my pocket. I think these new “Water Rounds” will soon prove to do just that.
