When plant parents see their greenery in distress, their first instinct may be to grab the watering can. This has led to countless cases of herbicide. Roots may start to rot when they’re waterlogged, which means overwatering your plants can be just as disastrous as underwatering them. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to regulate the amount of water your houseplant gets, and it’s as easy as opening your freezer.

As Reader’s Digest reports, an ice cube (or several) is your secret weapon against your tendency to overwater. Grab a couple of large ones from the kitchen and place them at the base of your plant directly on the dirt. Rather than drenching the pot all at once, the ice will melt gradually and evenly distribute the water throughout the soil.

If you’re nervous about drowning your plant, you can keep an eye on it to make sure the meltwater doesn’t overflow at any point. This approach is also great for hydrating hanging plants that may be hard to reach with a watering can.

Though your plant is getting the same amount of water in the end, it benefits from a gentler delivery method. That’s because the roots and soil need time to absorb the moisture. When a significant amount of water is poured in too quickly, it ends up pooling at the bottom of the pot, which can deprive roots of oxygen and lead to decay. This is also why having drainage holes and gravel at the bottom of your planter is so important.

Keeping your houseplants alive can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are more tips for keeping your vegetal housemates in good shape.

[h/t Reader’s Digest]

This article was originally published on www.mentalfloss.com as Serial Houseplant Killer? This Simple Trick Will Help Ensure You Don't Commit Another Herbicide.