A couple of days ago, I received a package in the mail.

I was very excited to open this package, because I knew what I would find.  I was talking on the phone with my cousin, chatting away about our trip to Hawaii, while haphazardly ripping open the box and scattering the superfluous amounts of packing paper to the winds.  That’s when this happened.  I’m still not quite over it.

It’s no secret that I like my wine, so it’s really kind of ironic that I broke my last “good” wine glass while opening up this particular package.

Let’s just say the items were packaged really, really well.  Inside the large box was a lot of packing paper and a medium box.  Inside the medium box were three smaller boxes.

And finally, inside the smaller boxes, were these:

Plant Nannies.

It would be really, really great if I could figure out how to focus my camera.  Maybe I’ll finish this resolution on the plane to Hawaii…

So anyway, like I was saying, it was ironic that I broke my wine glass while opening these, because these nifty little plant nannies will actually help water my garden using recycled wine bottles.

I was eager to try them out.  Luckily, I had a stash of clean, empty wine bottles saved up for the occasion.

Just fill your bottles with water.

Grab a nanny, and stick it down into your moist soil.  This process is easier if your soil is moist – be careful because the nannies are made out of ceramic and could break if your force them too hard.

Then, stick your wine bottle in!

It’s so easy, a baby could do it.

(Get it?  Baby?  Plant nanny?  Not that babies should have wine.  Ever.)

Here’s a closer look:

So why would you want one of these?  Besides making your garden look too cool for school?

According to the product website (and friends of mine who have used these), these little doodads will slowly release water into your soil when it begins to dry out.  Because they’re releasing the moisture near the roots of your plants, this will help them stay healthy.

Here’s the diagram from the website:

They’re supposed to work great for container plants.

But theoretically, they should work near the roots of plants in a larger garden as well.

I’m not going to presume these will fill all of my garden’s watering needs (especially since I need to acquire a few more wine bottles to disperse throughout the bed).

A friend of mine is watering the garden while we’re in Hawaii.

But now I can rest easy knowing a few more of my “friends” are helping to perpetuate my garden’s drinking problem all day long.

Now I really do have the “lush” garden I always dreamed about (har-har).

I ordered 3 sets of 4 of these right here on Amazon.  You can also get just one set of 4.

I still haven’t opened one of the sets.  I might save them for gifts if I don’t use them all.  Would you think I was weird if I brought you a bottle of wine and a plant nanny for a housewarming gift?  Engagement Party?  Baby shower?

Okay, maybe a bit inappropriate for a baby shower.

But then life’s no fun if everyone’s always appropriate, is it?

*I apologize if these posts come later than normal – I’m on island time right now.  :)