The idea of having a garden sounds great to people — stick some plants in the ground, and at the end of the summer you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous blooms or a bounty of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. But having a successful garden means much more work than that. It also means constant care to keep plants happy and healthy. And even keeping houseplants alive can take some time.

One of the most important aspects of gardening is making sure plants receive adequate water. Many of the plant’s functions rely on water so hydration is essential, especially in hot, dry weather. These eight tips will help to make watering the garden and potted plants seem like less of a chore.

Create a self-watering system from a clean, plastic water bottle. With the lid on the bottle, use a hammer and nail to drive a few holes through the top of the lid. Remove the cap, fill the bottle with water, screw the lid back on tight and invert the bottle quickly, driving it into the soil at a slight angle toward the plant’s roots. The water will slowly seep out of the holes.

It’s no secret that lining planting containers with coffee filters will help keep potting soil from spilling out the drainage holes in the bottom. By doing so, people also help to retain water in their pots as well. Coffee filters are incredibly absorbent and will soak up extra water as it drains out of the pot. This helps to keep soil moist between waterings.

One of the most simple ways to keep watering plants from becoming a chore is to simply collect the excess water. Most planting containers have drainage holes to keep roots from becoming waterlogged. Collect this excess water by putting saucers under the bottoms of the pots. The plants will gradually reabsorb the water from the saucer when the soil gets dry, lending a helping hand if you forget to give them a much-needed drink.

Moisture is easily lost from the soil surface through evaporation. Covering the soil with a thick layer of mulch will help to decrease evaporation, plus the mulch itself will help by retaining extra moisture. Choose commercial bark chips, pine needles, grass clippings or even straw as suitable mulch.