In another TikTok, anti.antropology compares clippings grown with a pool noodle to those without. They found that the one with the pool noodle had significantly more roots and didn’t have any bacteria growth, even after sitting in stagnant water for about three weeks, while the one without the pool noodle had cloudy water after just 10 days. Perhaps you’re wondering why this is the case. Well, in the comments of that video, one person explains, “The pool noodle closes off the top so less air gets in.” Therefore, any bacteria in the air cannot get into the water and affect the plant’s growth.
At the same time, the pool noodle does still allow for some airflow, which keeps the lower leaves on the cutting from rotting. One commenter on anti.antropology’s TikTok asks, “How long have you been doing this method for? Just curious, [I’m] wondering if it makes the plant rot at all where it wraps around the plant.” To this, the creator replies, “I’ve been doing it for over a year and the answer is no, as there’s enough space for air to go through. And I’ve never had rotten leaves.” Therefore, you can have peace of mind that this hack won’t harm your cutting but will only benefit its growth.