Bungee cords actually stretch under their weight so they can shimmy down pretty easy, the trick is the spring tension has to be just right or they figure it out fast. Slinky works better cause the coils collapse and dump them every time they grab on.

Movies do this all the time with food in general, not just drinks. A guy in a business suit is always stressed and grabbing a whiskey at noon, or the sad single girl eats a whole pint of ice cream on the couch. Real life is way less dramatic, people drink Coke at mile 20 because their body is screaming for sugar and salt, not because they're falling apart.

Copying layouts off Pinterest is a trap because those pics never show the sprinkler tiles clearly, you just have to eyeball it and hope. Next time drop the ancient fruit in and run one full day before you trust it, way easier than watching three days of crops turn brown.