Any suggestion for watering plants..

[fireflies]

I had invited friends to go out this coming holiday. Two of us had the same problem. How can we keep our plants watered for a few days? My friend's plants are in a greenhouse while mine are in front of our house.

[dandelion]

Maybe you can use small plastic bottle container filled with water and put a couple of small holes underneath then place it near your plants and let it drip slowly. A neighbor of mine did this once and he said a gallon of water lasted for about 3 days. Hope this gives you the idea.

[sakura]

I found this how-to, if you want to give it a try: How to Water Plants When on Vacation | eHow.com

I read somewhere that you can cover your plants with a plastic bag. Water the plant well, then cover it with plastic. Humidity will build up on the side of the plastic, keeping the plant hydrated while you are away. Make sure the plastic doesn't touch the leaves. If the plant is too big, just cover the pot and the bottom part of the plant.

I haven't tried it, so proceed with caution.

[fleurdelys]

@sakura, I think I know where you got that plastic bag trick hehe.

Try this site. It gives several methods on how you can keep your plants watered while you're away.

[sakura]

Originally Posted by fleurdelys

@sakura, I think I know where you got that plastic bag trick hehe.

Haha, it does look familiar. I've read that a long time ago, so I'm not to sure but yeah, I think I got it from there.

I usually ask my brother to water my plants for me. I put them out on the patio behind the house and he just comes by about twice a week to check up on them. But if he isn't available and I have to go out of town, I might try some of the methods in that site.

[starcandy]

There's an interesting suggestion in the DIY Drip Irrigation thread you might want to try.

[mistermaster]

i dig that drip irrigation thing. may be labor intensive initially but in the long run it will be worth it.

Mulching can also conserve moisture in plants.

[cosmic_girl]

Drip irrigation's convenient, although the set-up does look a bit difficult to do at first. Still, I imagine that it would be good in the long run, and would help me maintain my garden. I think I'll give the DIY a try, then if that fails, I'm willing to spend for it.

[farmerbrie]

For better water efficiency i'd use the trickle or drip irrigation system.

It's best combined with mulch--> more frequent or continuous water supply in small amounts to maximize production.


But during the first couple of weeks from transplanting, it is best to thoroughly wet the soil once a week to promote the growth of healthy root systems.

[Luna]

You can try this method.

Place a few bricks in a pan or your bathtub and fill it with water just about the same height as the bricks. Place the pots on top of the bricks. The humidity will help the plants from drying out.

Make sure that the plants will be away from direct sun or areas where it's warmer for most part of the day. This will help the plants maintain their moisture more.

[fireflies]

Thanks for all who shared such great ideas!

Originally Posted by Luna

You can try this method.

Place a few bricks in a pan or your bathtub and fill it with water just about the same height as the bricks. Place the pots on top of the bricks. The humidity will help the plants from drying out.

Make sure that the plants will be away from direct sun or areas where it's warmer for most part of the day. This will help the plants maintain their moisture more.

This trick is great, however, mosquitoes might start to lay eggs in there..

[starcandy]

I shared this one just recently on a much newer thread (there's a few duplicates around that it confuses me sometimes):

Fill a plastic bag (a regular sized Ziplock will do) with water and freeze it. A few hours before you leave, put it out and let it melt a bit. Poke a few holes in the plastic to let the water drip onto the soil. The ice will melt but the water won't run out immediately. I think that should last you a good two days or so.