7 Ways to Keep Your Plants Watered While You Are Away
One of the biggest concerns of anyone going on vacation is the plants left at home. Those who are lucky to have family or friends living nearby can rely on their helpful hand. Others have to go for some alternative irrigation methods.
All plants in one place
When you have only cacti and/or succulents, you don’t need to worry about them when you are away. If this is just a couple of days, just put all the plants in one place. It has to be somewhere shady, without any exposure to sun. that will prevent the soil from going dry too fast. Of course you’ve got to water the plants just before leaving. They will survive these couple of days without you for sure.
How to keep your plants watered when you are away?
#1 Watering balls, drippers and soil humidifiers
It is up to you which equipment you choose. No matter whether you go for a watering ball, a dripper or a soil humidifiers, they all work in roughly the same way. Just fill them with water and it will be slowly and frequently released into the soil, ensuring appropriate amount of water inside the pot.
#2 Dispensers
Another interesting idea is a dispenser with a thin hose attached. The dispenser, filled with water, has to be placed vertically in the pot. Then put the hose in a bottle, vase or another container filled with water. Drop by drop, the water will be carried to the pot.
#3 Plastic irrigators
They are made of plastic and conical in shape. You fix them onto the top of a plastic bottle filled with water and put it in the soil. If you notice that the water flows too fast, put some cotton wool into the irrigator
#4 A bottle dripper
You can make a dripper yourself, too. Pour some water into a plastic bottle (but let it not be full) then fix the cap, but don’t do it up very tight. You can also pierce some small holes in the cap. Then put the bottle into the pot.
#5 Down the string
Pour some water into a dish and immerse an end of a string in the water with the other one dug in the soil. Remember that the pot has to be below the dish. Water will travel down the string into the soil.
#6 A self-watering pot
Pots with an irrigation system retain water on their bottom. A special separating layer ensures that the plant does not absorb too much water.
#7 Hydrogel
This gel, mixed with soil and spread an inch or two beneath the surface, absorbs the excess of water and slowly releases it when the plant needs it. You can dug out some soil along the edge of the pot and pour the gel there, covering it back with the soil.
How do you handle the watering problem when you are away?
