Nobody likes returning home from vacation to find all of the houseplants dead. Hiring someone to take care of them isn’t always possible, and it cuts into the vacation funds. There are watering systems that will do the job. The following vacation plant watering systems are easy to set up and inexpensive:
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Buy a self-watering container at any garden center. These plastic containers look like terracotta pots. A built-in water reservoir, at the bottom of the pot, delivers the water to the plant as it needs it. You need only give it attention about every two weeks when the reservoir requires refilling. Your plants will receive watering and remain moist at all times.
Buy two clay pots for this vacation plant watering system; one must be smaller than the other. You will also need to purchase either Spanish moss, peat moss, sphagnum moss, or perlite to fill the void when doubling up the pots. Moisten the filler material as well as the soil when watering. The water will now filter through the porous clay walls into the potting mix. This also lowers the soil temperature, thereby, reducing water needs and adds humidity to the room as an extra benefit.
Take a nylon stocking and insert one end into the drainage hole in the pot. Make sure it’s in contact with the soil. Place the other end of the stocking in a bowl full of water. The water will move slowly from the bowl to the plant. If you have pets, place a lid over the bowl, so the pets don’t drink all the water. Use a larger bowl for more than one plant.
Line the bathtub with old towels, newspapers, or any thick, absorbent material. This system works best when plants are in terracotta pots. Set pots with drainage holes in the tub. Fill the tub with two inches of water. This arrangement will keep plants watered for up to two weeks.
The self-watering system comes in plastic pots. Horticulturists insist that plastic is not good for plants, because oxygen is not able to circulate throughout the root system. It’s best to re-pot in terracotta pots when returning home. The Double pot and bathtub watering system will transfer the most water to plants. Wick watering dispenses water slowly. It’s best to try out the vacation plant watering system before going on vacation to make sure it works adequately.
“Guide to Growing Healthy Houseplants”: Denny Schrock
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