Planning a vacation or going out for a few days on a business trip? Want to know “How to Water Plants While Away?” These hacks will help you!
Plant lovers work hard to make sure that their precious plants don’t die on them. But when going on a vacation or business trip, it becomes a dilemma–how will the plants survive? Especially without watering!
The question arises–“How to Water Plants While Away?” It is obvious because, without the water for a long duration, even many drought-tolerant plants can’t live. If you’re about to face a similar problem and looking for a solution, these plant watering hacks are going to help you.
Also Read: 5 Watering Mistakes Gardeners Must Avoid
1. Water Wicking
It’s not a new gardening hack; old school gardeners have been doing this trick to water plants for a long time. You can use a long candle wick for this, or if it’s unavailable, a shoelace or cotton rope will also do the job.
- Take a large container and fill it with water. Place it close to your plant pot.
- Dip the wick in the water container in such a way that its one end rests at the bottom of the pot.
- Push the other end of the rope or wick 2-3 inches below the soil level near the base of the plant carefully without disturbing the roots.
- Due to the capillary action, water will slowly reach the soil through the wick and save the plant from drought stress.
- This method is more functional for houseplants and plants growing in a less sunny and windy spot. A detailed DIY post on this is available at wikiHow!
2. Bottle Watering Globe
It’s a simple and easy technique that’ll keep your plant saturated for around 3-4 days. A wine bottle works best for this purpose because it’s both sturdy and capable of holding a large amount of water. However, any bottle with a small mouth will also work just fine.
- Pour water in the bottle, leaving a few inches at the top.
- Cover the opening with your thumb and turn the bottle upside down.
- At the base of the plant where you water, shove the upturned bottle inside the soil, remove your thumb just before doing that.
- For the bottle to stay fixed, push the neck several inches below the soil’s surface so it remains stable. Don’t forget to check out these DIY watering globe ideas here.
NOTE: If the water does not drain, take the bottle and glue a screen over the mouth. It’ll prevent the soil from clogging the bottle opening.
3. Bottle Drip System
This DIY bottle drip system is a cheap and effective alternative to glass watering globes and other such systems and is one of the best ideas for garden plants when it comes to how to water plants while away.
- Take a small or large plastic bottle, depending on the size of your plant and pot.
- Drill 2-3 holes at the bottom of the plastic bottle and 3-5 holes on the sides.
- Dig up the soil nearby the plant without disturbing roots and deep enough to bury the bottle in it up to the neck.
- Fill the bottle with water and put it in the hole you just made, and then level the soil nearby the hole by tapping it. If the plant doesn’t require much water, place the cap; otherwise, leave the bottle uncapped.
NOTE: You can add liquid fertilizer to the water in the growing season to provide nutrients to plants.
Also Read: Balcony Decorating Ideas
4. Giving a Bath
What we mean by giving a bath to container plants is placing the container in several inches of deep water. The soil soaks up water through the drainage holes present at the bottom.
- Fill the sink, tub, bucket up to a few inches of water, and place your planter pot in it.
- The soil will continue to soak up water and remain moist, fulfilling the plant’s needs and for about a week.
- To prevent the sink from scratches and dirt, cover the surface of the sink with an old towel before placing the pot.
Precautions: Plants that require bright light or direct sun should not be placed in a dark bathroom or kitchen. Also, this method is only suitable for water-loving plants that need constant moisture to grow. Other plants may die due to root rot.
5. Use a Self-Watering Planter
If you often go out for work trips or holidays, start growing plants with high watering needs in self-watering planters. You can either buy them from the market or make a few all by yourself using your DIY skills. We have this list of 14 Self-Watering Planter Ideas with the tutorials. Check that out for help.
Also Read: 9 Important Gardening Questions for Container Gardeners
6. Ask a Friend
That’s the most obvious solution to take care of plants when you are away. Ask a friend, neighbor, or a relative whom you can trust to take care of your plants. Make sure to tell them in detail about your various plants and their specific needs if they’re not a gardener. You can also label your plants so that they can easily recall the watering needs.
Additional Tips
- If you’re going for a very short duration, always water your plants deeply and thoroughly until you get the overly saturated soil. This will keep the plant going without water for some time.
- Adding more on this, after watering your plant normally, you can cover the plant and its pot with a clear plastic bag, making sure the bag is not touching the plant leaves. You can use stakes to support it.
- Also, you must not forget to shift your container plants from full sun to indirect sun.
Also Read: How to Water Air Plants
