That they are long holidays or just short weekends, every now and then it is right to disconnect from the daily routine and enjoy a little relaxation away from home.
Those who grow plants, however, before leaving live the classic dilemma: how to water them?
No fear! As always, nature and human ingenuity can help you.
So here’s how to water potted plants when you go on vacation.
How to water the plants if the holiday is a weekend
If you have planned a weekend away from home, there is no need to invent anything in particular.
For such a short period the plants they can resist the lack of watering, just place them in a shaded area: less radiation will reduce the waste of water, reducing the perspiration of the leaves and the evaporation from the soil.
If you don’t have a shady corner, a shade cloth.
Of course, for plants that need a lot of light it is not the best, but if it is a short period nothing irreparable will happen.
Please note:, this does not mean that you will have to lock the plants inside the house, in the dark: a little light, even if indirect, must arrive anyway.
At this point you just have to wet the soil well before leaving and it’s done, you can abandon yourself to Relax thoughtless.
How to water the plants if the holiday is long
As for the weekend, also in the case of longer holidays there is the rule to leave the plants in the shade and to wet the soil well before leaving.
This, although helpful, will certainly not be enough to cover the needs of the entire holiday period, so you have to arm yourself with inventiveness and plan some useful and practical arrangements.
One of these is definitely irrigation with plastic bottles.
What is it about? You will simply have to apply a special spout, which you find in nurseries or other specialized stores.
Cut the bottom of the bottle, fill it with water, then bury all the spout in the pot, near the plant.
It is good that the bottle is firm, so the ideal is to position it slightly inclined and leaning against a support, such as a wall.
Choose the number of bottles so that it is proportionate to the size of the pot and the number of plants you grow.
This solution will allow you to cover the water needs of about a week.
If the holiday is longer, you can opt for another, even simpler system.
Fill with water a container, for example a bucket or a basin, and place it next to the pot, making sure it is higher than the plant.
Take gods woolen threads or strips of fabric (the number will vary according to the size of the pot) and immerse them in water.
When they are completely wet, take one end and bury it in the pot, leaving the other part still inside the container.
The rest will be done by physics: the water will tend to migrate along the wool threads or strips of fabric, up to reach the soil, ensuring a constant flow.
As long as there is water in the container, your plants will be able to benefit from it, so the larger the tank, the greater the autonomy.
Un last tip: it is always good make attempts before leaving, they will help you to correctly size your home made system, saving you nasty surprises when returning from vacation.
Sgaravatti Trend Staff
