Summer is ahead of us, and so is vacation season. Who else is about to go on a trip to renew energy by disconnecting from routine?
But what do we do with our beloved plants? Those that we have worked so hard to take care of throughout the year.
Here are some tips on how to water outdoor plants while on vacation. Some more known than others, we have compiled looking for a solution to go quietly this vacation. They are sure to be useful to you too.
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Watering the Plants on Vacation: What to Do Before Leaving
Whether it is a short vacation or a longer one, you need to be prepared. You can implement the small precautions necessary so that the plants do not suffer. Here is the list of things to do:
- Carefully evaluate which plants need more water and which ones do not tolerate stagnation.
- Don’t leave plants in the dark. Plants need light, especially if they have been accustomed to long exposure. So let the light enter the garden freely or move them to a place that can be left illuminated.
- Do not place plants in an unsuitable environment. An environment that is too hot, too cold, or sudden temperature changes can cause various problems.
- More shade for plants on the terrace or balcony. Make sure your plants stay in the shade as much as possible, especially during the hottest hours.
- Avoid pots of water. Leaving pots filled with water near plants may be good for some, but others would suffer a lot. Furthermore, humidity and little air will create an ideal environment for the proliferation of parasites.
Keep in mind that these solutions can help for an absence period of up to 30 days. After this, the plants will begin to need total care, pesticide treatments, and fertilization.
How to Water Outdoor Plants While On Vacation?
If you don’t have someone who can come to water them a few times a week, don’t worry. With the 9 tips that we give you below, your plants can perfectly survive a vacation without any problem.
The Rope Trick
Fill a large container with water and insert the end of a thick string or rope to the bottom. Bury the other end in the soil of the pot. The plants will extract the water they need. Don’t use wool yarn because it doesn’t absorb water.
Recycled Bottles Upside Down
Fill a 1.5-liter water bottle with water and poke a hole or two in the cap from the outside to the inside. The water can now flow out through the lid. Then put the bottle upside down in the soil of the pot to water.
It is not a very safe system, because the water outlet can be blocked, but it usually works well.
Clay Cones
To make the bottle trick work for you, you can also find clay cones in hardware stores. These are attached to the container and buried in the pot. The bottle can even be made of glass.
Water Them by Immersion
If you are only planning a short vacation, it is enough to water the plants in abundance a day before. Or you can just water them on the day of departure.
Take your plants on the day of departure and immerse them in a container full of water until bubbles stop coming out. Now place the plant in a shady place in your house. Repeat the procedure on the day of your return. It is enough for a week or two if they are not left in full sun.
Hydrogel for Plants
Take a large basin without a hole; fill it with at least 5 cm of the hydrogel. And on top of it, put your pots in a hole. Then fill the basin with more granules until the pots are half sunk in them. Then add water to the hydrogel until it cannot absorb any more.
If by chance, you have disposable diapers, you can use that too. You can tear it up and use the absorbent material. It is a hydrogel that you can use, as explained before, or mix with the earth.
Automatic Irrigation to Water the Plants When On Vacation
If, on the other hand, a large garden or in a greenhouse, you can resort to an automatic drip irrigation system. But in this case, you have to incur a few more expenses to take care of the greenery.
The automatic drip sprinklers can be used all year round, even when at home. They allow you to give the plants the right amount of water without ever forgetting to water.
To install an irrigation system of this type, first of all, it is necessary to have a water point. A tap.
The system control unit must be connected directly to the tap. However, it might be advisable to insert a multi-outlet fitting first. In this way, it will be possible to continue to use the tap for drawing water.
How the Automatic Irrigation System Works
The control unit allows you to set a program, for example, by establishing fixed daily times. You can set the time at which the plants must be watered, as well as the amount of water.
The more elaborate ones allow you to memorize various programs. They have diverse ignition times according to the days, as well as the quantity of water to be dispensed.
The control units can be powered by electricity or batteries. They must be resistant to atmospheric agents in order to be placed outdoors.
The distribution network, consisting of two types of low-density polyethylene pipes, branches off from the control unit:
- The main pipe
- Thin and flexible branch pipes that carry water to the dispensers.
The dispensers represent the last element of the system. They can take shape according to the type of plant they must serve and the quantity of water to be supplied.
In Addition to Watering the Plants: Other Care
Before dealing with irrigation, however, consider a series of general rules that are always valid.
- Leave containers filled with water next to the plants, whether they are indoors or outdoors. The evaporating water will create a humid environment suitable for the plants and will limit their transpiration. Also, it will reduce their need to be watered.
- Those that are outside must be placed in a not too sunny position. Also, in this case, it will help to limit transpiration and, therefore, the need for water.
- Group pots and planters. So that the plants are put together to create the right humid microclimate. In this way, they will also benefit from each other. The larger ones will shade the smaller ones. On the other hand, the smaller ones will shade the earth of the larger ones’ pots.
Conclusion
If you follow our tips and these do-it-yourself methods, you can go on vacation without worries. And, on your return, see with satisfaction your vegetation continues to grow luxuriantly.
We know well that plants cannot be left without water. By not paying attention to certain precautions, we could face serious damage risking wasting all the time and care we dedicated.
So, if you are wondering how to water outdoor plants while on vacation, read our tips again.