Watering plants while away

[veggiewomble]

I've got a little problem. I'll be away for 9 days and during that time, I won't be able to get anyone to water my chilli and aubergine plants! The aubergines are planted in troughs outside and so will have to rely on whatever rain there is (if any) this month. The chillis are in small pots, and I can bring them inside so the soil won't dry up so quickly in the sun anyway.

Anyone have any ideas what I can rig up indoors to water the chillis a little bit every day? They have loads of little green chillis on them and it'd be a shame if they all dried up now! I was thinking of dipping strips of cloth into a tub of water, and drawing them to the pots. I only have 11 chilli pots so this may be feasible.

Any ideas?

vw

[scared55]

Capillary matting, readily available (eg link) should do it.

KK

[Hazel at the Hill]

Or the less eyewateringly expensive method which involves putting the pots on a damp towel on the draining board with the towel draped into the sink which you half fill with water.

Towel acts as capillary matting.

[veggiewomble]

Thanks for the suggestions! I will try the towel method. I will be SO upset if I came home and found my chilli plants all half-dead, after all the time and effort I invested in them (lots of lovely chillis to show for it! ).

vw

[seasprout]

Cheap kids paddling pool drop of water in, stand your plants in. hope for the best.

[Flummery]

I always used to put mine in the bath with a couple of inches of water in (sister lives nearby now and does the duty for me).

The trick is to remember to take the plants out before you get in for your post-holiday ablutions!

Flum