Modules, what to do?

[jacob]

Myself and OH have just realised we're both about to be away for a week. I'm a bit worried about the stuff in modules, particularly toms. No-one to water for us, so...

Do we:
a) water stuff, leave it in the greenhouse and keep our fingers crossed that it doesn't get torched
b) bring stuff inside somewhere shady -- probably won't dry out, but unhappy veg yearning for the sun
c) leave the modules standing in a shallow puddle of water

None of these options sounds great.

[redser]

The lack of light would be a problem for that long with fast growing things like tomatoes. Make a quick DIY watering bench. Get a flat and level surface in the greenhouse, spread lots and lots and lots of sheets of newspaper over it. Saturate them all so the layer is really really wet through all the layers. Sit the modules on top. The paper will hold water for a long time. The only problem you have then is the heat Not sure what to suggest. Auto opener or good neighbour/friend???

[GardenNinja]

We were in the same situation a couple of weeks ago when we went on a week long ski trip. I think there's been a thread on here by someone else not so long ago and the general consensus is to pot the plants up in larger containers. I did this to all of my tomato/pepper plants and put them on the window sill (they were previously under grow lights). When we got back, the soil was still damp and the plants did not need watering for several more days. I did experiment with leaving one extra plant in the original cup and it withered dramatically, though it did perk up when I watered it after our holiday. This plant has now been potted up, but is growing at a noticeably slower rate than the others. Hope this helped!

[BUFFS]

i put all mine into those large yoghurt pots,in trays,watered,and set the verticle blinds so they got some sunlight on the kitchen windowsill,1800s cottage,so windowsill is the thickness of the stone walls,2ft,they lasted nearly 9 days as i watered them last thing before leaving...good luck..

[jacob]

I like the newspaper suggestion -- a less aggressive version of c).

[veggiechicken]

I've just come back to some pea and brassica seedlings that have been in the GH in modules for 2 weeks without watering - they're fine!! A good drink before you go (for the plants!) and out of full sun and they should be fine for a week. I'm always doing it through the summer.

[Jimmy]

I have a friendly neighbour.
I set up my hose so it's easy for him, and ask him to soak them once a day.
I bring a few bottles of beer back for him which seems to keep up his enthusiasm.
Jimmy.